Happy Lunar New Year! It has been a very long time since I posted — what better time to make a fresh start than Lunar New Year? In my book The Nian Monster, it’s the aroma of Po Po’s pork and cabbage casserole that lures the terrible beast to Xingling’s apartment. Chinese dishes often… Read more »
The Nian Monster
Recipe: Coconut Sticky Rice Cake
I made this Coconut Sticky Rice Cake for my launch party last week and most of it was gone by the end, so I’m guessing people enjoyed it. 🙂 My mom and grandmother used to make a version that was first steamed, then sliced and fried until crispy on the outside and gooey on the… Read more »
Go Behind the Scenes of The Nian Monster’s Illustrations
I can’t tell you how thrilled I was to find out that Alina Chau would be illustrating The Nian Monster. Her watercolor illustrations are gorgeous — detailed and whimsical, vibrant and humorous. She made Nian ferocious and toothy yet adorable and sympathetic at the same time. Xingling is brave and sassy and joyful. Alina’s own childhood… Read more »
Launch Week for The Nian Monster & a Giveaway!
All this week, the other debut authors of the Erin Murphy Literary Agency and I are celebrating the release of The Nian Monster on our group blog, EMUs Debuts. Check it out for fun posts about our favorite holiday celebration foods, our reactions if we ever ran into the Nian Monster, and what our favorite… Read more »
Teacher’s Guide for The Nian Monster
A teacher’s guide for The Nian Monster is now available, created by the wonderful Anna Chan Rekate. Anna has been a teacher for 20 years, working in schools in NYC, Shanghai, and Hong Kong. She has been to many of the places featured in The Nian Monster! Look inside for discussion questions,  cultural and geographical activities, a… Read more »
Starred Review for the Nian Monster!
Wow!!! Â Publishers Weekly reviewed THE NIAN MONSTER and gave it a starred review! I can hardly believe it — it’s really a dream come true. Here’s my favorite quote from the review: “Wang’s story thrills but doesn’t threaten: Chau’s wonderfully vivid watercolors give the monster doe eyes and a round body that make him seem… Read more »
The Nian Monster Cover Reveal!
Today, Pragmatic Mom hosted my cover reveal of THE NIAN MONSTER on her blog. Check it out here! And then check out all the great posts Pragmatic Mom has on her blog — lots of lists of wonderful diverse books that you can pull up the next time you’re at the library. I’m super excited… Read more »
MYTHICAL CREATURES
Happy Chinese New Year!! In honor of the new year, I give you…. NIAN According to Chinese legend, Nian was a monster. Some say he came from the sea. Others say he came from the mountains. Most of the year, he slept. But on the eve of the lunar new year, Nian woke and terrorized… Read more »
