I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the PEI’S PINEAPPLE
CAKES by Crystal Z. Lee Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post & enter the giveaway!
About The Book:
Author: Crystal Z. Lee
Pub. Date: May 10, 2025
Publisher: Balestier Press
Formats: Hardcover & Paperback
Pages: 40
Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, BAM, Bookshop, Blackwells
While visiting her grandmother in
central Taiwan, Pei finds herself in the middle of a mystery. The pineapple
cakes from her grandmother's bakery have disappeared! Soon Pei is collecting
clues as she embarks on a quest to find the missing pineapple cakes.
From the traditional Taiwanese
artisans' craftsmanship to the picturesque villages of central Taiwan, Pei
discovers the beauty of her grandmother's home. This is a story of courage,
adventure, and the love between grandchildren and grandparents.
Pei's Pineapple Cakes is an
elaborately illustrated picture book that makes an ideal gift:
- Real locations from central Taiwan make for an
inspiring geographical, historical and cultural reading experience
- Storyline sparks dialogue around kindness,
empathy, courage, and resilience
- Exquisite illustrations of Taiwanese artisans'
craftsmanship foster appreciation for heritage and traditions
- Bilingual text in English and Mandarin
encourages learning in both languages
Author
interview with Crystal Z. Lee
-What
sparked the idea to write Pei's Pineapple Cakes?
I was
inspired by my own grandmothers and the relationship my daughters had with my
mother too. I also wanted to write a story featuring some time-honored
Taiwanese folk arts and artistry, along with our favorite Taiwanese snacks such
as pineapple cakes!
-I love
the illustration of the little girl baking with her grandmother on the cover of
Pei's Pineapple Cakes. Have you personally baked pineapple cakes before?
Yes, we took
a pineapple cakes baking class in Taiwan at this 150-year-old bakery. I
cherished the opportunity to show my children this traditional and storied
establishment!
-All of
your children’s books have names in the titles, such as Pei, Mei, Rin and Kai.
How do you come up with the character names in your books?
I try to be
culturally authentic when choosing names for the characters. For example, in
the story of Mei’s Mermaid Mission there are characters from Cambodia,
Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, etc., so their names are authentic to their cultural
heritage. I remember receiving some criticism that some of these names were
hard to pronounce. While that may be the case for some, I still think it’s a
teachable moment. When we teach our children to learn names authentic to a
certain culture, we are imparting virtues of empathy and respect. In this way,
we also help our kids to cultivate an international worldview.
-Pei's
Pineapple Cakes is your second children's book about Taiwan. Do you think
you'll keep writing stories centered on Taiwan?
I'd love to
keep writing stories about the Taiwanese American experience. I remember the
lack of books on this topic when I was growing up. I'm glad that now in my
children's generation, there are more books they can see themselves in.
-What kind
of Taiwanese folk arts are mentioned in Pei's Pineapple Cakes?
Many of the
folk arts from central Taiwan are featured in this story, such as glove
puppetry, thunder tea making, and moon peach blossoms basket weaving by the
Indigenous Taiwanese.
-Do you
identify with the protagonist Pei from your book, Pei's Pineapple Cakes?
In this
story, Pei visits her grandmother in central Taiwan and together they
experience all sorts of adventures. I too, have many fond memories and
photographs of exploring Taiwan and Singapore with my grandmothers.
-What was
the writing process for Pei's Pineapple Cakes like?
I wrote most
of this story during an extended trip in Taiwan. I visited an aunt in Taichung
which is in central Taiwan. I learned alot about Indigenous Taiwanese
craftsmanship, traditional Hakka art, and I had the chance to see many
relatives. I bring my laptop wherever I go so I can write whenever I feel
inspired. After the manuscript was completed, Allie Su, who was also in Taiwan
at the time, really brought the story to life with her illustrations.
-What
future projects are you working on?
I'm currently
working on another children's story, some poetry and a novel. Personally, as a
writer, I try to exercise the reading and writing muscles on an almost daily
basis.
-How can
your children's books be utilized in a classroom or educational setting?
In Pei's
Pineapple Cakes, readers are introduced to some Taiwanese folk arts, so
this book can be utilized for Asian cultural studies. Kai the Dancing
Butterfly is about the Taiwanese butterfly migration, so it may be useful
for a science and geography curriculum. Ocean conservation and animal habitat
protection is a primary theme in Mei's Mermaid Mission, so this book is
great for marine science and ecological studies. A Unicorn Named Rin
takes place in the Tang dynasty so this story can be utilized in history class!
-Many of
your children's books seem to be travel-themed. Why is that?
Our planet is
vast with wonderful, varied cultures. I hope to raise global citizens and to
teach my children empathy, respect and appreciation for all people.
About Crystal Z. Lee:
Crystal Z. Lee is a Taiwanese American bilingual writer. She has called
many places home, including Taipei, New York, Shanghai, and the San Francisco
Bay Area. She was formerly a public relations executive in the fashion, beauty,
and technology industries. She now resides in Silicon Valley with her husband
and children. She is the author of the novel Love and Other Moods, and
the children's books Mei’s Mermaid Mission, A Unicorn Named Rin, and
Kai the Dancing Butterfly. Her poetry was included in the 2023 UK
anthology, Tabula Rasa.
Website | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon
About Allie Su:
Allie Su grew up in Yunlin county, Taiwan. She often finds her illustration
inspiration from the great outdoors. One of her favorite places to hike in
Taiwan is Sun-Link-Sea Forest in Nantou. She adores Taiwanese cuisine and night
market foods, such as stinky tofu, vegetarian noodles and taro pastries from
Taichung. Allie also illustrated Mei's Mermaid Mission and Kai
the Dancing Butterfly.
Giveaway Details:
1 winner will receive an autographed copy of Pei's Pineapple Cakes and Mei's Mermaid Mission, US Only.
No comments:
Post a Comment