My first school talk for 2025 was my signature “What You Can Do With Your Phone: Make Good Art” at the Kowloon-based Tak Oi Secondary School for girls. As I gazed at the chairs, neatly lined in rows in the massive hall, and feeling the butterflies fluttering around in my tummy, I thought back to […]

Since 2017, local NGO ImpactHK has been helping those experiencing homelessness in Hong Kong by offering direct holistic support, distributing food and other necessities, and providing shelter, employment opportunities and above all, friendship. I recently joined founder, Jeff Rotmeyer, on one of his regular Kindness Walks through the city, experiencing and witnessing first hand, the […]

In ASH’S CABIN by Jen Wang (ages 12+), a gorgeously illustrated, earth-tones-hued graphic novel, sixteen-year-old Ash plots their boldest plan yet: to find their grandfather’s secret cabin in the forest and to stay there forever. Trouble is, no one knows if the cabin exists or not, but Ash is determined to find it. Armed with […]

My prose poem about a Hong Kong teenager grappling with the aging of his beloved grandparent has found another home in Uncharted Magazine, a premier publisher of short fiction since 2021 from the team behind The Masters Review, CRAFT, Fractured Lit, and The Voyage Journal. Originally published in 2019 by Cha, the Asian literary journal, […]

I’ll be teaming up with my friend, Beth McNeilly, a lifelong reader and librarian, to share our deep knowledge of, and passion for, children’s picture books with parents and caregivers of younger readers (0-8 years old). Come join our free picture books and reading aloud workshop on Sunday, 16 February 2025 (10-11 am) at Hong […]

Happy new year 2025 to the finalists in the graphic novel category of the Cybils Awards 2024! It wasn’t easy for us Round 1 judges, having to whittle down from the 125 nominated elementary/middle grade and young adult graphic novels to a shortlist of seven, but we did it! Thank you finalists, for your wonderful […]

As a visual storyteller, I am always on the look out for interesting street art wherever I am, whether it be along the streets of Hong Kong where I live, or in places that I visit on my travels. One of my many street art photographs found a home in a bumper special edition, “Murals”, […]

Graphic novels are one of my favourite genre of children’s books and as I wind up my reading duties as a Cybils Awards Round 1 judge, I look back at my personal definitive list of graphic novels for young adult readers. Lots of wonderful books, some old, some new, but something for everyone! Happy reading […]

Graphic novels are one of my favourite genre of children’s books and as I wind up my reading duties as a Cybils Awards Round 1 judge, I look back at my personal definitive list of graphic novels for middle grade readers. Lots of wonderful books, some old, some new, but something for everyone! Happy reading […]

As we head into gift-giving season, I’ve put together a short list of my top Picture Book Picks for 2024 comprised of titles old and new, but all wonderful reads for younger readers. Happy reading!