Home in a Lunchbox & Finding Your Path: An Interview with Author-Illustrator Cherry Mo

Conversations With Your Chinese Auntie

In this episode, Cherry Mo, author and illustrator of the picture book Home In A Lunchbox, discusses her experience of moving from Hong Kong to America and how it inspired her work. The conversation covers Cherry's creative journey, cultural integration, and struggles with anxiety.

We also talk about mental health awareness, the power of community, and the significance of food in Cherry's culture.

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Bio:

Cherry Mo is the author-illustrator of her debut picture book, HOME IN A LUNCHBOX, published in June 2024 from Penguin Workshop (Penguin Random House). This book is inspired by Cherry’s personal experience of moving from Hong Kong to America at the age of ten. HOME IN A LUNCHBOX is "An Indie Next List Pick" for July and August, a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection, and garnered starred reviews from Publisher Weekly and School Library Journal. Through writing and illustrating, she hopes to bring young readers a sense of comfort and belonging. She draws inspiration from her personal experiences and Chinese-American background. Cherry has a second picture book coming from Penguin Workshop (details are to be announced). Besides her creative work, Cherry is actively involved in a nonprofit organization focusing on self-awareness. She translates her practices of self-awareness into her author-illustrator work, and she hopes to continue creating meaningful stories that inspire children to understand themselves and assist others. See more of her work on www.cherrymo.com, or on X and Instagram @hellocherrymo. ***

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