PERHAPS A GIFT VOUCHER FOR MUM?: MOTHER'S DAY
Christina Soontornvat is the author of several books for young readers, including the Newbery Honor books The Last Mapmaker, A Wish in the Dark, and All Thirteen, and the bestselling graphic novel The Tryout. Christina holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and a master's degree in Science Education. She spent a decade working in the science museum field, where she designed programs and exhibits to get kids excited about science and STEM. Christina lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband, two young children, and one old cat. You can learn more about her work at soontornvat.com. Joanna Cacao is a Canadian-Filipino artist and illustrator who lives in Winnipeg with her Pomeranian, Danny. She loves working on magical and fantastical stories. Growing up in front of a TV, Joanna immediately became obsessed with any show or film that had a great story and set of characters. Her favorite shows consist of Avatar: The Last Airbender, Downton Abbey, and Gravity Falls. Her biggest influences come from various manga, as well as Ghibli and Disney films. She has a background in 3D Animation, and has self-published a queer webcomic: Toxic For You.
The Tryout beautifully captures the struggles and pressures of wanting to fit in. As a fellow Thai-American, Christina brought a tear to my eye. -- Dan Santat, New York Times bestselling creator of The Aquanaut This is an absolutely fantastic middle school, slice-of-life graphic novel. It's autobiographical, with all the cringes and triumphs to make it feel so real. I loved Christina's determination, and the fact that it ends with hope but not at all tritely. Very expressive illustrations and dialogue that feels true to seventh grade and all its ups and downs. -- Tegan Tigani, Queen Anne Book Company LLC
