Exceptional Asians

As a young girl growing up in California, Brenda Song knew that she wanted to be a performer. Years of hard work and determination eventually led to her starring role on the beloved Disney sitcom The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. Young readers will be enthralled by the details of Song's little-known success story told with simple text and vibrant color photos. A Words to Know section in the beginning of the text helps readers with any unfamiliar vocabulary they may encounter, and direct quotations allow readers to connect with the inspirational Song, a role model for a modern generation.

Growing up as a Chinese American in California, Laurence Yep felt trapped between two worlds, belonging to neither one. It was this feeling of being an outsider that caused him to lose himself in books and eventually become the writer of two Newbery Honor books himself. Readers will be inspired by this simply-told biography of the author of Dragonwings and Dragon's Gate. A Words to Know section prepares readers for any unfamiliar vocabulary they may find in the text, and personal photographs and direct quotations from Yep paint a colorful picture of this important author.

When Maya Lin's design for the new Vietnam Veterans Memorial was chosen in 1981 over more than a thousand other designs, it was a highly controversial decision. But Lin, a young Chinese American, believed in herself and her work, and she not only saw her design come to fruition, but she went on to create numerous other buildings, sculptures, and memorials around the country. Readers will be fascinated by the story of this creative young artist, told with simple text and supplemented with color photos. A Words to Know section helps prepare readers for vocabulary in the text, and quotes from Lin herself paint a clearer picture of an accomplished artist whose influences range from her cultural background to the biodiversity of our planet.