How Love to Sing Books Began: A Family Story

How Love to Sing Books Began: A Family Story

When we became parents for the first time, we were gifted something simple but magical: sound books. With just the press of a button, music filled the air, and our newborn son’s eyes lit up. He loved them — dancing, clapping, pointing at every little picture on the page. We saw how these books combined play, sound, and learning in a way that was joyful and effortless.

Naturally, Lee went online to look for Vietnamese sound books, hoping to share his own heritage through the same format. But there weren’t any. Not a single one. That’s when he turned to Yanna and asked: “Should we make our own?” Her answer was immediate: “Yes — and we have to do a Cantonese one too.”

That spark was the beginning of Love to Sing Books.

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Two Languages, One Dream

From the start, we made both the Vietnamese and Cantonese books side by side. These were not just two languages — they were two legacies. Lee’s Vietnamese roots and Yanna’s Cantonese background came together in the pages of our books, carrying the rhythm of lullabies, playful songs, and words filled with memory and meaning.

The choice wasn’t about creating a product. It was about creating something we wished had existed for our own children — a way to pass down culture, to weave music and language into the everyday life of young families like ours.

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Finding Community Through Collaboration

As we shared our Vietnamese book with the world, we crossed paths with Sophie from Mommy & Me Vietnamese. At first, she was simply helping us spread the word. But as we talked, we realized how much we had in common. Like us, she was raising her children to be bilingual in an English-speaking country. Like us, she understood both the challenges and the rewards of trying to keep a heritage language alive.

Our conversations felt natural and encouraging, like talking to a friend who truly understood. One day, almost without planning it, we asked: “Should we collab?” And just like that, our partnership — and friendship — began.

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Our Mission

At its core, Love to Sing Books is about helping parents like us. Parents who grew up in the U.S. or Canada, surrounded by English, but still carry the sounds of another language in their hearts. Some parents are fluent. Some can speak just a little. Some cannot speak it at all.

But they all share one hope: that their children will know the language of their grandparents, their ancestors, their roots. That’s what unites our community. Our books are simply a joyful tool to help make that hope a reality.

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Inspired by Our Children

Our children are not just the reason Love to Sing Books exists — they are woven into every page. The Tiger character is inspired by our firstborn, who was born in the Year of the Tiger. The little dog is Tookie, our family pet.

When our son dances to music, it pushes us to make sure the songs are fun, catchy, and danceable. When he points to every detail in a book, it reminds us to fill our illustrations with surprises — small things to name, notice, and laugh about. These details make the books more than just something to read. They make them interactive, alive, and personal.

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The Journey So Far

The hardest part of creating these books has always been the timing. We started the first book while juggling the sleepless nights of a newborn. By the time we began our second project, we were welcoming our second child into the family. Balancing the demands of new parenthood with the demands of a new business hasn’t been easy.

But the challenges are far outweighed by the rewards. Every time we hear from a parent who says their child can’t stop pressing the buttons, or an aunt who says her niece dances to the songs, or a grandparent who’s grateful to hear their language spoken by the next generation — we know it’s all worth it.

Because in those moments, it’s not just a book. It’s connection. It’s heritage. It’s love carried forward through music and story.

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Looking Ahead

What started as a simple idea at our kitchen table has become a growing family project, powered by community, culture, and the laughter of our children. We’re still learning, still growing, and still singing along — and we hope your family will keep singing with us.