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From Pencil to Page: Sketches and Illustrations by Grace Lin

by Elissa Gershowitz
Jul 09, 2018 | Filed in Articles & Opinion
From Starry River of the Sky


From Ling & Ting Share a Birthday


The weekend before last, my family and I attended the family-friendly opening reception of Grace Lin's exhibit "From Pencil to Page: Sketches and Illustrations" at the Pao Arts Center, part of the Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center. Grace's Ling & Ting early readers are favorites in my house, as is Starry River of the Sky, which we listened to on audio in the car (and later pored over the luminous illustrations in the print version -- not to be missed!), and her new picture book A Big Mooncake for Little Star, starred in the July/August Horn Book.


From A Big Mooncake for Little Star


On display at the exhibit is a great collection of the artist's work, including process sketches and finished pieces from her novels (including her three gorgeously illustrated Chinese folklore–inspired tales Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, Starry River of the Sky, and When the Sea Turned to Silver), her hugely kid-pleasing Ling & Ting early readers, and her fab picture books.

There were tasty snacks (mmm), a reading of The Ugly Vegetables, and a performance by Lisa Yuen, one of the first Chinese American actresses to play Mary Poppins, of "Practically Perfect" (she tweaked the line at the end: "Grace Lin is practically perrrrfect / in every way!"). If you're in the area, do stop in -- the exhibit runs through September 22, 2018. Also of note: today Grace and Karen Blumenthal launched the #KidLitWomen podcast -- check it out!


Lisa Yuen sings to Grace (left, back of head) and her daughter (orange feet)

Elissa Gershowitz

Elissa Gershowitz is editor in chief of The Horn Book, Inc. She holds an MA from the Center for the Study of Children's Literature at Simmons University and a BA from Oberlin College.

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