Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist
Winner of the American Library Association's 2021 Asian/Pacific American Award for Best Picture Book!
 
An inspiring picture-book biography of animator Tyrus Wong, the Chinese American immigrant responsible for bringing Disney's Bambi to life.

Before he became an artist named Tyrus Wong, he was a boy named Wong Geng Yeo. He traveled across a vast ocean from China to America with only a suitcase and a few papers. Not papers for drawing--which he loved to do--but immigration papers to start a new life. Once in America, Tyrus seized every opportunity to make art, eventually enrolling at an art institute in Los Angeles. Working as a janitor at night, his mop twirled like a paintbrush in his hands. Eventually, he was given the opportunity of a lifetime--and using sparse brushstrokes and soft watercolors, Tyrus created the iconic backgrounds of Bambi.

Julie Leung and Chris Sasaki perfectly capture the beautiful life and work of a painter who came to this country with dreams and talent--and who changed the world of animation forever.
1130400792
Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist
Winner of the American Library Association's 2021 Asian/Pacific American Award for Best Picture Book!
 
An inspiring picture-book biography of animator Tyrus Wong, the Chinese American immigrant responsible for bringing Disney's Bambi to life.

Before he became an artist named Tyrus Wong, he was a boy named Wong Geng Yeo. He traveled across a vast ocean from China to America with only a suitcase and a few papers. Not papers for drawing--which he loved to do--but immigration papers to start a new life. Once in America, Tyrus seized every opportunity to make art, eventually enrolling at an art institute in Los Angeles. Working as a janitor at night, his mop twirled like a paintbrush in his hands. Eventually, he was given the opportunity of a lifetime--and using sparse brushstrokes and soft watercolors, Tyrus created the iconic backgrounds of Bambi.

Julie Leung and Chris Sasaki perfectly capture the beautiful life and work of a painter who came to this country with dreams and talent--and who changed the world of animation forever.
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Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist

Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist

by Julie Leung

Narrated by Feodor Chin

Unabridged — 13 minutes

Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist

Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist

by Julie Leung

Narrated by Feodor Chin

Unabridged — 13 minutes

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Overview

Winner of the American Library Association's 2021 Asian/Pacific American Award for Best Picture Book!
 
An inspiring picture-book biography of animator Tyrus Wong, the Chinese American immigrant responsible for bringing Disney's Bambi to life.

Before he became an artist named Tyrus Wong, he was a boy named Wong Geng Yeo. He traveled across a vast ocean from China to America with only a suitcase and a few papers. Not papers for drawing--which he loved to do--but immigration papers to start a new life. Once in America, Tyrus seized every opportunity to make art, eventually enrolling at an art institute in Los Angeles. Working as a janitor at night, his mop twirled like a paintbrush in his hands. Eventually, he was given the opportunity of a lifetime--and using sparse brushstrokes and soft watercolors, Tyrus created the iconic backgrounds of Bambi.

Julie Leung and Chris Sasaki perfectly capture the beautiful life and work of a painter who came to this country with dreams and talent--and who changed the world of animation forever.

Editorial Reviews

The New York Times Book Review - Nina Crews

Leung presents Tyrus's story in direct and engaging prose…Chris Sasaki's digital illustrations create just the right mood, with appealing characters and a 1940s color scheme.

From the Publisher

"“A beautiful, must-read tribute to hardworking families and the magic they create." —Kirkus, starred review

"[A] gorgeous picture book biography about an unsung hero of animation and Chinese American history." —Booklist, Starred Review

“Confidential, fluid prose deftly captures the stress and strangeness of his immigration experience and his artistic blossoming and impact…. A window into the troubled history of transpacific immigration and a look at a long-undersung contributor to our visual landscapes.” —Bulletin

 “A well-told story that spotlights the too-often unrecognized talent and contributions of America’s immigrants.” —School Library Journal

“A meaningful portrayal of one working-class experience and an image of a loving, hardworking family.”  —Publishers Weekly

Kirkus Reviews

2019-06-23
As the boat sailed from China to America, Wong memorized the minutiae of another boy's life.

In 1919, the Chinese Exclusion Act allowed only high-status immigrants into the U.S. So 9-year-old Wong became a "paper son," taking on the identity of a merchant's son. Luckily, Wong passed the grueling immigration interview. After art school, bored by the tedium of "in-betweener" work at Disney Studios, Wong saw his chance to prove himself when Walt Disney announced his next movie, Bambi. Drawing on Felix Salten's novel, his own personal experiences, and his training in both Eastern and Western artistic styles, Wong created lush, impressionistic landscapes inspiring the look of the entire movie. Unfortunately, Wong's work was largely unrecognized; however, he never stopped making art, exploring many media. Digital illustrations emphasize precise details and shape repetition, creating a geometric counterpoint to organic washes of color and loose, impressionistic backgrounds inspired by Wong's work on Bambi. The brief narrative moves swiftly, lingering on just two key moments: Wong's immigration and the making of Bambi. The author's note provides more information about the Chinese Exclusion Act, the proliferation of paper sons and daughters, and additional details about and photos of Wong. Unfortunately, neither text nor backmatter share contextual information about the reasons for immigration, benefits and sacrifices of immigration, or the racial prejudice Wong faced both personally and professionally.

A visually engaging introduction to a little-known yet influential American artist (Picture book/biography. 7-12)

Product Details

BN ID: 2940172714375
Publisher: Penguin Random House
Publication date: 06/08/2021
Edition description: Unabridged
Age Range: Up to 4 Years
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