Award-winning author to visit MLHS
Courtesy photo Gene Luan Yang will read selections from his graphic novel while visiting Moses Lake and Quincy high schools next month.
MOSES LAKE — Author and comic book illustrator Gene Luen Yang will visit schools in central Washington, including Quincy and Moses Lake high schools. His visit is sponsored by the North Central Regional Library.
Yang is the current illustrator for the Superman books, published by DC Comics. He’s the author of “American Born Chinese,” which was nominated for a National Book Award. It was the first graphic novel to be nominated for the award.
Yang will be in central Washington Nov. 7 through 9, and will visit Wenatchee, Eastmont, Brewster and Omak high schools as well as Moses Lake and Quincy. Each school has received at least 100 copies of the book for students, said Angela Morris, NCRL’s associate director of public services.
Yang will be reading from “American Born Chinese” during his visits to schools, and will talk about writing, illustrating and graphic novels. Part of his presentation is the “Reading Without Walls Challenge,” where students are being asked to read a book that’s different from what they would normally read. Yang cited a book in verse or a graphic novel as examples. Students will be encouraged to read books about unfamiliar subjects, people who live in unfamiliar places or act in unfamiliar ways.
He will be the headliner at an event Nov. 8 at the Wenatchee Convention Center, reading from his book, with a book signing to follow. Authors, bookstores, the Wenatchee Public Library and the NCRL makerspace program will be among the exhibitors at the convention center.
“There are a lot of walls between cultures that reading can help bridge,” Yang said. “Reading is a way to get to know people on a deeper level.”
Yang began writing and illustrating graphic novels in fifth grade, he said. He became a science teacher and spent 17 years in the classroom in Oakland while pursuing his writing (and illustrating) career. The son of Chinese immigrants, he published “American Born Chinese” in 2006.
His two novel set, “Boxers and Saints,” was also a finalist for the National Book Award. He has written a series on computer coding.
He was appointed National Ambassador for Children’s Literature by the Library of Congress in January.