Cover Reveal for A Sweet New Year for Ren

I’m very, very excited to share the cover of my next book — A SWEET NEW YEAR FOR REN!

Little Ren looks forward to the preparation for and festivities of Lunar New Year, but she is always too little to help make the delicious pineapple cakes that are her favorite.  She watches family members rolling out the dough and loves the mouth-watering smell. Watching and waiting, when will Ren be old enough?

Growing up, I loved hearing my father tell stories about his childhood in the Philippines, and to this day, I still do.  A SWEET NEW YEAR FOR REN was inspired by our Chinese heritage, by stories of my dad celebrating Lunar New Year as a boy and by my family’s love for traditions and beautiful times spent together throughout the years.

Pineapples symbolize good fortune and prosperity in Chinese and Taiwanese cultures.  Pineapple cakes originated in Taiwan and are often given as gifts wherever Lunar New Year is celebrated.  In Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia, pineapple tarts are also baked and enjoyed during Lunar New Year.  A recipe by my dear friend and food writer/artist Bonnie Eng is included!

Thank you to all of the wonderful individuals who have brought this story to life including incredible illustrator Dung Ho.  A Sweet New Year for Ren publishes on November 15, 2022, from Simon & Schuster and is available to preorder now.

Click here to preorder!

Cover Reveal for Patch of Sky

I’m thrilled to be sharing the cover reveal for author-illustrator Nic Yulo’s debut picture book PATCH OF SKY!

A fiercely determined girl will do anything to help her best friend finally see the sky in this unique story of determination, empathy, and learning to look at the world in a whole new way.

Pia just found out the terrible news that pigs can’t look straight up, which means her best friend and right-hand-pig Patches has never seen the sky. If you ask her, that is absolutely CUCKOO BANANAS. Now Pia is on a mission to share the beauty of the big wide sky with Patches . . . and she will do whatever it takes!

PATCH OF SKY by Nic Yulo will be out on July 12, 2022, and is available for pre-order now from Dial Books for Young Readers/Penguin RandomHouse!

When Lola Visits Lands on Best Books of 2021 Lists

I’m overjoyed to share that When Lola Visits has been chosen as one of:

🌟 Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Books of the Year

🌟 New York Public Library Best Books for Kids 2021

🌟 BookPage Best Picture Books of 2021

Many thanks to Kirkus Reviews, NYPL and BookPage!

Art from the book was also selected for The Original Art Exhibit 2021 at Society of Illustrators!  Congratulations to Aaron Asis!  Society of Illustrators photo courtesy of Mabel Hsu.  So much gratitude to my agent Andrea Morrison and editor Mabel Hsu for believing in this story, and so many thank-yous to Aaron Asis, Amy Ryan and Rachel Zegar for making this book beautiful beyond words.

There were so many extraordinary stories this year!  Congratulations to all authors and illustrators who published books in 2021!

It Fell from the Sky

On an ordinary day in an ordinary garden, something extraordinary falls from the sky.  It’s luminescent and has striking colors.  All the insects in the garden are mesmerized by it — it is in fact, a Wonder.  When Spider greedily takes possession of the Wonder and selfishly uses it for his own gain, his friends start to abandon him.  Will he ever be able to win back their friendship?  This stunning, wondrous new story from the Fan brothers will be out on September 28!

It Fell from the Sky was written and illustrated by Terry Fan and Eric Fan and published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Animal Architects

Animals and insects are nature’s original architects, creating impressive homes and communities such as coral reefs that can be seen from space, underground ant colonies with labyrinthine tunnels and trails, thousand mile-wide prairie dog towns and towering termite mounds.  Amy Cherrix and Chris Sasaki bring readers into the intricate, intelligent and often astounding world of animal architects.

Animal Architects was written by Amy Cherrix, illustrated by Chris Sasaki and published by Beach Lane Books.  Out on September 7!