In this episode of The Growing Readers Podcast, host Bianca Schulze interviews Stan Yan about his debut middle-grade graphic novel, The Many Misfortunes of Eugenia Wang. They discuss his journey from stockbroker to children's book creator, the six major rewrites that shaped his story, the significance of Chinese superstitions in his work, and his powerful realization about representation in children's literature when he discovered he had never drawn characters that looked like himself.
Transcription: You can read the transcription on The Children's Book Review
Highlights:
Notable Quotes:
"I don't want you to grow up thinking that you can't draw a main character that looks like yourself, like me." —Stan Yan
"Your job is to torture your protagonist and what better time of your life to torture your protagonist than when they're probably at their most vulnerable." —Stan Yan on writing for 13-year-olds
Books Mentioned:
About Stan Yan: Stan Yan is an award-winning, first-generation American-born Chinese writer, illustrator, and educator based in Denver. He co-founded the Squid Works comic creator cooperative, serves as co-Regional Advisor for the Rocky Mountain Chapter of SCBWI, and teaches illustration at Rocky Mountain College of Art & Design. His work spans comics, children's books, and educational materials, with his graphic novel debut earning Junior Library Guild Gold Standard recognition.
Connect and Follow:Learn more about Stan Yan: https://www.stanyan.me/
Credits:Host: Bianca SchulzeGuest: Stan YanProducer: Bianca Schulze