Children’s book author and illustrator Grace Lin has grappled with her identity since youth.
Growing up in Upstate New York, Lin was the only Asian American student at her school, aside from her sisters, and tried to fit in with those around her by ignoring her heritage; this was also a time in her life where no one looked like her on TV, in movies, or in books.
An avid reader, Lin loved books with an affinity toward fantasy as a genre; however, these stories also reinforced the strange alienation she had with her identity.
“In these books, I saw dragons, unicorns, mermaids, hundreds of fantastical beasts and characters, but never ever anyone that looked like me. Even in fantasy, where the impossible could happen, I did not exist,” said Lin.
Lin kicked off Bryant University’s annual Visiting Writers Series in Stepan Grand Hall on September 10. Holding a masterclass in the afternoon, Lin rounded out her visit with an author presentation that evening where she discussed her journey as a storyteller and the various inspirations for her books, which have garnered Newbery, Geisel, and Caldecott honors.
As a child, fairytale picture books were amongst Lin’s favorite things to read due to their beautiful illustrations.
“I used to pour over their illustrations over and over again, and I used to copy and trace these pictures, and I used to wish that I could draw and paint like whoever did the pictures in those books,” Lin said.
On the family’s living room bookshelf, Lin’s mother had purchased copies of Chinese fairytales — knowing that if her daughter was willing to learn about her Asian heritage, it would have to be snuck it in; the best way to accomplish this would be through books. Lin, who couldn’t resist the allure of a story, read each fairytale but noted that she was disappointed. The translations from Chinese to English were not great, the books were made out of cheap paper, and the illustrations seemed plain compared to the colorful art in her other fairytales.
“It kind of just reinforced my idea that my eastern culture was somehow inferior to the western culture all around me,” Lin said.
Over time, Lin eventually decided she wanted to be an illustrator and attended the Rhode Island School of Design. Spending a portion of her college experience studying in Rome, she recalled a conversation she had at a café when a companion asked her how to say coffee in Chinese. She responded by saying she was American and didn’t know how to say anything in Chinese. Explaining her life story and how her parents moved from Taiwan to the United States, she was stumped when he asked why they moved.
“It was at that moment that I realized that I did not know the answer. Here I was in the middle of Rome, having a conversation in Italian, yet I could not speak one word of my parents' native tongue,” Lin said.
Returning to the U.S. shortly thereafter, Lin set out to find her artistic vision that she would share with the world. Focusing on Chinese art, she took a liking to Chinese folk art. The work was similar to that of French artist Henri Matisse; both used vibrant colors, incorporated patterns, and didn’t emphasize perspective. To her, it felt like the two styles were kindred spirits.
Embracing her roots and eager to learn more about her heritage, Lin traveled to Hong Kong, Taiwan, and China, which directly inspired her most well-known book, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon.
“Every idea was heavily influenced by what I saw and what I remembered from the Chinese fairytales, and then I began to write. I began to interweave those old stories with my original ones, and I tried hard to balance the true nature of those stories but also adapt them to make them into stories that would have been interesting for me to read as a child,” she said.
Going on to create numerous books — which range from board books for babies and early readers to picture books and novels for kids — Lin put Asian American characters at the forefront of her stories and made a point of having full-color illustrations in her novels. She also paid close attention to font, paper type, and edge decorations.
“I wanted these books to show Asian kids that their heritage is something to treasure, and I want to show non-Asian kids how magical it is to read a book as a window to another culture,” Lin said.
Some of Lin’s other well-known publications include The Ugly Vegetables, her debut read; Chinese Menu, which tells the history and legends behind Chinese food; and A Big Mooncake for Little Star, where she cast her daughter as the story’s protagonist.
Lin noted that the idea for A Big Mooncake for Little Star unfolded after viewing an art exhibit on Robert McCloskey, the writer and illustrator of Make Way for Ducklings. The title of this exhibit, which she noticed toward the end of her tour of his work, was ‘Americana on Parade.’
“When I saw that, it gave me the weirdest feeling because I realized there was no one that looked like my daughter and I on the walls. And I was like, ‘We were not a part of the Americana,’” Lin said. “I felt this overwhelming desire to challenge that preconception.”
Talking with the Bryant community about the publishing industry and how representation amongst authors and books has increased but strides still need to be made, Lin commented on the persistence of book banning. Among the thousands of books that have been banned, her own publications, A Big Moon Cake for Little Star and Dim Sum for Everyone have been taken off school shelves in several states.
“They [kids] miss out on so much beauty, richness and art — of which makes us most human,” Lin said. “The stories you read and listen to, the stories you change, and the stories you share are what help all of us to truly see each other.”
The 2025-26 Visiting Writers Series will welcome Kaveh Akbar on Nov. 6 and Joshua Miele on March 4.