Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature
1 appearances
-
Edition 0 (2021) Winner
Andrea Wang
アンドレア・ワン
Andrea Wang
Pen Names:
Chén Yùrú / 陳郁如（Chinese name / traditional Chinese form (reference)）
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English, Mandarin Chinese
- Residence History
- Yellow Springs, Ohio — childhood (ages 2–13) → Boston area, Massachusetts — family returned after childhood → Colorado, USA (current residence)
Career
- Occupations
- Children's book author, Picture book author, Former environmental consultant, Nonfiction writer
- Active Years
- 2000-
- Influenced By
- Nien Cheng
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wellesley College | College (Biology & Chinese Studies) | Biology & Chinese Studies | BA | 1988–1992 | United States |
| Indiana University Bloomington (School of Public and Environmental Affairs) | School of Public and Environmental Affairs (Environmental Science) | Environmental Science | MS | — | United States |
| Lesley University | MFA in Creative Writing for Young People | Creative Writing for Young People | MFA | — | United States |
Wellesley College
College (Biology & Chinese Studies)
/ Biology & Chinese Studies
Degree:
BA
Period:
1988–1992
Year of Graduation:
1992
Country:
United States
Credited meeting Nien Cheng at Wellesley as pivotal to pursuing a career as an author.
Indiana University Bloomington (School of Public and Environmental Affairs)
School of Public and Environmental Affairs (Environmental Science)
/ Environmental Science
Degree:
MS
Country:
United States
Earned an MS in Environmental Science and has said she uses that training to 'make the setting a character' in her writing.
Lesley University
MFA in Creative Writing for Young People
/ Creative Writing for Young People
Degree:
MFA
Country:
United States
Completed an MFA focused on creative writing for young readers.
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association Literature Award (Honor) | The Nian Monster | Picture Book | Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA) | Honor |
| 2022 | Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature | Watercress | Picture Book | Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature organizers | Winner |
| 2022 | Caldecott Medal | Watercress (illustrated by Jason Chin) | Picture Book (illustrator award) | American Library Association (ALA) | Winner |
| 2022 | Newbery Honor | Watercress | Children's Literature | American Library Association (ALA) | Honor |
Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association Literature Award (Honor)
2019
Work:
The Nian Monster
Category:
Picture Book
Organization:
Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA)
Result:
Honor
Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature
2022
Work:
Watercress
Category:
Picture Book
Organization:
Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature organizers
Result:
Winner
Caldecott Medal
2022
Work:
Watercress (illustrated by Jason Chin)
Category:
Picture Book (illustrator award)
Organization:
American Library Association (ALA)
Result:
Winner
Newbery Honor
2022
Work:
Watercress
Category:
Children's Literature
Organization:
American Library Association (ALA)
Result:
Honor
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
The Nian Monster
2019 Picture book / Children's fictionA children's picture book drawing on the Chinese Nian folktale, exploring cultural background and family connections.
FolkloreFamilyCultural identity
Magic Ramen: The Story of Momofuku Ando
2019 Biographical picture bookA picture book for children that tells the life and inventions of Momofuku Ando, inventor of instant ramen.
InventionPerseveranceFood culture
The Many Meanings of Meilan
2021 Middle grade novelA coming-of-age middle grade story about name, culture, and family, following the protagonist's personal discoveries and cultural roots.
IdentityFamilyCultural heritage
Watercress
2021 Autobiographical picture bookAn autobiographical picture book recounting the author's childhood experiences growing up as one of the few Chinese Americans in rural Ohio, exploring family, memory, pride, and embarrassment.
Immigrant memoryFamily historySelf-acceptance
Luli and the Language of Tea
2022 Picture bookA picture book that portrays how tea connects generations and cultures, a family story mediated through food and tradition.
Food cultureIntergenerational connectionTradition
Bibliography
- The Nian Monster (2019)
- Magic Ramen: The Story of Momofuku Ando (2019)
- The Many Meanings of Meilan (2021)
- Watercress (2021)
- Luli and the Language of Tea (2022)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Concise, sensory descriptionTreats environment/setting as a 'character'Warm, family- and culture-focused voice
- Recurring Motifs
- Family memoryFood as cultural mediatorImmigrant experience and identityNature and environment
Legacy
Andrea Wang is acclaimed as a children's author who portrays the Asian and Asian-American experience. Her book Watercress won multiple major children's literature awards and is regarded as a significant contemporary picture book.
Academic Societies
- Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA)
- American Library Association (ALA)
Quotes
-
She has said she uses what she learned to 'make the setting a character' in her writing.
Source: O'Neill magazine (Indiana University publication) (2018)
Trivia
- Daughter of Chinese immigrants.
- Spent much of her childhood in Yellow Springs, Ohio.
- Worked for over a decade as an environmental consultant before becoming a children's author.
- Watercress won the Caldecott Medal and Newbery Honor in 2022 (per cited sources).
- Alumna of Wellesley College (references note class of '92).