Spending time with book creator friends at my local Mid-Atlantic SCBWI Conference is always a special experience for me as a writer. At the 2022 Conference I had a serendipitous meeting with Chiêu Anh Urban. Our connection was instant, unbelievable, and moving. In 1975, at the end of the Vietnam War, Chiêu and I immigrated from Vietnam to the United States with our families. We realized that we stayed at the same refugee camp—Fort Indiantown Gap in Pennsylvania. She was five years old, and I was eight. When the conference was over, we made plans for lunch to continue our conversation about our experiences at “The Gap”. I couldn’t wait to see her again and kept thinking of us as little girls having gone through a similar experience of starting over in a new country. We stood in the same lines for meals at the mess hall. We learned and played in the same outdoor spaces. When we saw each other again we talked for hours. Because she was younger than me, Chiêu wanted to know my memories of “The Gap”. “You must have been one of the cool kids playing with all of the big kids,” Chiêu commented. When I was eight years old adjusting to life in America, I often felt confused and lost. I certainly didn’t feel big or cool. I remember wanting to stay up past my bedtime so I could sing along with my aunts and uncles songs by “The Beatles” under the moonlight. Meeting Chiêu was definitely the highlight of my time at the 2022 Conference. It feels surreal that we both grew up to become children’s book creators. I am thrilled to share our special connection and my interview with Chiêu Anh Urban about her creative journey as an author and illustrator.
Hanh in orange sweater at 8 years old with her cousin at the refugee camp.
Chiêu at 5 years old attending a peaceful protest in front of the White House.
Hanh: What is the earliest memory you have of creating art?
Chiêu: Interestingly, my childhood memory started when I settled in Virginia with my family, following our transition from the refugee camp. Sadly, I don’t remember Vietnam or the journey to America. Toys and books were scarce, but I loved playing make believe - and cut-paper art was a creative outlet for me. I drew bakery displays with all kinds of desserts and paper houses that I decorated with furniture. When my mom wasn’t looking, I took cooked rice and mashed it to a sticky consistency to use as glue. I was about six years old.
Hanh: When did you know you wanted to become a children’s book writer and an artist?
Chiêu: I was working as a graphic designer up until my girls were toddlers. We loved novelty books and I especially enjoyed concept driven ones, particularly those about art and colors. But I found myself wanting an interactive story time experience that visually demonstrates how primary colors mix to make secondary ones. I love working with acetate as a medium, and developed my first book idea, Raindrops: A Shower of Colors. The die-cut raindrops consisted of colored film, which were layered on top of each other with a turn of a page. The blue, red and yellow raindrops would blend together to make purple, green, and orange. I’m honored to have the opportunity to continue creating interactive books that encourage hands-on discovery.
Hanh: Could you walk us through the first steps you take when you begin dreaming and sketching your illustrations for a book?
Chiêu: I begin my creative process by thinking of interactive formats and concepts, often while paralleling with my daily activities and chores. I jot notes and sketches on paper at hand, on the phone, or in my little sketchbook that I carry with me. It isn’t until after many months' worth of thinking that I’ll sit down, lay out my ideas and start creating art and dummies. Sometimes, it may be a year or two later.
Hanh: As the author and illustrator of your own books, which comes first, the text or the art? How long does it usually take from early sketches to final art?
Chiêu: The book format comes first, then the art, and lastly, the text. The length of time from early sketches to final art really depends on how many spreads I’m working on. In my experience, it has taken me somewhere between three to seven months to deliver my first draft.
Hanh: Do you have a signature style or theme that you incorporate in your books that embodies your creative vision?
Chiêu: I’m a graphic designer at heart, and have a stylistic approach to my books that are minimalistic in design with clean and bold art. My book formats are conceptualized to help encourage discovery and fun learning.
Hanh: What emotions do you hope readers will feel when they spend time with your books?
Chiêu: I hope children have a feeling of empowerment, and that they find it rewarding to discover and learn the concepts introduced in my novelty books. It’s my goal to develop books that offer fun learning and exploration.
Hanh: What advice would you give to an aspiring children’s book writer or illustrator that you feel has been most helpful to you?
Chiêu: Create what you love and keep working on new projects and ideas. Try not to take the publishing process personally and stay optimistic. This positive energy is important in developing a long publishing career.
Hanh: Are there any upcoming exciting projects you’d like to share with us?
Chiêu: I often have a few projects in the works at a given time and am hopeful they will develop into books I can share with children and families.
Hanh: Thank you, Chiêu, for our time together. Your beautiful and engaging board books are for readers of all ages. I appreciate your thoughtful, innovative and child-centered approach.
Chiêu: Thank you, Hanh, for sharing our moment of serendipity. I’ve been to many SCBWI conferences but bumping into you at last year’s conference was truly a blessing. Your presence and stories have filled a void in me I didn’t realize existed.
Chieu’s website Instagram chieu.anh.urban Twitter @ChieuAnhUrban Chieu’s blog
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Inspired by her first teacher at the refugee camp, Hanh Bui pursued a master’s degree in early childhood education and taught second grade. Hanh’s commitment to celebrating her heritage includes giving presentations at school visits about her refugee experience to children studying immigration as part of their school curriculum. She serves as co-chair of the Equity and Inclusion Team for the Mid-Atlantic region of SCBWI. She is a member of Diverse Verse and has been featured in Highlights For Children magazine and Next Avenue. She is the author of The Yellow Áo Dài, April 2023 and Ánh's New Word, May 2024 (Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan).
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3 comments:
What a heartwarming post! Thank you, Hanh for this fabulous interview with Chiêu Anh Urban. I loved learning about how both of you went through a similar refugee experience and ended up at the same camp. How wonderful that your passion to tell stories to young children connected you so many years later. I know the books you both create will help many children feel seen and heard.
What a beautiful post! I love that you both create stories for young readers and that you met up serendipitously last year! Your history and connection to each other is so powerful and I love that it fuels both of you in your passion to tell stories.
Thank you Hanh, for sharing our story and joy for creating children's books.
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