Lorian Tu Explained

Lorian Tu is an author and illustrator of children's books. She is sometimes credited as Lorian Tu-Dean.

Biography

Tu is of Chinese and Cuban descent on her father's side and white descent through her mother. She is also of Ashkenazi Jewish descent.^[1] Tu's We Are a Song (Harper, 2023), which she both wrote and illustrated, was inspired by her desire to explore her own multiracial background.^[2]

The Rice in the Pot Goes Round and Round (Orchard/Scholastic, 2021), written by Wendy Wan-Long Shang and illustrated by Tu, received a starred review from Kirkus Reviews, which said, "Tu’s illustrations elevate the joyful tone with brightly colored cartoons filled with textures and lively details".^[3]

Of We Are a Song, Kirkus Reviews said, "The story engages the senses, whether it’s the sound of oil in Amah’s wok going “ping-ping-ping,” the scent of Tía's pastries, or the sensation of a falling petal fluttering on Arturo's face like Mama's kisses. All these moments help evoke a relatable feeling of familial love".

Selected works

As illustrator

• May God Bless You and Keep You. Written by Sarah Raymond Cunningham. Beaming Books, 2018.^{[4] [5]}
• Dress Like a Girl. Written by Patricia Toht. Harper, 2019.^{[6] [7] [8]}
• Sky through the Storm. Written by Joanna Rowland. Beaming Books, 2019.^[9]
• Sophie and the Tiny Dognapping. Written by Jamie Michalak. Charlesbridge, 2021.^[10]
• The Rice in the Pot Goes Round and Round. Written by Wendy Wan-Long Shang. Orchard/Scholastic, 2021.^{[11] [12]}

Chicken Soup for the Soul Kids series

• The Sunshine Squad: Discovering What Makes You Special. Written by Jamie Michalak. Charlesbridge, 2021.^[13]
• Oliver Powers through: A Book about Helping out around the House. Written by JaNay Brown-Wood. Illustrated by Lorian Tu & Jenna Nahyun Chung. Charlesbridge, 2022.^[14]

As illustrator and author

• We Are a Song. Harper, 2023.

References

1. Web site: The Rice in the Pot Interview with Wendy Wan-Long Shang and Lorian Tu On Our Minds . 2023-05-02 . Scholastic Blog.
2. Book: We Are a Song . . en.
3. Book: The Rice in the Pot Goes Round and Round . 2021-03-02 . Kirkus Reviews . en . 2023-04-16.
4. Book: May God Bless You and Keep You by Sarah Raymond Cunningham . . subscription.
5. Web site: November 2018 . Children's Bookwatch . 2023-05-02 . Midwest Book Review.
6. Book: Dress Like a Girl . . en.
7. Web site: Dress Like a Girl by Patricia Toht . 2023-05-02 . Publishers Weekly.
8. Book: Dress like a Girl by Patricia Toht . . subscription.
9. Web site: July 2019 . Children's Bookwatch . 2023-05-02 . Midwest Book Review.
10. Web site: November 2021 . Children's Bookwatch . 2023-05-02 . Midwest Book Review.
11. Web site: Fakih . Kimberly Olson . 2021-08-01 . The Rice in the Pot Goes Round and Round . subscription . 2023-04-16 . School Library Journal.
12. Web site: The Rice in the Pot Goes Round and Round . subscription . 2023-05-02 . School Library Journal.
13. Book: The Sunshine Squad . . en.
14. Book: Oliver Powers through . . en.