Books I’ve Written
The books listed below are the ones being printed by real publishers and sold at real bookstores. But I’ve written way more, most of which wasn’t very good. I had to write all that down, though, to get to the really good stuff. So I don’t regret a single word.
How do you decide when
and how to speak out when something unjust needs changing?
Book Description for LILY XIAO SPEAKS OUT
Lily Xiao can’t wait to go to Camp Rock Out this summer, where she’ll finally be able to shed her “class robot” good girl reputation and start her journey to becoming the next Eddie Vedder! And she can’t wait to do it with her best friend and cousin, Vivian, who’s just moved from Taiwan to Lily’s California hometown.
But as the two cousins work their way through seventh grade, Vivian struggles more and more with her schoolwork, which is all taught in English. If Vivian can’t get her grades up, her parents won’t let her go to rock camp.
Determined to help, Lily embarks on a mission to push their school to provide more support for English-as-a-Second-Language learners like Vivian. But her first-generation immigrant family is nervous about Lily challenging the status quo. We should be grateful to be here, they always say.
With Camp Rock Out on the line, Lily will need to decide how far she’ll push against her family’s wishes in order to stand up and speak out.
What reviewers are saying about LILY XIAO SPEAKS OUT:
“From Lily’s Taiwanese American family to her Spanish- and Korean-speaking classmates, the book is filled with characters who broaden Lily’s world....Lily’s love for grunge—and the joyful inclusion of Mandarin and Taiwanese language and culture—make this story noteworthy." - Kirkus
“As Lily breaks through the model-minority “robot” reputation she’s been boxed into, her inspiring quest highlights youth activism and immigrant experiences in a nostalgic nineties setting.” - Booklist
“"This sweet and charming friendship story by Chen highlights personally informed experiences of growing up Asian American, the joys of music, and the benefits and challenges that come with advocacy via Lily's high-spirited first-person POV." - Publishers Weekly
Middle grade novel for kids 8-12 years old
How do you balance passion and profit—and gain your family’s acceptance along
the way?
I’m so excited to share IT’S BOBA TIME FOR PEARL LI, my debut middle grade novel, with the world! This contemporary fiction story for 8-12 year old readers follows a big-hearted Taiwanese American girl as she aims to gain her family’s acceptance and save her favorite boba tea shop by selling her handcrafted amigurumi dolls. Pearl Li learns how to navigate the world of business, tech, and craft as she fights to save Boba Time, and learns how to advocate for your passions and uncovers big truths about friendship, family, and entrepreneurship along the way. Published by Quill Tree/HarperCollins, edited by the wonderful Jen Ung.
What reviewers are saying about IT'S BOBA TIME FOR PEARL LI!:
“The book’s genuine tone and appreciation of craft, culture, and community will capture readers’ attention” - Kirkus Reviews
“Chen writes an upbeat story of being true to oneself while embracing one’s culture and developing empathy” - Publishers Weekly
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
Middle grade novel for kids 8-12 years old
Love lives in all we do for another, not only in the
words we say.
My debut picture book, HOW WE SAY I LOVE YOU, features a Taiwanese American girl who shares how her family expresses their love for one another through actions rather than words. Illustrated by the talented Lenny Wen, published by Knopf, an imprint of Penguin Random House, edited by Rotem Moscovich, this picture book has been on bookshelves around the world since December 2022 and was a Target Book Club pick and selected by the Dollywood Foundation for inclusion in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program.
What reviewers are saying about HOW WE SAY I LOVE YOU:
“A warm embrace of a book” - Kirkus Reviews
“This is a successful story that shows not only the myriad ways families indicate love but also an extended family as well. A good general purchase.” - School Library Journal
Picture Book (kids 4-8 years old)
Picture Book Faves
Journey, Aaron Becker
Drawn Together, Minh Lê + Dan Santat
Amy Wu and the Perfect Bao,
Kat Zhang + Charlene Chua
Thank you, Omu!, Oge Mora
Mixed, Arree Chung
How To, Julie Morstad
Chapter Book Faves
The Jasmine Toguchi Series,
Debbi Michiko Florence
The Yasmin Series, Saadia Faruqi
The Mindy Kim Series, Lyla Lee
Ways to Make Sunshine, Renée Watson
Middle Grade Faves
Front Desk, by Kelly Yang, Scholastic
Stand Up, Yumi Chung! by Jessica Kim,
Penguin Random House
From the Desk of Zoe Washington, by Janae Marks, Harper Collins
Buy Local.
If you can, purchase any of the books above at your local, independent bookstore. Alternatively, purchase at Bookshop.org, the online bookshop with the mission to financially support local, independent bookstores.