On this day after Thanksgiving, a sumptuous feast for the eyes!

Many thanks to superstar librarian Betsy Bird for hosting the cover reveal for YOU CAN MOVE MOUNTAINS on School Library Journal's Fuse #8 blog. The cover by illustrator Daniel Miyares is absolutely masterful, and just a taste of the incredible artwork inside!

It was so much fun to talk all things art and Bob Ross with Daniel and Betsy. Check out the interview here, and look for the book next summer (6/16/26) from Roaring Brook Press/Macmillan!

I'm so grateful to Jewish Book Council for hosting the reveal of Carmel Ben Ami's beautiful cover for A Flame Burns On today on their website.

This book has a special place in my heart, for reasons both personal and global. I hope it speaks to your heart as well when it arrives next May, courtesy of Knopf/Random House.

Please visit JBC at this link for more!

Hello, MG!

I'm so excited to share the announcement of my first middle grade book: a collection of stories about 40 of the most impactful rabbis in Jewish history.

Stories of the Rabbis is a true labor of love, and I'm so proud to have played a part in bringing it to life. And just wait until you see the breathtaking illustrations by Brie Schmida!

Thank you to Karen Smith and the team at Workman Publishing for placing your trust in me. Look for this book in Fall 2026!

I had a wonderful time last Sunday at the Bookends Fall Book Festival! So much fun meeting readers and hanging out with fellow authors. Thanks to everyone who stopped by!

This Sunday!

Bookends Bookstore in Ridgewood, NJ is hosting its annual Fall Book Festival, and I'll be there along with a stellar lineup of authors. Join us for a day of bookish fall fun!

On a recent trip to Denver, I got to hang out with author-illustrator Lily Williams! It was such a joy to meet up in real life with my creative partner on A Rock is Born.

And when we realized belatedly that we had forgotten to include a copy of our book in the picture . . . well, here's proof that illustrators are truly magicians!

I've been traveling for the past week, so I'm just posting now about the fantastic panel I was privileged to be a part of last Sunday at Books of Wonder!

It was a joy to meet and talk non-fiction books with fellow panelists Emily Arnold McCully, Chris Eastland, and Galia Bernstein. I also brought along a rock display with real samples of the four rocks brought to vibrant life by illustrator Lily Williams in A Rock is Born! 

There are few things I associate more with my Asian identity than the act of taking off my shoes at home. So I'm beyond thrilled to announce that Please Remove Your Shoes is coming in 2027, courtesy of Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins!

I'm even more thrilled that I get to work with the amazing Xuan Lan, whose work I am absolutely obsessed with.

So grateful to editor Martha Mihalick for believing in this story. This is my second book with her (after Year of the Cat), and it's a privilege to make picture book magic with the Greenwillow team again.

Get those indoor slippers ready!

Flashback to 2019, when my wife and kids made me a rock cake to celebrate the acquisition of A Rock Is Born.

Today, that book is out in the world. As the subject matter demonstrates, the best things often take some time to come together . . . but oh, are they worth the wait!

I'm so grateful to illustrator Lily Williams for being the perfect creative partner to bring this story to life; to editor Emily Feinberg for entrusting me with her idea; to assistant editor Emilia Sowersby and the rest of the team at Roaring Brook Press/Macmillan for their support; and to my agent Emily Mitchell, as always. Rock stars, all.

​Now go forth, little rock. I can't wait to see where you end up next!

To celebrate Jewish American History Month, the amazing Chana Stiefel and Liza Weimer have been hosting a series of Instagram Live interviews with Jewish kidlit authors and influencers. I'm honored to be their next guest!

Join us tomorrow for what promises to be a fun and joyful discussion!

Thank you to the voters who picked If Lin Can for the Children's Book Council 2025 Teacher's Favorite (3rd-5th Grade) List!

Every year, these lists are voted on by students, teachers and librarians around the country. It's truly an honor to see our book recognized by the readers themselves, and in such prestigious company.

See the full list here!

I wrote a dinosaur book!

But really, it's a story of hope and friendship growing out of loss and loneliness . . . told through dinosaurs and birds in the Late Cretaceous period, naturally.

Thank you to editor Emily Feinberg and Roaring Brook Press/Macmillan for believing in this prehistoric tale, brought to life through the breathtaking art of illustrator Jamie Green. Look for it next year!
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Oh, and maybe bring tissues.

Join me and Leanna from Multicultural Kid Blogs this Thursday for a Read Your World Instagram Live discussion!

​We'll be talking about multiculturalism and diversity in kidlit, and how I explore various aspects of my identity through my books. Should be a lot of fun! 

To celebrate the release of its annual literary journal, Jewish Book Council is hosting a Paper Brigade virtual launch tomorrow!

Join me and a wonderful lineup of contributors as we read selections from the newest issue. I'll be sharing an excerpt of my author's note from Two New Years. 

Event registration details here.

I’m thrilled to present Lily Williams’ gorgeous cover for our upcoming nonfiction picture book, A Rock Is Born. It’s a wonderful milestone in a journey that spans over 100 million years (from the rock’s perspective), or 6 years (from the book’s perspective).
 
Back in 2019, Emily Feinberg – editor of my debut, Red Rover, and many more of my books since – emailed to say, quite earnestly and intriguingly, “I’ve been thinking about rocks a lot lately.” That tiny seed of an idea was just the start. Over time, it grew and changed and took many forms (much like a rock) and eventually became the book that will land on shelves next summer.
 
It’s been a joy and honor to work with everyone who made this book a reality: Emily, assistant editor Emilia Sowersby, the entire team at Roaring Brook Press/Macmillan, and above all, Lily. I’ve been a mega-fan ever since I read If Sharks Disappeared and the rest of the If Animals Disappeared series, which perfectly encapsulate Lily’s gift for presenting complex scientific ideas in a way that is accessible, responsible, and inspiring for kids. I couldn’t ask for a better illustrator and creative partner in bringing this story about the rock cycle to life.
 
Look for A Rock Is Born on July 29, 2025! And if you're so inclined, pre-order links can be found here.

Heidi Rabinowitz, host of The Book of Life Podcast and librarian extraordinaire, is an indispensable voice in Jewish kidlit, and I'm so proud to participate in her new interview series, Jewish Joy, on Multicultural Kid Blogs. The series will spotlight diverse Jewish creators and shine a light on Jewish life and stories, in a time when we need it most. Read the full interview here!  

With Rosh Hashanah less than a month away, I'll be participating in a wonderful Two New Years program this Sunday at the JCC of Mid-Westchester in Scarsdale, NY. Held in partnership with the local Chinese Westchester community, this fun event will feature Jewish and Chinese food samples, a paper-cutting craft activity, and a book discussion!

Look for registration details here. Hope to see you there!

During the AJL conference in June, I had a fun chat with The Book of Life host Heidi Rabinowitz for a special episode of the podcast. She asked a bunch of authors to talk about our Jewish emotional support books. Listen here for my answer and many others! (Hint: mine involves Chanukah and a certain curious monkey!)

Recently, I had the pleasure of doing an interview with College Commons, a podcast produced by Hebrew Union College. Each year, they does a series of episodes with winners of the National Jewish Book Awards, in conjunction with Jewish Book Council. You can hear me talk about Two New Years, my Chinese-Jewish identity, and hard-hitting food questions here. (For the record, I am proudly Team Gefilte Fish!)

To celebrate tomorrow's release of A Taste of Home, I spent time today recreating the walk around the Lower East Side that the kids take in the book!

The only departure from the story: ending up at Books of Wonder, where illustrator Sibu T.P. and I hope to celebrate with local friends at tomorrow evening's launch event!