fuonlyknew

Author interview with Crystal Z. Lee

-What sort of lessons or values can the story in Pei’s Pineapple Cakes impart?

This is a story of empathy, kindness and courage. It’s also an ode to time-honored artisans and traditional craftsmanship. These days, children sometimes exalt modern technological devices above all else, forgetting nature and the beauty in simple handcrafted goods. I hope this story can spark a discussion surrounding these topics.

–Pei’s Pineapple Cakes is a story about grandmotherly love. Were you inspired by your own grandmas when writing this book?

Yes, both of my grandmothers were nurturing and resilient women. Both had endured upheavals of their era in Taiwan, such as war, family separation, martial law etc. Just like Pei’s Amah, my Amahs were loving and fierce women dedicated to their families.

–Are your two children’s books about Taiwan (Pei’s Pineapple Cakes and Kai the Dancing Butterfly) related to each other?

They are completely different stories but if you look closely at the illustrations, you will find some parallels. For example, Pei is supposed to be an older version of the girl on the cover of KTDB!

–What makes Pei’s Pineapple Cakes stand out among the myriad of children’s food books?

This is an “own voices” bilingual book. But it’s also not a purely food-centric story. There are a variety of traditional Taiwanese folk arts mentioned, such as glove puppetry, Hakka thunder-tea making, Indigenous moon peach blossoms basket-weaving etc. Most of all, it’s a universal story of intergenerational love.

–Pei’s Pineapple Cakes is your fourth children’s book but the first one that is bilingual. Why did you decide to write this story in bilingual mode?

I grew up in Taiwan. I spent half of my life in Asia and the other half in the US so I often think, dream, speak, read and write in two languages. Writing bilingually in Chinese and English came naturally and I’m also raising my children to be bilingual.

–Pei’s Pineapple Cakes is a story that takes place in Taiwan. What are some of your favorite places in Taiwan?

I attended school near one of Taipei’s Eslite bookstores so was always hanging out there. Nanjing East Road is where my dad’s company was and where I spent many afternoons. I took my engagement photos at Tamsui River so for me, it’s a romantic place. Our babymoon was at the gorgeous Sun Moon Lake and at the beaches of Hengchun. My children also loved chasing butterflies at Maolin. Tainan is a favorite because it contains the oldest districts in Taiwan with alot of historical monuments still preserved.

–The book cover of Pei’s Pineapple Cakes is a detailed and exquisite work of art. Tell us about it.

The cover of this book is meant to resemble a pineapple cakes box. The illustrator, Allie Su, really brought this concept to life. In Taiwan, the pineapple cakes packaging is often valued just as much as the actual pineapple cake itself.

–Along with children’s books, you also write in other genres and formats. Do you have a more preferred format and genre to write in?

My most preferred format to write in is long form fiction and I gravitate towards historical novels. I also enjoy writing poetry and of course, children’s books.

-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 criticism that some of these names are “difficult to pronounce.” While that may be the case for some, I think this is a teachable moment. When we teach our children to learn names authentic to a particular culture, we are imparting virtues of empathy and respect. In this way, we also help our kids to cultivate an international worldview.