SATA
ENTRY TYPE:
WORK TITLE: The Man Who Didn’t Like Animals
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: https://leuyenpham.com/
CITY: Los Angeles
STATE:
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY:
LAST VOLUME: SATA 371
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
First name pronounced “Le-Win”; born September 6, 1973, in Saigon, Vietnam; daughter of Phong T. and LeHuong Pham; immigrated to United States; married Alexandre Puvilland (an artist), October 29, 2005; children: Leo, Adrien.
EDUCATION:Attended University of California, Los Angeles, 1991-93; Art Center College of Design (Pasadena CA), B.A., 1996.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Children’s book author and illustrator. Dreamworks Feature Animation, Glendale, CA, layout artist, 1996-99; Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA, instructor, 2000; Academy of Art University, San Francisco, CA, instructor; LeUyen Pham Illustration, San Francisco, freelance artist, 1999—. Exhibitions: Work exhibited at New York Society of Illustrators Original Art Show, 2005; and New York Society of Illustrators Spectrum Exhibition, 2005.
MEMBER:Society of Illustrators.
AWARDS:American Booksellers Association Pick of the List designation, and Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award, both 2000, both for Can You Do This, Old Badger? by Eve Bunting; Best Children’s Books of the Year designation, Child magazine, 2002, for Whose Shoes? by Anna Grossnickle Hines, and 2005, for Big Sister, Little Sister; 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing designation, and Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award, both 2004, both for Twenty-One Elephants by Phil Bildner; Society of Illustrators, Los Angeles, Bronze Medal in Children’s Book Category; Texas 2×2 Reading List inclusion, 2004, for Sing-Along Song by JoAnn Early Macken; Great Graphic Novels designation, American Library Association (ALA), 2014, for Templar by Jordan Mechner; ALA Notable Children’s Books designation, 2014, for Bo at Ballard Creek by Kirkpatrick Hill and The Boy Who Loved Math by Deborah Heiligman; ALA Great Graphic Novels for Teens designation, 2018, for Real Friends by Shannon Hale, and 2020, for Best Friends by Hale; Notable Children’s Books designation and Caldecott Medal honor book, both 2020, both for Bear Came Along by Richard T. Morris.
WRITINGS
Books featuring Pham’s art have been translated into several other languages, including French.
SIDELIGHTS
Vietnamese-born children’s book author and illustrator LeUyen Pham has produced picture-book illustrations for texts by a number of writers, among them Alexander McCall Smith, Eve Bunting, Jean Van Leeuwen, Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Marilyn Singer, Deborah Underwood, Heather Dean Brewer, Karma Wilson, and Shannon Hale. Pham has gone on to earn additional respect from critics for her original self-illustrated picture books Big Sister, Little Sister Vampirina at the Beach, and Outside, Inside. Critiquing Pham’s contributions to Stephanie Watson’s Best Friends in the Universe, Horn Book reviewer Julie Danielson stated that the illustrator “fills her bustling spreads with vivid, saturated colors, dynamic lines.”
Big Sister, Little Sister is told through the eyes of a little girl who compares her life to that of her older sister. While big sister wears lipstick and is orderly, little sister is always a little messy, and she is only allowed to wear lipstick at playtime. To accompany her story, Pham created full-page illustrations featuring striking inked brush-and-pen renderings. Big Sister, Little Sister “has beautifully captured the touch-and-go affection that is a verity of sibling life,” commented a Publishers Weekly reviewer, the critic going on to praise the author/illustrator’s “bold, accomplished brush strokes.” Writing in School Library Journal, Linda Ludke noted that, “with warmth and good humor, the ups and downs of sisterly love are perfectly conveyed” in Pham’s art, while a Kirkus Reviews critic deemed Big Sister, Little Sister “a frothy fun tale that at its heart shows the depth and breadth of these relationships as something to be cherished.”
Pham focuses on another special relationship in All the Things I Love about You, which was inspired by her own experiences as a mother to two young children. Here her evocative ink-and-wash illustrations are paired with a text that details a mother’s affection for her infant son, from the way he plays with his breakfast to the way he wiggles out of his pajamas and calls for his mother each night. “Children will giggle, and mothers and grandmas will enjoy sharing” Pham’s “reassuring message,” predicted Patricia Austin in her Booklist review of All the Things I Love about You, and the book’s art prompted Rachel G. Payne to note in School Library Journal that the author/illustrator shows herself to be “a master at conveying … facial expressions and delightful comic details.” A “made-for-snuggling” bedtime story, according to a Publishers Weekly critic, All the Things I Love about You shows Pham to be “among the most natural and gifted illustrators working today.”
With The Bear Who Wasn’t There, various animals try to take center stage with the bear that does not appear in the book. Others go looking for the bear. Booklist contributor Randall Enos opined that the book “has its own personality with numerous … crisply colored … animals making cameos.”
A self-illustrated work inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic, Outside, Inside “is a story about the innate kindness of individuals and the promise that it can signal for the future,” Pham told Publishers Weekly correspondent Alex Green. The story depicts the myriad ways people adapted to their new reality, which included mask wearing, attending virtual schools, and engaging in creative indoor activities. Outside, Inside also celebrates the efforts of essential workers and observes how individuals reconnected to the natural world.
Outside, Inside received a glowing critical reception. “The simple, first-person narrative emphasizes we through deliberate pacing and repetitive use, firmly cementing the theme of togetherness and connection,” a writer noted in Kirkus Reviews. “The digital illustrations are beautifully composed and emotionally expressive,” Carolyn Phelan observed in Booklist, and a Publishers Weekly contributor stated that the volume “offers a record of a period of difficulty, a testimony both to loss experienced and moments of unexpected good.”
Similar praise has been given to Pham in her work illustrating stories by other writers. The half-tone art she creates for McCall Smith’s series of books about an African boy living with his ranger father were called “evocative” by a Publishers Weekly contributor in a review of Akimbo and the Elephants, and a Kirkus Reviews critic wrote that Pham’s illustrations for a new edition of Charlotte Zolotow’s A Father like That “flow across each … spread and beautifully capture the spirit of the text.”
Rosenthal’s Bedtime for Mommy takes a more lighthearted tack, reversing the role of mother and child such that Mommy’s attempts to stall before bedtime are captured in Pham’s art. Noting the story’s comic-book-speech-bubble style, Patricia Austin added in Booklist that “uncluttered watercolor paintings” and a “switcheroo” story make Bedtime for Mommy “a perfect bedtime choice,” while a Kirkus Reviews writer asserted that “Pham’s ink-and-watercolor vignettes … milk the situation for all its worth.”
Also featuring Pham’s art, God’s Dream, a picture book by Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu, was commended by a Publishers Weekly critic who noted that the artist “nimbly sidesteps triteness through her velvety, saturated palette and the unassuming sweetness” of Tutu’s multicultural cast of young characters. Once around the Sun, a picture book by Bobbi Katz, benefits from “large, color illustrations [by Pham that] are perfect for engaging youngsters in discussion” about the seasons, according to School Library Journal contributor Teresa Pfeifer.
Bear Came Along, an action-packed story by Richard Morris, follows the exploits of a curious-minded bruin who topples into a twisting river and floats downstream atop a log, picking up a host of animal companions during his wild journey. “Pham’s artwork here is delightful as she paints between the lines of sensational and silly,” Ilene Cooper noted in Booklist, and a Kirkus Reviews contributor stated that her “outstanding art perfectly complements the text, showing the animals’ differing personalities while also using color, space, and patterns to create appealing scenery.” “Playful perspectives abound, especially a gasp-inducing one just as the creatures reach the waterfall and descend,” Danielson wrote in Horn Book.
With a text by Lenore Look, the “Alvin Ho” chapter books star a Chinese American second grader who, while timid at school, on vacations, and every other social situation, transforms into a feisty superhero when he is at home in a safe environment. In a review of Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things, Jennifer Mattson wrote in Booklist that “many children will sympathize” with Look’s young hero, and “Pham’s thickly brushed artwork matches the [story’s] quirky characterizations stroke for stroke.” Continuing the adventures of the super-shy second grader in Allergic to Camping, Hiking, and Other Natural Disasters, a Kirkus Reviews stated that the artist’s “simple but vibrant line drawings leap off the page.”
In Allergic to Babies, Burglars, and Other Bumps in the Night, Alvin must learn to deal with his mother’s pregnancy. Booklist contributor Courtney Jones commented that Pham and Look depict “Alvin and his continued anxiety issues in a relatable, sympathetic, and humorous way.” With Look’s Allergic to the Great Wall, the Forbidden Palace, and Other Tourist Attractions, Alvin thinks his passport photo makes him look like a criminal. And his fear of elevators means he has a lot of stairs to climb. Writing in Horn Book, Jennifer M. Brabander noted that “as usual, Pham’s many illustrations capture the ‘fun’ being had in Look’s action-packed story.”
In Shannon and Dean Hale’s The Princess in Black, Princess Magnolia tries to keep her secret identity as a superhero princess who wears black clothing. She balances her palace duties with her superhero duties as best as possible. A Kirkus Reviews contributor said that the book had “action, clever humor, delightful illustrations, and expectation-defying secret identities.” In The Princess in Black and the Perfect Princess Party, Magnolia is getting ready to celebrate her birthday. Unfortunately, tentacled monsters repeatedly interrupt her party. Booklist contributor Kay Weismann commented that “Pham’s Disney-esque illustrations work nicely to contrast the simplistically perfect party guests with the multidimensional” protagonist.
With Shannon Hale’s graphic memoir Real Friends, she chronicles her struggles in making friends as a kid. Hale tries too hard to protect her friendships and maintain her relationships, leading to trouble. A contributor to Publishers Weekly claimed that “it’s a wonderfully observed portrait of finding one’s place in your world.”
In Hale’s Best Friends, a sequel to Real Friends, readers follow Shannon’s sixth-grade year, in which she learns to navigate the constantly changing social dynamics of “The Group,” a popular clique to which she belonged. “Pham’s art is evocative in its simplicity; detailed facial expressions add emotional depth and accessibility for even the most reluctant readers,” a writer stated in Kirkus Reviews. “Panels move the action along with crisp lines, fun 1980s references, and well placed, expressive speech balloons,” Kelley Gile observed in School Library Journal.
Pham and Hale also joined forces on Itty-Bitty Kitty-Corn, which explores the unusual friendship between a unicorn and a fluffy kitten who wishes she were a unicorn. “Pham’s brightly colored digital art extends the text in several places,” remarked Booklist contributor Kay Weisman, and a Publishers Weekly reviewer described the work as “a celebration of claiming and naming one’s identity and having it affirmed by others—even if it’s a community of two.”
In Jordan Mechner’s Prince of Persia, Pham teams up with her husband, fellow artist Alex Puvilland, to illustrate a graphic novel based on a popular video game, producing a book that School Library Journal critic Andrea Lipinski praised for its “vibrant colors and stirring images.” The couple’s second graphic-novel project, Mechner’s Solomon’s Thieves, takes readers to fourteenth-century France and follows Martin, a Templar knight, and fellows Bernard and Dominic. Their long trip back from the Crusades ends in betrayal by king and pope and a plot to break the power of the Knights Templar by robbing them of their wealth. The graphic novel depicts “a believably harsh medieval world” in which Pham and Puvilland’s “action sequences feel particularly cinematic,” according to School Library Journal contributor Alana Joli Abbott. In Booklist, Ian Chipman wrote that Solomon’s Thieves shows the artists to be “in top form, balancing grainy, hatched textures and clean spaces” to create “a vibrant sense of kineticism.”
In Kirkpatrick Hill’s Bo at Ballard Creek, two gold miners adopt infant Bo after her mother abandons her. Bo grows up in rural 1920s Alaska, enjoying everything from being chased by bears to riding in a dog sled. Booklist contributor Ann Kelley claimed that “Pham’s exuberant illustrations add playfulness to the story.” Kelley said that the book would make for “a great choice for classroom units on the gold rush.” With Hill’s Bo at Iditarod Creek, Bo and her family have moved to Iditarod Creek. While her fathers do their new jobs, Bo learns about the technological changes in gold dredging. Writing in Horn Book, Roger Sutton observed that the book is “illustrated with robust spot art and lightly but effectively plotted.”
A young couple dance their way through this popular song in The Twelve Days of Christmas. Pham gives an international spin on the characters in the song as well. A contributor to Publishers Weekly boasted that Pham’s “paintings truly shine in the depiction of maids, lords, drummers, and ladies.”
With Deborah Heiligman’s The Boy Who Loved Math: The Improbable Life of Paul Erdos, the Hungarian math genius’s life is profiled. The book shows how his early interest in numbers expanded as he grew into adulthood. A contributor to Publishers Weekly insisted that the way Pham explains the mathematical concepts in her illustrations “will delight readers with even a fraction of Erdos’s interest in math.”
With Michelle Markel’s Hillary Rodham Clinton: Some Girls Are Born to Lead, the origins of Clinton’s interest in social causes is shown from her university days. The book goes on to show how Clinton took this into her career in politics. A Kirkus Reviews contributor lauded that “Pham’s artwork is the real vote-getter. With a colorful palette, she presents Clinton’s personal and professional sides.”
In Marc Harshman and Anna Egan Smucker’s Fallingwater: The Building of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Masterpiece, architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s famous house is profiled. The book takes readers through the process of how the house was constructed over the waterfall. A contributor to Publishers Weekly noted that “[e]arth tones and blue hues evoke the calm grandeur of the finished, futuristic-looking structure.”
(open new)With Love Is Powerful, Mari is excited to march with her mother in the Women’s March. She is coloring a sign for the march and learns from her mother that love is powerful, and that is how she knows their message will get across. A Kirkus Reviews contributor commented that “the prose is somewhat unpolished, but a note from and photograph of the real Mari at book’s end charmingly grounds it.” The same reviewer admitted that the picture book has “lots of heart.”
In All Pets Allowed, Becket and Nicholas are excited to be celebrating their tenth birthday on the tenth day of the tenth month. While Becket wants to have a big party and invite everyone they know, Nicholas is more reserved and would prefer to keep the party small. Their parents let them each have a pet as a gift. Becket picks Dibs, they easily scared dog. Nicholas chooses Gift, a confident cat. They both learn from their pet and vice versa. Booklist contributor Phelan found it to be “a welcome addition to the engaging ‘Blackberry Farm’ series” after The Becket List.
With Friends Forever, thirteen-year-old Shannon is insecure despite making a close friend in the eighth grade. She notes down things she believes would make her feel better about herself, including being beautiful, famous, successful, liked by boys, and a good person. Each topic becomes a chapter where she must overcome the pressure she put on herself to achieve these things. Booklist contributor Sarah Hunter claimed that “this book homes in squarely and affirmingly on teen angst and worries.” Hunter took note of “Pham’s masterful portrayal of body and language and facial expression.”
With Pretty Perfect Kitty-Corn, Kitty-Corn is painting a picture of Unicorn. She adds every detail she can think of, including some that make Unicorn look not so good. This upsets Unicorn, who is sensitive about her appearance. After they talk, though, Unicorn realizes that Kitty-Corn painted her that way without thinking anything looked bad about her. Booklist contributor Kristina Pino observed that “beautiful illustrations … send the message that it’s okay to share the messy parts of ourselves.”
In The Together Tree, Rumi is shy on the first day of school and gets made fun of. Another student throws a rock at Rumi that hits him and draws blood. After seeing his mistreatment, other students come to Rumi’s side and ask to play together under the tree. Booklist contributor Maryann Owen declared: “Ultimately, the way Rumi and the bully form a bond is a wonderful lesson for all readers.”
With the graphic novel, Lunar New Year Love Story, Vietnamese-American high school student Valentina Tran usually makes handmade Valentine’s Day cards for her family and friends each year. She learns some shocking news about her family’s tragic history about romance, and her best friend, Jae, disrespects the time she spent making the card. When she meets to lion dancers preparing for Tet, she falls for one of them. As they date, she learns that he is Jae’s cousin, giving her doubts about their future together. Booklist contributor Terry Hong claimed that “Yang and Pham boast impressive credentials in the graphic novel space, and together they’ll be unstoppable.”
In the picture book, The Man Who Didn’t Like Animals, Old MacDonald has yet to build his farm filled with animals. At this point, he does not even like animals. One at a time, though, a range of animals comes to his door, leaving Old MacDonald no choice but to take them in. The more animals he takes in, the more he realizes that he does actually like the company of animals. A contributor to Kirkus Reviews remarked that the picture book is “perfect for animal lovers and preschoolers with nursery rhymes still fresh on their minds.”(close new)
Pham once told SATA: “When I first considered doing children’s books, I was told, flat out by every art instructor I met, that one could ‘never make a living at it.’ Children’s books has long been considered a field that one does for the pure love of, and not to find one’s fortune, much less to make a simple living at.
“I have never been one to listen to such things, and I set about trying to prove everyone wrong. Besides which, I simply could not imagine doing anything else with my life.
“I think it was that single idea, the belief that I really had no other choice in my life other than to write and illustrate books, that has kept me motivated and going for all this time. And truth be told, it is an extremely difficult field to be in, and one has to be quite prolific to stick around for very long. I might even wager to guess that my ability to ebb with the tide, to change my style from book to book to match the different mood of every story, has kept me adrift in this business, and has made it extremely challenging and enormously engaging in the process.
“It’s interesting that in the field of illustration, one is encouraged to ‘find one’s voice,’ as if style is simply an ever-present constant. I supposed there’s merit to thinking that one can become a rather reliable illustrator in this way, that there are no surprises to the work, and what you ask for is what you get each time. For myself, I never found this thought very appealing, and what’s more, it’s always seemed a bit derogatory to the text, as though the words themselves are as predictable as the artist’s consistent work.
“Each time I receive a manuscript, I can’t help but look for the uniqueness of the story, the voice that I haven’t heard anywhere else that attracts and holds my imagination. If I find a story like that, my goal is to find a visual translation for it that is just as unique, just as attractive, to do the thing justice. So begins my journey—of finding a new style to translate the story.
“From book to book, I’ve made it a goal to try to be different from the book before, in everything from the medium to the rendering to the storytelling. Admittedly, this hasn’t always been an easy task. It means feeling extremely insecure each time I start a new book, wondering if this style is working at all, if the graphic imagery is actually beneficial, or if it’s taking away from the story. And of course, there is the matter of convincing the editor that this direction is the right direction. Somehow, I’ve been lucky enough to work with people who seem to really trust my instincts and have let me express and change fluidly from book to book.
“Has this changing style been the reason for having done so many books in my short career? Heaven only knows there’s no key to success. At least, I haven’t found it yet. And all these years later, when I think back at my girlish stubbornness at sticking it out in this field, I can’t help but laugh. Because somewhere, along the way, among the many, many books illustrated, and many stories, to tell, I discovered that what I was looking for wasn’t a way to make a living—I was simply looking for a way to love living. Ain’t it grand?”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, March 15, 2003, Ilene Cooper, review of Before I Was Your Mother, p. 1332; July, 2004, Ilene Cooper, review of Sing-Along Song, p. 1848; October 1, 2004, Karin Snelson, review of Twenty-One Elephants, p. 332; June 1, 2005, Jennifer Mattson, review of Big Sister, Little Sister, p. 1823; September 1, 2005, Kay Weisman, review of Hanukkah, Shmanukkah!, p. 131; September 1, 2005, Shelle Rosenfeld, review of Akimbo and the Elephants, p. 135; February 1, 2006, Ilene Cooper, review of Benny and Beautiful Baby Delilah, p. 59; April 15, 2006, Hazel Rochman, review of Once around the Sun, p. 49; May 15, 2007, Julie Cummins, review of A Father like That, p. 50; February 15, 2008, Ilene Cooper, review of Grace for President, p. 84; July 1, 2008, Jennifer Mattson, review of Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things, p. 61; August 1, 2008, Hazel Rochman, review of God’s Dream, p. 76; September 1, 2008, Ian Chipman, review of Jordan Mechner’s Prince of Persia, p. 98; May 15, 2009, Courtney Jones, review of Any Which Wall, p. 54; February 15, 2010, Patricia Austin, review of Bedtime for Mommy, and Julie Cummins, review of Aunt Mary’s Rose, both p. 79; April 15, 2010, Ian Chipman, review of Solomon’s Thieves, p. 57; November 1, 2010, Patricia Austin, review of All the Things I Love about You, p. 72; April 15, 2011, Diane Foote, review of The Best Birthday Party Ever, p. 58; September 1, 2012, Ann Kelley, review of Vampirina Ballerina, p. 122; April 15, 2013, Courtney Jones, review of Allergic to Babies, Burglars, and Other Bumps in the Night, p. 59; April 15, 2013, Ann Kelley, review of Bo at Ballard Creek, p. 66; May 15, 2013, Ian Chipman, review of Templar, p. 46; June 1, 2013, Carolyn Phelan, review of The Boy Who Loved Math: The Improbable Life of Paul Erdos, p. 82; June 1, 2014, Cindy Dobrez, review of Allergic to the Great Wall, the Forbidden Palace, and Other Tourist Attractions, p. 98; August 1, 2014, Kay Weisman, review of The Princess in Black, p. 85; December 15, 2014, Kay Weisman, review of Bo at Iditarod Creek, p. 55; March 15, 2015, Lolly Gepson, review of There’s No Such Thing as Little, p. 80; September 1, 2015, Kay Weismann, review of The Princess in Black and the Perfect Princess Party, p. 122; September 15, 2016, Randall Enos, review of The Bear Who Wasn’t There, p. 55; April 15, 2017, Sarah Hunter, review of Real Friends, p. 39; September 1, 2017, Kathleen McBroom, review of Fallingwater: The Building of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Masterpiece, p. 86; November 15, 2018, Rosie Camargo, review of Vampirina in the Snow, p. 61; March 15, 2019, Ilene Cooper, review of Bear Came Along, p. 68; July 1, 2019, Ilene Cooper, review of Grace Goes to Washington, p. 73; February 1, 2021, Carolyn Phelan, review of Outside, Inside, p. 58; February 15, 2021, Kay Weisman, review of Itty-Bitty Kitty-Corn, p. 60, July 1, 2021, Sarah Hunter, review of Friends Forever, p. 55; August 1, 2021, Carolyn Phelan, review of All Pets Allowed, p. 52; January 1, 2022, Kristina Pino, review of Pretty Perfect Kitty-Corn, p. 80; May 1, 2023, Maryann Owen, review of The Together Tree, p. 51; November 1, 2023, Terry Hong, review of Lunar New Year Love Story, p. 53.
BookPage, March 1, 2018, Jill Lorenzini, review of Sheep 101, p. 30.
Books, December 11, 2005, review of Hanukkah, Shmanukkah!, p. 2.
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, March 1, 2005, Karen Coats, review of Sing a Song of Tuna Fish: Hard-to-Swallow Stories from Fifth Grade, p. 285; September 1, 2005, Timnah Card, review of Big Sister, Little Sister, p. 36; May 1, 2006, Deborah Stevenson, review of Benny and Beautiful Baby Delilah, p. 426; July 1, 2006, Deborah Stevenson, review of Once around the Sun, p. 504.
Children’s Bookwatch, May 1, 2004, review of Piggies in a Polka, p. 2.
Horn Book, July 1, 2008, Jennifer M. Brabander, review of Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things, p. 453; September 1, 2009, Jennifer M. Brabander, review of Allergic to Camping, Hiking, and Other Natural Disasters, p. 567; September 1, 2010, Jennifer M. Brabander, review of Allergic to Birthday Parties, Science Projects, and Other Man-Made Catastrophes, p. 82; March 1, 2013, Jennifer M. Brabander, review of Allergic to Babies, Burglars, and Other Bumps in the Night, p. 110; May 1, 2013, Roger Sutton, review of Bo at Ballard Creek, p. 83; May 1, 2013, Sam Bloom, review of The Boy Who Loved Math, p. 106; November 1, 2013, Katie Bircher, review of Vampirina Ballerina Hosts a Sleepover, p. 81; July 1, 2014, Jennifer M. Brabander, review of Allergic to the Great Wall, the Forbidden Palace, and Other Tourist Attractions, p. 98; November 1, 2014, Lolly Robinson, review of The Twelve Days of Christmas, p. 53; March 1, 2015, Roger Sutton, review of Bo at Iditarod Creek, p. 98; May 1, 2017, Jennifer M. Brabander, review of Real Friends, p. 114; July-August, 2018, Elissa Gershowitz, review of The Itchy Book, p. 118; November-December, 2018, Elissa Gershowitz, review of Stop That Yawn!, p. 63, and Julie Danielson, review of Best Friends in the Universe, p. 71; March-April, 2019, Sarah Rettger, review of The Becket List: A Blackberry Farm Story, p. 81; May-June, 2019, Julie Danielson, review of Bear Came Along, p. 130; November-December, 2019, Grace McKinney, review of Best Friends, p. 111; March-April, 2021, Elissa Gershowitz, review of Outside, Inside, p. 70; September 1, 2021, Cynthia K. Ritter, review of Friends Forever, p. 116; January 1, 2024, Michelle Lee, review of Lunar New Year Love Story, p. 103.
Kirkus Reviews, March 1, 2003, review of Before I Was Your Mother, p. 257; July 15, 2003, review of Piggies in a Polka, p. 961; May 1, 2004, JoAnn Macken, review of Sing-Along Song, p. 444; October 1, 2004, review of Twenty-One Elephants, p. 956; June 15, 2005, review of Big Sister, Little Sister, p. 689; November 1, 2005, review of Hanukkah, Shmanukkah!, p. 1191; March 15, 2006, review of Once around the Sun, p. 293; May 1, 2007, review of A Father like That; September 15, 2007, review of William Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale; July 15, 2008, review of Jordan Mechner’s Prince of Persia; August 15, 2008, review of God’s Dream; April 15, 2009, review of Any Which Wall; May 15, 2009, review of Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things; February 15, 2010, review of Aunt Mary’s Rose; March 15, 2010, review of Bedtime for Mommy; November 15, 2010, review of All the Things I Love about You; December 15, 2010, review of Shoe-la-la!; August 1, 2012, review of Vampirina Ballerina; March 1, 2013, review of Allergic to Babies, Burglars, and Other Bumps in the Night; April 15, 2013, review of The Boy Who Loved Math; April 15, 2013, review of Bo at Ballard Creek; July 15, 2013, review of Templar; April 1, 2014, review of A Piece of Cake; May 15, 2014, review of Allergic to the Great Wall, the Forbidden Palace, and Other Tourist Attractions; July 1, 2014, review of Pat-a-Cake; August 15, 2014, review of The Princess in Black; September 1, 2014, review of The Twelve Days of Christmas; November 1, 2014, review of Bo at Iditarod Creek; June 1, 2015, review of Freckleface Strawberry: Backpacks!; June 1, 2015, review of Freckleface Strawberry: Lunch, or What’s That?; July 15, 2015, review of The Princess in Black and the Perfect Princess Party; November 15, 2015, review of Hillary Rodham Clinton: Some Girls Are Born to Lead; June 1, 2016, review of Freckleface Strawberry and the Really Big Voice; April 1, 2019, review of Bear Came Along; June 15, 2019, review of Best Friends and Grace Goes to Washington; December 1, 2020, review of Outside, Inside; July 15, 2020, review of Love Is Powerful; August 1, 2024, review of The Man Who Didn’t Like Animals.
Kliatt, September 1, 2008, George Galuschak, review of Prince of Persia, p. 34.
Library Media Connection, August 1, 2005, Quinby Frank, review of Big Sister, Little Sister, p. 71; March 1, 2006, Pamela Ott, review of Akimbo and the Elephants, p. 64.
Publishers Weekly, January 27, 2003, review of Before I Was Your Mother, p. 257; August 25, 2003, review of Piggies in a Polka, p. 63; August 22, 2005, review of Big Sister, Little Sister, p. 64; September 5, 2005, review of Akimbo and the Elephants, p. 63; September 26, 2005, review of Hanukkah, Shmanukkah!, p. 85; April 3, 2006, review of Akimbo and the Crocodile Man, p. 76; July 31, 2006, review of Sing a Song of Tuna Fish, p. 77; January 14, 2008, review of Grace for President, p. 57; February 18, 2008, review of My Chocolate Year, p. 153; July 7, 2008, reviews of God’s Dream, p. 57, and Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things, p. 58; July 28, 2008, review of Jordan Mechner’s Prince of Persia, p. 58; March 22, 2010, review of Bedtime for Mommy, p. 67; October 25, 2010, review of All the Things I Love about You, p. 48; November 8, 2010, review of Shoe-la-la!, p. 60; June 11, 2012, review of Vampirina Ballerina, p. 49; 2013, review of The Boy Who Loved Math, p. 56; April 29, 2013, review of Templar, p. 118; March 10, 2014, review of A Piece of Cake, p. 63; March 22, 2014, review of The Boy Who Loved Math, p. 56; August 11, 2014, review of The Princess in Black, p. 68; September 15, 2014, review of The Twelve Days of Christmas, p. 62; February 2, 2015, review of There’s No Such Thing as Little, p. 59; August 22, 2016, review of The Bear Who Wasn’t There, p. 108; February 27, 2017, review of Real Friends, p. 103; August 21, 2017, review of Fallingwater, p. 115; December 4, 2017, review of Real Friends, p. 592; April 1, 2019, review of Bear Came Along, p. 59; November 16, 2020, review of Outside, Inside, p. 91; January 11, 2021, review of Itty-Bitty Kitty-Corn, p. 58; March 20, 2023, review of The Together Tree, p. 80; June 10, 2024, review of The Man Who Didn’t Like Animals, p. 85.
School Librarian, March 22, 2016, Jodie Brooks, review of The Princess in Black, p. 38.
School Library Journal, May 1, 2003, Catherine Threadgill, review of Before I Was Your Mother, p. 122; September 1, 2003, Grace Oliff, review of Piggies in a Polka, p. 166; June 1, 2004, Marianne Saccardi, review of Sing-Along Song, p. 114; November 1, 2004, Susan Lissim, review of Twenty-One Elephants, p. 90; September 1, 2005, Linda Ludke, review of Big Sister, Little Sister, p. 184; March 1, 2006, Martha Topol, review of Benny and Beautiful Baby Delilah, p. 204; May 1, 2006, Teresa Pfeifer, review of Once around the Sun, p. 114; June 1, 2006, Amelia Jenkins, review of Whose Knees Are These?, p. 104; February 1, 2008, Cheryl Ashton, review of My Chocolate Year, p. 116; August 1, 2008, review of Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things, p. 96; September 1, 2008, Andrea Lipinski, review of Jordan Mechner’s Prince of Persia, p. 219; February 1, 2009, Linda L. Walkins, review of God’s Dream, p. 95; March 1, 2009, Kim Dare, review of Samantha Hansen Has Rocks in Her Head, p. 156; June 1, 2009, Nicole Waskie, review of Allergic to Camping, Hiking, and Other Natural Disasters, p. 66, and Eva Mitnick, review of Any Which Wall, p. 138; October 1, 2009, Mary Elam, review of Freckleface Strawberry and the Dodgeball Bully, p. 99; March 1, 2010, Carolyn Janssen, review of Bedtime for Mommy, p. 130; April 1, 2010, Susan Scheps, review of Aunt Mary’s Rose, p. 149; July, 2010, Alana Joli Abbot, review of Solomon’s Thieves, p. 110; December 1, 2010, Rachel G. Payne, review of All the Things I Love about You, p. 88; February 1, 2011, Kathleen Finn, review of She-la-la!, p. 75; April 1, 2011, Ieva Bates, review of The Best Birthday Party Ever, p. 146; June 1, 2012, Linda L. Watkins, review of Vampirina Ballerina, p. 94; May 1, 2013, Sarajo Lupo Sites, review of The Boy Who Loved Math, p. 92; October 1, 2013, Maryann H. Owen, review of Vampirina Ballerina Hosts a Sleepover, p. 89; October 1, 2013, Hilary Writt, review of Bo at Ballard Creek, p. 104; April 1, 2014, Laura Stanfield, review of All Fall Down, p. 112; May 1, 2014, Susan McClellan, review of A Piece of Cake, p. 90; June 1, 2014, Diana Wireman, review of Allergic to the Great Wall, the Forbidden Palace, and Other Tourist Attractions, p. 84; August 1, 2014, Nancy Jo Lambert, review of The Princess in Black, p. 72; October 1, 2014, Graciela Gallegos, review of The Twelve Days of Christmas, p. 67; December 1, 2014, Lisa Nowlain, review of Bo at Iditarod Creek, p. 120; January 1, 2015, Martha Simpson, review of There’s No Such Thing as Little, p. 84; January 1, 2015, Marianne Saccardi, review of Mama Seeton’s Whistle, p. 88; August 1, 2015, Maria Alegre, review of Freckleface Strawberry: Backpacks!, p. 79; August 1, 2015, Amy M. Laughlin, review of The Princess in Black and the Perfect Princess Party, p. 80; December 1, 2015, Laura Simeon, review of Hillary Rodham Clinton, p. 136; April 1, 2016, Rebecca Gueroguiev, review of Isabella for Real, p. 151; July 1, 2016, Betsy Davison, review of Freckleface Strawberry and the Really Big Voice, p. 58; October 1, 2016, Samantha Lumetta, review of The Bear Who Wasn’t There, p. 83; February 1, 2017, Mahnaz Dar, review of Real Friends, p. 125; May 10, 2017, Esther Keller, author interview; February, 2019, Jessica Marie, review of The Becket List, p. 55; June, 2019, Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, review of Bear Came Along, p. 66; September, 2019, Kelley Gile, review of Best Friends, p. 150.
Voice of Youth Advocates, August 1, 2013, Deborah L. Dubois, review of Templar, p. 64.
Washington Post Book World, December 11, 2005, Lori Smith, review of Hanukkah, Shmanukkah, p. 10.
ONLINE
Author Village, https://theauthorvillage.com/ (February 2, 2025), author profile.
BookPage, https://bookpage.com/ (January 8, 2021), Julie Danielson, “LeUyen Pham, Evidence of Love in a Most Difficult Year.”
Fuse #8 Production blog, https://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/ (December 15, 2020), Elizabeth Bird, “Outside, Inside: The LeUyen Pham Interview.”
Let’s Talk Picture Books blog, http://www.letstalkpicturebooks.com/ (October 17, 2017), Mel Schuit, “Let’s Talk Illustrators #45: LeUyen Pham.”
LeUyen Pham website, https://leuyenpham.com (March 15, 2021).
Publishers Weekly, https://www.publishersweekly.com/ (August 20, 2020), Alex Green, “LeUyen Pham Celebrates Kindness in Covid-19 Picture Book.”*
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
LeUyen Pham
Pham at the 2024 National Book Festival
Pham at the 2024 National Book Festival
Born September 6, 1973 (age 51)
Saigon, Vietnam
Occupation Author and illustrator
Alma mater Art Center College of Design
Genre Children's books
Notable awards Caldecott Honor (2020)
Spouse Alexandre Puvilland (2005–present)
LeUyen Pham (born September 6, 1973) is a children's book illustrator and author. She has illustrated and written more than 120 books.[1] In 2020, she won a Caldecott Honor for her illustrations in the book Bear Came Along.
Biography
Pham was born in Saigon, Vietnam on September 7, 1973. She attended the University of California, Los Angeles from 1991 to 1993, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1996 from the Art Center College of Design. After graduation, she worked as a layout artist at Dreamworks Animation from 1996 to 1999.[2] She then quit to illustrate children's books full-time.
Pham's first illustrated book, Sugarcane House, and Other Stories about Mr. Fat, was written by Adrienne Moore Bond and published in 1997. In 2000, the book Can You Do This, Old Badger? was published, with illustrations by Pham and writing by Eve Bunting. The book won an Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award. In 2004, the book Twenty-One Elephants, illustrated by Pham and written by Phil Bildner, also won an Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award.[2][3]
Pham's writing debut was in 2005 with her children's book Big Sister, Little Sister. The book is narrated by a younger girl who compares herself to her older sister, with their sibling affection showing more as the story progresses. It contains ink brush illustrations and additions of digitally-produced color.[4][2] The book received positive reviews, with Linda Ludke in the School Library Journal commenting that “with warmth and good humor, the ups and downs of sisterly love are perfectly conveyed.”[2]
Pham is the illustrator of the Princess in Black children's book series. The series is written by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale, with the first book published in 2014.[5][6] In their The Princess in Black book review, Publishers Weekly said Pham “offers little jolts of energy and wit on every page, with full-page and spot illustrations that have the vivaciousness and irreverence of contemporary animation.”[5]
Pham co-created the graphic novels Real Friends and Best Friends with author Shannon Hale.[7] In 2020, she was awarded a Caldecott Honor for her illustrations in the book Bear Came Along.[8]
In April 2020, Pham, Shannon Hale and Dean Hale released a short, free ebook called The Princess in Black and the Case of the Coronavirus to share tips on fighting COVID-19 in an understandable way for children.[6] In 2020, Pham illustrated a book with Shannon Hale called Itty-Bitty Kitty-Corn, which was published in March 2021.[7]
Through her collaborations with Hale, Pham has been shortlisted for four AML Awards, winning one (for Real Friends) and receiving an honorable mention (for the first Princess in Black book)—making her perhaps the only person unassociated with the Latter-day Saint faith so often recognized.
Personal life
On October 29, 2005, Pham married artist Alexandre Puvilland.[2]
Selected works
Standalone books
Can You Do This, Old Badger? (2000) illustrator; written by Eve Bunting[3]
Whose Shoes? (2001) illustrator; written by Anna Grossnickle Hines[9]
Piggies in a Polka (2003) – illustrator; written by Kathi Appelt[10]
Twenty-One Elephants (2004) – illustrator; written by Phil Bildner[11]
Sing-Along Song (2004) – illustrator; written by JoAnn Early Macken[12]
Big Sister, Little Sister (2005) – author & illustrator[4]
Hanukkah, Shmanukkah! (2005) – illustrator; written by Esmé Raji Codell[13]
Grace for President (2008) – illustrator; Written by Kelly DiPucchio[14]
God's Dream (2008) – illustrator; Written by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Douglas Carlton Abrams
Templar (2013) – co-illustrator; Written by Jordan Mechner
The Boy Who Loved Math (2013) – illustrator; Written by Deborah Heiligman
Bo at Ballard Creek (2013) – illustrator; Written by Kirkpatrick Hill
The Bear Who Wasn't There (2016) – author & illustrator
Isabella For Real (2016) – author; Written by Margie Palatini
Bear Came Along (2019) – illustrator; written by Richard T. Morris,[15] winner of the Caldecott Honor Award
Grace Goes to Washington (2019) – illustrator; Written by Kelly DePucchio
Love is Powerful (2020) – illustrator; written by Heather Dean Brewer[16]
Outside Inside (2021) – Author & Illustrator
Lunar New Year Love Story (2024) - illustrator; written by Gene Luen Yang
Freckleface Strawberry Series
Illustrated by Pham and written by Julianne Moore
Freckleface Strawberry (2007)[17]
Freckleface Strawberry and the Dodgeball Bully (2009)[18]
Freckleface Strawberry: Best Friends Forever (2011)[19]
Freckleface Strawberry: Loose Tooth! (2016)[20]
Princess in Black series
Illustrated by Pham and written by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale
The Princess in Black (2014)
The Princess in Black and the Perfect Princess Party (2015)
The Princess in Black and the Hungry Bunny Horde (2016)
The Princess in Black Takes a Vacation (2016)[21]
The Princess in Black and the Mysterious Playdate (2016)
The Princess in Black and the Science Fair Scare (2018)
The Princess in Black and the Bathtime Battle (2019)
The Princess in Black and the Giant Problem (2020)
The Princess in Black and the Mermaid Princess (2022)
The Princess in Black and the Prince in Pink (2023)
Real Friends series
Co-created by Pham and Shannon Hale
Real Friends (2017)
Best Friends (2019)
Friends Forever (2021)
Vampirina Ballerina series
Illustrated by Pham and written by Anne Marie Pace
Vampirina Ballerina (2012)
Vampirina Ballerina Hosts a Sleepover (2013)
Vampirina at the Beach (2017)
Vampirina in the Snow (2018)
Alvin Ho series
Main article: Alvin Ho
Illustrated by Pham and written by Lenore Look
Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things (2009)
Alvin Ho: Allergic to Camping, Hiking, and Other Natural Disasters (2010)
Alvin Ho: Allergic to Birthday Parties, Science Projects, and Other Man-made Catastrophes (2011)
Alvin Ho: Allergic to Dead Bodies, Funerals, and Other Fatal Circumstances (2012)
Alvin Ho: Allergic to Babies, Burglars, and Other Bumps in the Night (2014)
Alvin Ho: Allergic to the Great Wall, the Forbidden Palace, and Other Tourist Attractions (2015)
Itty-Bitty Kitty-Corn series
Illustrated by Pham and written by Shannon Hale
Itty-Bitty Kitty-Corn (2021), ISBN 978-1-4197-5091-5
Pretty Perfect Kitty-Corn (2022), ISBN 978-1-4197-5093-9
Party Hearty Kitty-Corn (2023), ISBN 978-1-4197-5095-3
LeUyen Pham (she/her)
“Why do I make books? That’s easy. A book sits with you in your secret corner or in your favorite chair on a rainy day, and whispers in your ear, “You’re okay, I’m here. Let me tell you a story…” It’s like a hug made solid. That’s what I do. I make hugs for a living.”
Biography
LeUyen Pham is the award-winning and critically acclaimed illustrator of more than one hundred books for children. LeUyen (pronounced Lay-Win) is the Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator of Bear Came Along by Richard Morris, and the New York Times-bestselling illustrator of Julianne Moore’s picture book series, Freckleface Strawberry and Kelly DiPucchio’s picture book Grace for President,
Along with Shannon Hale, Uyen has created several iconic children’s book series. With Shannon and Dean Hale, she created the middle grade series, Princess in Black and with Shannon, she created the groundbreaking graphic memoirs Real Friends, Best Friends, and Friends Forever. Most recently, Shannon and Uyen have written and illustrated the Itty-Bitty-Kitty-Corn picture book series.
LeUyen is the author and illustrator of Big Sister Little Sister, There’s No Such Thing as Little, A Piece of Cake, All the Things I Love About You, The Bear Who Wasn’t There, and Outside, Inside, a chronicle of life in a Covid-bound world.
Born in Vietnam, LeUyen and her family left the country in the final days of the Vietnam War. Growing up in Southern California, LeUyen always loved to doodle and draw, but her mother insisted she become a lawyer. For two years, LeUyen attended UCLA, where she majored in political science. Fortunately, the head of the art department spotted her artistic talent and helped her change course. LeUyen got an interview at the prestigious Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, won a scholarship to pay the tuition, and spent the next three years in an accelerated program and earned a degree in illustration. Following school, LeUyen worked as a layout artist for DreamWorks Feature Animation and illustrated books on the side.
These days, Uyen lives in Los Angeles with her husband Alex (who is also an artist), and their two sons, Adrien and Leo. She also has a cat named Sardine and a gecko named Kumquat. She adores traveling and speaking, but given her way, she would spend all her time making Star Wars-themed birthday cakes.
LeUyen Pham has illustrated more than fifty books, including board books, picture books, chapter books, and graphic novels. Her work has been recognized with numerous honors, including the Society of Illustrators Los Angeles Bronze Medal in the Children’s Book category, and Best Books of the Year lists in publications such as Kirkus Reviews, The Horn Book Magazine, and Comic Book Resources. She is also a New York Times bestseller for Grace for President, written by Kelly DiPucchio; Freckleface Strawberry and the Dodgeball Bully, written by Julianne Moore; and Princess in Black, written by Shannon and Dean Hale. Born in Vietnam, LeUyen came to the United States at the end of the Vietnam War when she was only two. She studied illustration at The Art Center College of Design, and for a short period of time worked at DreamWorks Animation as a layout artist before turning to illustration full time. She lives with her husband (who is also an artist) and two sons in Los Angeles. Visit her online at LeUyenPham.com.
LeUyen Pham has illustrated more than one hundred books for children, including the Caldecott Honor book Bear Came Along by Richard T. Morris and the bestselling Princess in Black series by Shannon and Dean Hale. She is the co-creator, along with Shannon Hale, of the bestselling graphic memoirs Real Friends, Best Friends, and Friends Forever. Her own books include The Bear Who Wasn't There and Big Sister, Little Sister. A graduate of the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, LeUyen lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two sons.
The Man Who Didn't Like Animals
Deborah Underwood, illus. by LeUyen Pham.
Clarion, $19.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-358-56713-4
In this Old MacDonald origin story from Underwood (Walter Had a Best Friend) and Pham (Bear Came Along), the opening sequence shows a middle-aged man, portrayed with brown skin, happily dusting his apartment: "There was once a man who loved his tidy home and who didn't like animals." Naturally, a sleek cat appears on his doorstep. In digital artwork with a deliciously retro feel, vignettes show him holding his hands over his head to scare it off. But the cat refuses to leave, and the two find much in common: "The man liked to eat dinner at precisely 6 p.m. So did the cat." Willing to make an exception for a single kitty, he muses "Maybe THIS cat isn't so bad." But when additional felines, a dog or two, and a wealth of farm animals arrive, and determine to stay, the neighbors start to complain. The solution leads to a familiar tune about a man whose new residence houses many animals (their names, illustrations hint, begin with E, I, and O). It's a light tale that garners plenty of smiles, as well as an amiable look at one individual's learning to let go of preconceptions. Ages 4-8. Author's agent: Erin Murphy, Erin Murphy Literary. Illustrator's agent: Holly McGhee, Pippin Properties. (Sept.)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
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"The Man Who Didn't Like Animals." Publishers Weekly, vol. 271, no. 23, 10 June 2024, p. 85. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A800405319/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=52090c21. Accessed 12 Nov. 2024.
Underwood, Deborah THE MAN WHO DIDN'T LIKE ANIMALS Clarion/HarperCollins (Children's None) $19.99 9, 10 ISBN: 9780358567134
Is it possible that once, Old MacDonald didn't actually live on a farm--or that he didn't even like animals?
Underwood takes her signature flair for fairy-tale reinvention--on full display in retellings such asInterstellar Cinderella (2015), illustrated by Meg Hunt--and brings it to the world of nursery rhymes. "Old MacDonald" may not have much drama or conflict, so Underwood has smartly imagined a prequel in which a tidy man who dislikes animals reluctantly takes in the creatures that show up one by one on his doorstep. The man's stance gradually changes; "I don't like cats" evolves into "Maybe THIS cat isn't so bad" as he discovers how much more rewarding life is when shared with his new companions. Pham's busy, animated illustrations convey the main character's trajectory; the opening endpapers show the man turning his nose up at every pet he encounters as he walks through town, but as he adopts more and more animals, his home becomes brighter and filled with life and sound. When the neighbors complain, he sends the animals away, only to discover the heartbreak of returning to life as it was before. Neither the farm nor the name "Old MacDonald" is revealed until the last spread--a delayed punchline that's sure to delight. Old MacDonald presents Black; his neighbors are racially diverse.
Perfect for animal lovers and preschoolers with nursery rhymes still fresh on their minds.(Picture book. 3-6)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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"Underwood, Deborah: THE MAN WHO DIDN'T LIKE ANIMALS." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Aug. 2024, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A802865205/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=7531eba2. Accessed 12 Nov. 2024.
Lunar New Year Love Story
by Gene Luen Yang; illus. by LeUyen Pham
Middle School, High School First Second 352 pp.
1/24 9781626728103 $25.99
Paper ed. 9781250908261 $17.99
In this unique and engaging graphic novel, Vietnamese American high schooler Valentina Tran has always loved giving handmade cards to her widower father and classmates on her namesake holiday. She is assisted by her "best imaginary friend," Saint V (for Valentine), initially shown in the illustrations as a classic winged baby surrounded by cartoon hearts. This year her spirits are crushed when her dad storms off, and a classmate, Jae, trashes her card. Worse, Grandma reveals that Valentina's father lied about her mother's supposed death and, later, that their entire family is romantically cursed. Valentina despairs until she meets two cute lion dancers at a Tet (Lunar New Year) celebration and dates one of them (who happens to be Jae's cousin). Is the relationship real? Or will Valentina give her heart to Saint Valentine to be safe from the pain of love? Yang (Dragon Hoops, rev. 5/20) and Pham (Friends Forever, rev. 9/21) do a wonderful job of weaving fractured families and romantic yearning with fantasy elements that show emotional states and growth as well as plenty of humor throughout. Pham's digital illustrations adeptly mix realistic scenes with celestial animals and ghosts. Her gorgeous, kinetic depictions of Chinese and Korean lion dancers are joyful, and the section in which Valentina first learns about Tet and meets her love interest is especially vibrant.
* Indicates a book that the editors believe to be an outstanding example of its genre, of books of this particular publishing season, or of the author's body of work.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Sources, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.hbook.com/magazine/default.asp
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Lee, Michelle. "Lunar New Year Love Story." The Horn Book Magazine, vol. 100, no. 1, Jan.-Feb. 2024, pp. 103+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A781187792/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=aec3739d. Accessed 12 Nov. 2024.
Lunar New Year Love Story. By Gene Luen Yang. Art by LeUyen Pham. Jan. 2024. 352p. First Second, $25.99 (9781626728103); paper, $17.99 (9781250908261). Gr. 8-12.741.5.
Former National Ambassador for Young Peoples Literature Yang and award-winningly prodigious Pham join forces in this highly anticipated graphic novel. Valentine's Day was Valentinas "favorite day of the year," a day she "anticipate [d] the way other kids would anticipate Christmas." Her name is even an anniversary reference (TMI as that is) to her conception. But a fateful Valentine's Day during freshman year in high school changes everything: her father has been lying, her mother is actually alive, and her estranged grandmother has returned to take Val to church, of all places. Time somehow moves on, though Val leaves her adoration for love behind. Val might be ready for romance herself when she meets rich, popular Les, who gets her involved with lion dancing--which quickly becomes her "everything." Although, what about Les' cousin Jae? Val's entire family has been broken by love--will she also be forever fated for hurt and suffering? Yang's storytelling is a multigenerational, multilayered, multicultural masterpiece of searching for lasting, empathic connection. Pham's art embodies every essence of his narrative, every page enhanced with unstoppable, Technicolor energy. Especially notable is her brilliant dual layout of scenes of Vais Roman trip with her grandmothers, which flows freely across the top of the pages while looming above panels depicting what's happening back home. Enough effusive praise just isn't possible here for what is sure to be a runaway hit.--Terry Hong
[HD] HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Yang and Pham boast impressive credentials in the graphic novel space, and together they'll be unstoppable.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
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Hong, Terry. "Lunar New Year Love Story." Booklist, vol. 120, no. 5-6, 1 Nov. 2023, pp. 53+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A774988417/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=c5891d7b. Accessed 12 Nov. 2024.
The Together Tree. By Aisha Saeed. Illus. by Leuyen Pham. May 2023.40p. Simon & Schuster, $18.99 (9781534462960). PreS-Gr. 1.
On his first day in a new school, Rumi feels shy and keeps to himself. While the other kids play at recess, he sits alone under a tree. A couple of classmates make fun of Rumi's shoes, which he had decorated with his friends at his former home, and this makes him homesick. One boy gives Rumi an especially hard time and even throws a rock, hitting Rumi in the knee, drawing blood. Up to that point some of the children appeared uneasy with Rumi's treatment and now are unsure what to do. Their remorse is clearly pictured, as is the guilt felt by the rock thrower. Another classmate asks Rumi if they can play together, and when he and the other children see what Rumi has created under the shady tree, they join in his activity. Mixed-media illustrations reveal a multicultural classroom of children, with black-and-white sketches being used to depict the moments of regret and sadness. Ultimately, the way Rumi and the bully form a bond is a wonderful lesson for all readers. --Maryann Owen
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
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Owen, Maryann. "The Together Tree." Booklist, vol. 119, no. 17, 1 May 2023, p. 51. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A748959305/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=2b4c570b. Accessed 12 Nov. 2024.
The Together Tree
Aisha Saeed, illus. by LeUyen Pham. Salaam Reads, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-5344-6296-0 When Rumi moves across the country, his new teacher's request that the class make him "feel at home" goes unheeded. During recess, most of the students, shown as racially diverse, ignore Rumi, who's portrayed with brown skin and black hair. White-presenting Asher insults him ("His shoes are ugly"), and another light-skinned student laughs. East Asian-presenting Han "didn't think it was funny," but says nothing. Over the next few days, Asher continues to harass Rumi, who sits alone, "twirling a twig beneath the shady old willow tree," portrayed by Pham (Itty-Bitty Kitty-Corn) in layered scenes as a majestic bower of delicate green leaves. The escalating situation peaks with a stone thrown at Rumi, an event that pushes Han to act, precipitating a discovery about the new classmate and offering the kids a way forward. Han's action is the fulcrum in this compassionate tale about turning bystanders into upstanders, and the move to offer solace to Rumi rather than to confront Asher offers readers another way to intervene when there is conflict. An author's note discusses the personal seeds of this story by Saeed (Amal Unbound). Ages 4-8. Author's agent: Taylor Martindale Kean, Full Circle Literary. Illustrator's agent: Holly McGhee, Pippin Properties. (May)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
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"The Together Tree." Publishers Weekly, vol. 270, no. 12, 20 Mar. 2023, p. 80. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A745887369/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=d4fb8507. Accessed 12 Nov. 2024.
Pretty Perfect Kitty-Corn. By Shannon Hale. Illus. by LeUyen Pham. Mar. 2022. 48p. Abrams, $18.99 (9781419750939). PreS-Gr. 2.
Kitty-corn is back in an adorable story of friendship. Kitty-corn is busy painting a portrait of her best friend, Unicorn, who is always worried about looking his best. While everyone is singing Unicorn's praises, Kittycorn is trying to get her painting just right. By "just right," it turns out, she also means including some less-than-flattering details about the way Unicorn was looking that day. What Unicorn doesn't realize, though, is that Kitty-corn doesn't see all the little things Unicorn is worried about as flaws. And so Unicorn learns that when someone is precious to you, they'll never make you feel ugly or less-than. This is a great read to start conversations about how appearance isn't everything, as well as how even someone who everyone thinks is perfect can feel sad inside. It also shows that being kind and making people feel seen are amazing gifts--all wrapped up in a lively, tidy package. Beautiful illustrations on every page in vibrant pinks and purples playfully send the message that it's okay to share the messy parts of ourselves. --Kristina Pino
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2022 American Library Association
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Pino, Kristina. "Pretty Perfect Kitty-Corn." Booklist, vol. 118, no. 9-10, 1 Jan. 2022, p. 80. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A692710872/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=2b9dc298. Accessed 12 Nov. 2024.
Friends Forever
by Shannon Hale; illus. by LeUyen Pham; color by Hilary Sycamore and LeUyen Pham
Intermediate, Middle School First Second 299 pp. g
8/21 978-1-250-31755-1 $21.99
Paper ed. 978-1-250-31756-8 $12.99
In Hale's third graphic memoir (Real Friends, rev. 5/17; Best Friends, rev. 11/19), thirteen-year-old Shannon is now in eighth grade in 1987 Salt Lake City. She has made new best friends who share common interests (drama, glee, creative writing) and yet she doesn't always "feel good" due to her undiagnosed anxiety and mild OCD. She makes a list in her journal--"I would feel fulfilled if I could be: 1. beautiful 2. famous 3. successful 4. liked by boys 5. a good person"--and those items then serve as chapter subjects, featured on the openers as magazine cover titles. But this self-imposed pressure to be "perfect" overwhelms her, leading to fallouts with friends, failed classes, and fights with her parents. Despite the title, this third book is less about Shannon's friendships and more about how she perceives herself--a relatable exploration for many young teens. Hale frankly but sensitively depicts her disappointments, embarrassments, and achievements. Pham's digitally colored ink illustrations skillfully reflect the character's roller-coaster emotions, switching color palettes between reality (bright), fanciful daydreams (pastel), flashbacks (monochrome), and depressed introspection (subdued). Varied panel sizes further emphasize Shannon's feelings, particularly in a heart-wrenching series of large grayscale panels when she is at her lowest ("I hate myself"). While the hopeful ending feels a bit rushed, Shannon's choice to love herself and the realization that she's enough just the way she is help her--and readers--move forward.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2021 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Sources, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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Ritter, Cynthia K. "Friends Forever." The Horn Book Magazine, vol. 97, no. 5, Sept.-Oct. 2021, pp. 116+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A673853096/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=c44b2fc5. Accessed 12 Nov. 2024.
Friends Forever. By Shannon Hale. Illus. by LeUyen Pham. Aug. 2021. 304p. First Second, $21.99 (9781250317551); paper, $12.99 (9781250317568). Gr. 6-9. 741.5.
It's eighth grade, and Shannon finally has some solid friends and is doing well in school, so why doesn't she feel happy? Hale and Pham's third installment in their excellent graphic memoir series turns the spotlight on young Shannon's growing anxiety, fueled in large part by her desire to be perfect. In her vivid daydreams, Shannon imagines all the things she's sure will make her happy--winning the election for class president, catching the attention of a book agent, being a generous friend to everyone, finding a boyfriend--but when she tries to achieve those things, she not only is disheartened when they don't work out but also perceives those failures as proof that she's worthless, even as she unmistakably succeeds elsewhere. Pham deftly shifts art styles between Shannon's real-life experiences and her gauzy fantasies, and subtle shifts in color and panel shape--not to mention the expressive fonts giving voice to her anxious thoughts and destructive self-criticism--powerfully signal Shannon's gradual drift into depression. Hale and Pham really succeed in their depictions of the persistence and insidiousness of negative self-talk, and Shannon's realization that she needs to have more compassion for her imperfect self is a heartening note to end on. With the combination of Hale's lucid writing and Pham's masterful portrayal of body and language and facial expression, this book homes in squarely and affirmingly on teen angst and worries.--Sarah Hunter
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2021 American Library Association
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Hunter, Sarah. "Friends Forever." Booklist, vol. 117, no. 21, 1 July 2021, p. 55. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A669809420/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=7e6f415c. Accessed 12 Nov. 2024.
Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham's fantastic graphic memoir series that began with Real Friends (2017) comes to an end with Friends Forever, out in August. In this edited interview (the full-length version appears online), the pair discusses the series and their collaboration.
BKL: You've worked together a lot already; how was working on this project different?
SH: These books are difficult for me to write, and I don't think I could have done this again without knowing that LeUyen was my partner. I was flinging my heart across a wall, and I could trust that it would have a safe landing because I know that she's the one standing on the other side with open hands.
LP: I've always said that when it comes to making books, Shannon and I really seem to share a brain. We've grown even closer making these books, and I've found that that makes me particularly protective of depicting Shannon on the page. I'm being careful about the angles in which I reveal Shannon, the emotions that I'm choosing to communicate.
SH: I believe that kids who read these books can tell that they were drawn by someone who loves little Shannon even in all her faults. Uyen is showing readers that someone like little Shannon is worthy of love and acceptance, and that they are too.
BKL: This is, of course, Shannon's story, but LeUyen, is there any thing from your own childhood at this age that you drew on for your artwork?
LP: Shannon goes through experiences that I didn't necessarily go through, so those portions of the story were harder for me to illustrate. I had to very much rely on Shannon's words on the page. On the other hand, this is the story of eighth grade, and much of the awkwardness in the book is something I can absolutely relate to. But mostly, as always with Shannon, the thing we had most in common was our daydreaming.
BKL: It's very striking how the different fonts help communicate emotion in this book; can you both speak to the thought process behind that choice?
LP: In the previous book, when Shannon had overwhelming moments, I had hand drawn all the text in a jagged sort of font. This time, I thought we should use an actual font that gave that same sense. There are also more voices in this book than there have been in past books, through the form of the many notes passed in the story. Shannon's notes are in her own handwriting, while the other notes were set in fonts that either I created or that we had people on the publishing team contribute to.
SH: It's very moving for me to see it on the page. In a digital age, handwriting feels very vulnerable and personal, so that's a lovely touch.
BKL: Shannon, how did you choose what to include in this story?
SH: These books come from my heart, not my head. My thoughts are very good at shouting "SHUT UP SHANNON NO ONE CARES ABOUT WHAT YOU DID IN EIGHTH GRADE!" Because these books are all about how being a certain age feels, I try to let these feelings take the lead as I revise and use my gut instead of my head to feel what to tell and what to keep. I don't include it all. I'm not recording the details of a historical event; I'm revealing the truth of myself at age 13.
BKL: The tween years are such a tricky time! Was there anything about this particular age group that made this installment harder or easier to create?
SH: I do think this eighth-grade one took the highest emotional toll on me, and that may be because we just feel so much at age 13. I'd forgotten how much 'til I went through this process. It was good for me to remember, especially as a parent, to have more empathy, more patience.
LP: When I got the script and realized what an emotional wallop it was going to be, I had to prepare myself and give myself more time. It was really tough working on it during the pandemic. My eldest son was missing out on his eighth-grade year, but he was able to experience much of what would have been a normal eighth-grade year through this graphic novel.
SH: I had an eighth-grader at home this past year too, and she was the reason I had the courage to do this book at all. We can't solve their problems and heal their wounds, but we can give them a book, made with love, that can offer a little understanding and acceptance.
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"Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham's Friends Forever." Booklist, vol. 117, no. 21, 1 July 2021, p. S7. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A669809588/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=8045aff1. Accessed 12 Nov. 2024.
All Pets Allowed: Blackberry Farm #2. By Adele Griffin. Illus. by LeUyen Pham. Aug. 2021.192p. Algonquin, $16.95 (9781643750736). Gr. 2-5.
Carried away with the awesome thought that she and her twin, Nicholas, will be celebrating their tenth birthday on the tenth day of the tenth month, Becket makes big plans for their party and invites all their classmates. Quiet and somewhat introverted, Nicholas would much prefer a small family gathering, but as usual, he lets his enthusiastic, effervescent sister prevail. Their parents, both vets, let each twin choose a pet as their birthday gift. Soon Becket is attempting to train Dibs, her easily spooked dog, while Nicholas is getting to know Gift, his confident, charismatic cat. When Dibs gets lost at the school fair, an unexpected hero comes to the rescue. Becket's first-person narrative draws readers into her point of view but clearly shows how other characters react to her opinions. The sequel to The Becket List (2020), this attractive early chapter book includes one or two grayscale drawings on almost every double-page spread, depicting the characters in action while clearly conveying the emotional content of the scenes. A welcome addition to the engaging Blackberry Farm series.--Carolyn Phelan
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Phelan, Carolyn. "All Pets Allowed: Blackberry Farm #2." Booklist, vol. 117, no. 22, Aug. 2021, p. 52. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A689976811/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=1feba634. Accessed 12 Nov. 2024.
Brewer, Heather Dean LOVE IS POWERFUL Candlewick (Children's None) $16.99 9, 8 ISBN: 978-1-5362-0199-4
A child prepares for the Women’s March.
City-dwelling Mari is excited to march (a plethora of pussyhats indicates it’s the Women’s March). Crayons ready, she asks her mother what they’re coloring. The reply: “A message for the world.” But how will the whole world hear their message? The answer: “because love is powerful.” This titular refrain is repeated throughout the story as the pair joins the march. Though Mari doesn’t think anyone will hear in the crowd of thousands, she shouts out the message on her poster: “Love is powerful!” Pham’s bright, cheery art shows hearts emanating from Mari and drifting into the multiracial crowd (especially helpful for younger readers to understand the concept of a far-reaching message). Other marchers take up Mari’s call until the hearts expand farther and farther out into the city. Though the signs they and others carry seem disconnected from some important social justice issues, particularly for a book focusing on a Black child (there are no obvious Black Lives Matter signs, for instance), this feel-good tale can serve as an accessible starting place or to augment such books as Shane Evans’ We March (2012) and other stories that delve deeper into the reasons why people march and protest. The prose is somewhat unpolished, but a note from and photograph of the real Mari at book’s end charmingly grounds it. (This book was reviewed digitally with 9.4-by-22-inch double-page spreads viewed at 27% of actual size.)
Lots of heart. (Picture book. 4-8)
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"Brewer, Heather Dean: LOVE IS POWERFUL." Kirkus Reviews, 15 July 2020, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A629261237/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=7a19dd01. Accessed 12 Nov. 2024.