LeUyen Pham and Gene Luen Yang were in-conversation at SLJ’s Day of Dialog virtual event! Watch them discuss their latest collaboration, Lunar New Year Love Story, and reveal how this heartwarming, gorgeous graphic novel took shape.
Eight Stars for Lunar New Year Love Story!
The reviews are written in the stars for Lunar New Year Love Story! With eight starred reviews, the praise has been pouring in!
★ “Valentina’s quest is full of swoony moments that will satisfy romance readers, while her fearless journey of personal growth will win over everyone else . . . a sparkling romance anchored by a poignant coming-of-age story.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
★ “Yang’s storytelling is a multigenerational, multilayered, multicultural masterpiece of searching for lasting, empathic connection.”—Booklist, starred review
★ “Poignant moments amplified by evocatively colored digitally rendered panels address deep issues of parental abandonment and grief, while interjections of comic relief and a riveting subplot surrounding lion dancing result in a well-paced, well-balanced dual effort.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review
★ “A positive and beautiful work of art that will make an impression on readers.”—School Library Journal, starred review
★ “Yang and Pham do a wonderful job of weaving fractured families and romantic yearning with fantasy elements that show emotional states and growth, with plenty of humor throughout.”—Horn Book, starred review
★ “This touching and entertaining YA graphic novel follows an endearing Vietnamese American teen who desperately seeks true love despite her family’s history of tragic romances . . . LeUyen Pham brings remarkable depth to Yang’s heartfelt story through her digital illustrations. Throughout, beautiful spreads evoke the flouncing effects of the intricate costumes.”—Shelf Awareness, starred review
★ “Pham’s stylish embrace of magical realism and the multicultural, multigenerational connectivity of Vietnamese, Chinese, and Korean lion dancing results in evocative, dynamic panel layouts that visually meld Yang’s layered themes and melt a reader’s heart. Graphic novel lovers who find themselves immersed in richly illustrated, culturally resonant intergenerational stories . . . will be unable to resist the intricate dance between love, grief, and learning staged in this fiercely empathetic instant classic.”—BCCB, starred review
★ “Like the traditional Lion Dancers featured in their gorgeous Lunar New Year Love Story, graphic novel veterans Gene Luen Yang and LeUyen Pham combine their considerable skills, bringing a tender love story to life. Yang’s writing and Pham’s illustrations blend seamlessly to introduce readers to Vietnamese American Val (short for Valentina) and her on-again, off-again relationship with love”—BookPage, starred review
