To Hum is Human

Illustrating Identity: Grace Lin on Culture, Purpose, and Imagination

Donnabelle Casis Season 1 Episode 32

What if the stories we read as children could help us truly see ourselves and others in a new light?

 In this heartfelt conversation, I sit down with Grace Lin, the award-winning author and illustrator behind Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, A Big Mooncake for Little Star, and so many other beloved works. Her accolades include a Newbery Honor, Caldecott Honor, the Children’s Literature Legacy Award, and recognition at the White House as a Champion of Change for her advocacy for diversity in children’s literature.

Together, we explore what it was like for Grace to grow up between cultures and how she found her creative voice, the role intuition plays in her artistic process, and why representation in children’s books is more essential now than ever. We also talk about the magic of stories as both windows and mirrors, expanding our understanding of others while reflecting who we are back to ourselves.

Grace’s work has touched millions, and this conversation invites you to revisit the stories that shaped your own sense of identity and imagination.

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Website: www.sonorouslight.com