When I'm not writing for children, I paint, program, play music, plant trees, and more in a variety of youth art and science programs. Check out our adventures below.
Music Mavens co-author Maureen Charles and I were thrilled to meet readers during World Read Aloud Day, Women's History Month, and the LA Times Festival of Books.
2023
It’s been a joy to work with talented young writers through the Society of Young Inklings anthology program. Each Inklings Book features stories and poems written by youth (in grades three through nine) along with letters from the mentors who guided them through revisions. The result is part celebration of powerful new voices and part practical revision guide.
2016, 2021-present
This troop took refuge in art during the long days of social distancing. Thanks to artists Candace Troy, Pete Collom, and Sarah Cray for inspiration.
2020-22
The Fisher Family Children's Zoo has been a place of discovery for millions of kids, and I was one of them! Now, as a docent, I'm introducing another generation of youth to the farm's animals and educational opportunities.
2020-21
My STEM workshop challenges: (1) Imagine a robot capable of navigating an arena with only a touch, light, or ultrasonic sensor. (2) Imagine a future in tech.
Fall 2019
The Su Viet Zither Ensemble brought Nhã Nhạc—court music from 13th century Hue—to Bay Area stages at the Palace of Legion of Honor, Mid-Autumn Harvest Festival, and Myanmar Benefit Concert.
Spring and Fall 2019
While visiting PAWS for book research, my kids fell in love with Nicholas and insisted on "adoption." Retired from a circus—where he'd been trained to ride a tricycle—this Asian bull elephant now roams the sanctuary's acreage in Galt. PAWS provides life-long care for Nicholas and other exotic animals exploited by the entertainment industry and private collectors.
Ongoing
Part homeland tour, part music tour—this Vietnamese American NGO adventure took us from Hanoi to Hue, playing and teaching and learning in the home of the đàn tranh.
Summer 2019
This incredible Green Team took on the problem of cafeteria waste, creating a system for moving uneaten food into the hands of hungry kids and food scraps into a garden composter.
Spring and Fall 2018
In a concert aimed at bridging East and West, our piece, "Trống Cơm-La Paloma," combined Vietnamese and Spanish folk music.
LNY 2018
This troop took refuge in art during the long days of social distancing. Thanks to artists Candace Troy, Pete Collom, and Sarah Cray for inspiration.
The Fisher Family Children's Zoo has been a place of discovery for millions of kids, and I was one of them! Now, as a docent, I'm introducing another generation of youth to the farm's animals and educational opportunities. The Family Farm is currently closed due to COVID, but you can visit the Zoo by appointment.
My STEM workshop challenges: (1) Imagine a robot capable of navigating an arena with only a touch, light, or ultrasonic sensor. (2) Imagine a future in tech.
The Su Viet Zither Ensemble brought Nhã Nhạc—court music from 13th century Hue—to Bay Area stages at the Palace of Legion of Honor, Mid-Autumn Harvest Festival, and Myanmar Benefit Concert.
While visiting PAWS for book research, my children fell in love with Nicholas and insisted on "adoption." Retired from the circus—where he'd been trained to ride a tricycle—this Asian bull elephant now roams the sanctuary's acreage in Galt. PAWS provides life-long care for Nicholas and other exotic animals exploited by the entertainment industry and private collectors.
Part homeland tour, part music tour—this Vietnamese American NGO adventure took us from Hanoi to Hue, playing and teaching and learning in the home of the đàn tranh.
This incredible Green Team took on the problem of cafeteria waste, creating a system for moving uneaten food into the hands of hungry kids and food scraps into a garden composter.
In a concert aimed at bridging East and West, our piece, "Trống Cơm-La Paloma," combined Vietnamese and Spanish folk music.
