We Always Had Wings

A stunning, mythology-inspired ode to the places and people who came before us as a girl embarks on her first visit to her mother's hometown in China for Lunar New Year.
Little Snow can't remember the last time she was on an airplane, and is afraid of the long journey from her big city to the vast Chinese countryside Mama comes from. To soothe her nerves, Mama tells Little Snow the story of how their ancestors travelled before borders and countries existed—flying through the skies as cranes. What follows is a tender story of reconnecting with family during the holidays and remembering the magic of who you are in this gorgeous picture book debut from author-illustrator Jess X. Snow.

Jess X. Snow (they/them) is a non-binary Asian Canadian artist, film director, and Pushcart-nominated poet whose work explores migration, surrealism, environmental justice, and intimacies across cultures and species. Their short films have screened in dozens of festivals across five continents. They are working to build a future where diasporic people of color see themselves on the big screen, city walls, and pages of children's books. By merging community arts activism, healing practices, and cinema in their stories, Jess hopes to encourage others to discover sanctuaries inside themselves.