Join Porter Square Books and local author/illustrator Grace Lin for the launch of her latest middle grade novel, Mulan: Before the Sword, in conversation with author Susan Tan!
From Newbery-winner Grace Lin comes a Mulan prequel novel full of adventure and wonder. When Hua Mulan’s beloved little sister is bitten by a poisonous spider, Mulan embarks on a quest filled with incredible encounters and obstacles in order to save her.
This original middle grade tale filled with adventure and wonder is set just before the events that transpire in the upcoming Walt Disney Studios live action film. The legend of Mulan is beloved by fans all over the world and Mulan: Before the Sword is sure to inspire a new generation. Grace Lin is not only a brilliant author, she’s also a talented illustrator who painted the stunning cover!
Before Grace Lin was an award-winning and NY Times bestselling author/illustrator of picturebooks, early readers and middle grade novels, she was the only Asian girl (except for her sisters) going to her elementary school in Upstate NY. That experience, good and bad, has influenced her books—including her Newbery Honor WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON, her Geisel Honor LING & TING, her National Book Finalist WHEN THE SEA TURNED TO SILVER and her Caldecott Honor A BIG MOONCAKE FOR LITTLE STAR. But, it also causes Grace to persevere for diversity as an occasional New England Public Radio commentator and when she gave her TEDx talk “The Windows and Mirrors of Your Child’s Bookshelf,” as well as her PBSNewHour video essay “What to do when you realize classic books from your childhood are racist?.” She continued this mission with a hundred episodes of the podcast kidlitwomen* and now currently hosts two other podcasts: Book Friends Forever and Kids Ask Authors. In 2016, Grace’s art was displayed at the White House and Grace, herself, was recognized by President Obama’s office as a Champion of Change for Asian American and Pacific Islander Art and Storytelling.
Susan Tan has lived many places in her life, but calls Concord, Massachusetts, home. She grew up in a mixed-race family, and, like Cilla Lee-Jenkins, had very little hair until the age of five. After studying at Williams College, she earned her PhD from the University of Cambridge, where she studied children's literature. She currently lives in Jamaica Plain, enjoys frequent trips to Chinatown to eat tzuck sang, and teaches at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. She is the author of Cilla Lee-Jenkins: Future Author Extraordinaire, Cilla Lee-Jenkins: This Book Is a Classic, and Cilla Lee-Jenkins: The Epic Story. Piece by Piece is Susan Tan's picture book about a visit to the Peabody Essex Museum's Chinese House.
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