NEW ORLEANS, La. (NOLA NOW) - In honor of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, New Orleans Public Library adult programming librarian Shelby Goddard picked “Daughters of the New Year,” by E.M. Tran for NOLA Now’s Book Club to read in May.
Tran is a local writer, born and raised in New Orleans. “Daughters of the New Year” is her debut novel that moves backwards in time to trace five generations of Vietnamese mothers and daughters, drawing on Vietnamese zodiac astrology to chart the fateful events of their lives. The book starts in 2016 New Orleans where three first-generation sisters are navigating finding their place amid a tight-knit Vietnamese community.
Their mother, a former Saigon beauty queen and Vietnamese War refugee, is obsessed with charting their lives through the zodiac. As the story progresses, readers learn the multigenerational story of their family, slowly unveiling scenes from the past to reveal how the members of this family got to be where they are today. On Tuesday, May 7, Korean-American author and New Orleanian will give an author talk about her book “The Fetishist,” at Cita Dennis Hubbell Library from 6:30-7:30pm. And, on Tuesday, May 21, R.F. Kuang will give a Zoom author talk about her bestseller, “Yellowface.” E.M. Tran will host a creative writing workshop at Norman Mayer Library on June 12 all about how to write an engaging and active scene that will bring your characters to life. In June and July, the Library will be accepting submissions to their Summer Fun Adult Writing Contest. The winners and finalists will be featured in the 2nd annual publication of the Library’s anthology, RENEWED. For more information about the contest and other writing resources, programs, and more, visit nolalibrary.org/for-writers. This month, early literacy programming librarian Morgan Hanrahan is reading “I Am Able to Shine” by Korey Watari, Illustrated by Mike Wu. This affirmative, empowering story is all about embracing your identity and finding your voice, inspired in part by debut author Korey Watari’s experiences growing up Asian American, and illustrated by her husband, Mike Wu, Pixar artist and creator of the Ellie series.
Throughout the month, children and caregivers are invited to the Library’s AAPI Heritage-themed storytimes, presented at a variety of Library locations across the city. Storytimes will feature AAPI stories, songs, activities, and more, and they’re a fantastic way to help get your child ready to read. Visit nolalibrary.org for details and follow NOLALibrary on Facebook and Instagram to stay up-to-date on all the great things happening at the Library year-round.
More Book Information:
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“I Am Able to Shine” by Korey Watari, Illustrated by Mike Wu (Children)
An affirmative, empowering story about embracing your identity and finding your voice, inspired in part by debut author Korey Watari’s experiences growing up Asian American, and illustrated by her husband, Mike Wu, Pixar artist and creator of the Ellie series.
“Daughters of the New Year” by E.M. Tran (Adults)
A captivating debut novel that moves backwards in time to trace five generations of Vietnamese mothers and daughters, drawing on Vietnamese zodiac astrology to chart the fateful events of their lives. The book opens in contemporary New Orleans, where three first-generation sisters are struggling to find their place from the edges of a large Vietnamese community.
Children’s Programs:
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This month, we’re celebrating AAPI Heritage Month with storytimes for children and families at Library locations across the city. We’ll be sharing AAPI stories, games, and songs, in a format that’s designed for children up to age five and their caregivers. You can find dates and details on our website, nolalibrary.org
Adult Programs:
We’re so excited to be inviting E.M. Tran to Norman Mayer Library next month for a creative writing workshop all about crafting a scene where your characters can shine. The workshop is on June 12, which is perfect timing for writers interested in entering our annual Summer Fun Writing Contest. We’ll be accepting submissions through June and July, and we’ve got some great prizes this year – including the chance to be featured in our Renewed Anthology next year. The Library is always looking for ways to support writers, and we’ve got a ton of great resources and programs for writers of all genres and skill levels. You can visit nolalibrary.org/for-writers to learn more.
We’ve also got a few other AAPI author events happening in May, which you can find on our website, nolalibrary.org
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