Why We Write

Children's and middle-grade author Andrea Wang talks about her two new releases for young readers—both exploring Chinese-American identity and growing up in the Midwest. Watercress is a gorgeous picture book about feeling out of place, about family and about family history. The Many Meanings of Meilan finds a middle-grade girl dealing with the upheaval of a big move to a small town, racism, and growing up.Lesley University is located in beautiful Cambridge, Massachusetts. Learn more about our low-residency MFA in Creative Writing program.About AndreaAndrea Wang is the award-winning author of picture books The Nian Monster (Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature Honor) and Magic Ramen (Freeman Book Award Honor). She has two books releasing in 2021: Watercress (2021 Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Award, JLG Gold Standard Selection, starred reviews from BCCB, Horn Book, Kirkus, PW, and SLJ); and The Many Meanings of Meilan, her debut middle grade novel. Her work explores culture, creative thinking, and identi