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Anna Kang
Anna Kang
Anna Kang won the 2015 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award for her debut picture book, You Are (Not) Small, and has since published five more books in that series, as well as Christopher Award winner Eraser, and several others. Her picture books have sold a half-million copies worldwide.
Kang, along with her illustrator-husband, Christopher Weyant, was the 2022 NJASL Author-Illustrator of the Year. She received her M.F.A. from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts and has won several screenwriting awards and fellowships, including the Sundance Institute’s Screenwriters Lab and Film Independent Lab.
When Anna isn't writing, you'll find her at the public library or walking her poochon, Hudson, around town.
Visit her website at www.annakang.com; Instagram: @annakangbooks
Written Interview with Anna Kang
What is your name?
Anna Kang
What is the title and publisher of your newest/upcoming book?
SO-HEE AND LOWY / Two Lions Publishing
What is the intended age group for your book?
Ages 3-7
When did you become a writer?
Kids often ask me this question during school visits. I tell them I became a writer around
age 7 or 8 when I began writing stories at home and creating the cover with construction
paper and markers. Adults often define being a writer as "a writer who is published," but
I believe if you enjoy writing and write consistently, you are a writer.
What made you want to write books for this age group?
Books for children can make a powerful, indelible impact on young readers. They did for
me and played a big role in how I processed feelings and the world around me as a
child. I also love the challenge of trying to distill a complex idea or feeling into a simple
yet engaging form.
Do you have a favorite character in this story? If so, what makes them your favorite?
Of course, my favorite character is So-Hee because she is loving, curious, and
accepting. My second favorite is Lowy because he defies all negative stereotypes of
snakes.
What kind of research or preparation did you do while writing this story?
Most of the research was my lived experiences as a child who desperately wanted a pet
but had a brother with severe allergies, and as a parent with children who have allergies
as well. I also did research on snakes and their need for heat to survive and therefore a
natural motivator for their movement.
What do you hope readers come away with after reading your book?
We all need connection to thrive and this connection may come from people and places
you least expect or from those right in front of you.
What advice would you give to authors or readers as they are embarking on their personal journeys?
Keep reading and writing and stay hopeful.
Do you have any other projects in the works?
We are working on the next book in the You Are (Not) Small series.
What question did you hope I would ask and didn’t?
What's your favorite candy? Answer: Currently, it's Trader Joes' Super Sour Scandinavian Swimmers.
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