Celebrated Authors Diane Wilson, Sun Yung Shin, Shannon Gibney, and John Coy, with Acclaimed Illustrator Dion MBD, Collaborate to Explore Diverse Identities in a Single Poetic Work
MINNEAPOLIS, MN— This October, Carolrhoda Books®, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group™, presents Where We Come From, a unique and powerful collaboration between four renowned authors who lyrically explore the elements that shape who they are. Award-winning authors Diane Wilson, Sun Yung Shin, Shannon Gibney, and John Coy weave together their individual stories to explore place, ancestors, movement, struggle, determination, and hope. Richly layered illustrations from artist Dion MBD connect past and present, making for an accessible and visually striking look at history, family, and identity.
We come from stardust / our bodies made of ancient elements. / We come from single cells / evolving over billions of years. / We come from place, language, and spirit. / And each of us comes from story.
Where We Come From is the inaugural book featured in the Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP) International Airport “Stars of the North” storytelling exhibit which will be on display in Terminal 1: Concourse C from September 1-October 31, 2022. Diane Wilson, Sun Yung Shin, Shannon Gibney, and John Coy will be reading and signing Where We Come From at MSP International Airport on Wednesday, October 19 from 2:00-4:00 p.m. Lerner Publishing Group partnered with the arts commission at MSP Airport to fulfill this project.
Praise for Where We Come From:
“[A] quilt of many details that gives the reader less a feeling of understanding one person but more a sense of the rich tapestry that is America.”—Kirkus Reviews
“This collaboration of American voices offers an unusual and honest look at the complexity of identity.”—Shelf Awareness
About the Authors and Illustrator
Diane Wilson is an award-winning writer, speaker, and educator. Her work includes Spirit Car: Journey to a Dakota Past, Beloved Child: A Dakota Way of Life, and The Seed Keeper. Wilson is a Mdewakanton descendent, enrolled on the Rosebud Reservation.
Sun Yung Shin was born in Seoul, Korea, and is the author of the bilingual picture book Cooper’s Lesson. She is also an award-winning poet and collaborative artist. She lives in Minneapolis with her family.
Shannon Gibney is an award-winning author of books of all kinds—from novels to anthologies to essays to picture books. She writes for adults, children, and everyone in between. She lives in Minneapolis with her family.
John Coy is the author of numerous picture books, including Night Driving, Hoop Genius, Game Changer, If We Were Gone, Dads, and Their Great Gift. He lives in Minneapolis and visits schools around the world.
Dion MBD is an Indonesian illustrator who has lived in Singapore and the United States. He never fails to include clouds in his work—including on the covers of A Single Shard and The Chronicles of Chrestomanci series. Dion is currently living in Bandung.
About the Publisher
Carolrhoda Books®, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group™, has been publishing high-quality, award-winning books since 1969. Our picture books spark children’s imaginations and offer new ways of looking at the world. Our middle-grade books stand out not only for their quality, but also for the breadth of genres encompassed, from coming-of-age stories to exceptional nonfiction to mysteries. Carolrhoda authors and illustrators have been honored with awards such as the Coretta Scott King Book Award, the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal, and the Jane Addams Children’s Book Award. We believe that all children should be able to find themselves in the pages of a book.
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Where We Come From
October 2022
$18.99 Hardcover, Jacketed
eBook Also Available
Ages 5-10
HC: 978-1-5415-9612-2
40 Pages ● 9 1/4 × 11
Media contacts:
Lindsay Matvick
Publicity Director
800-328-4929, x385
lmatvick@lernerbooks.com