Author and illustrator Grace Lin has penned a wide range of children’s books, from picture stories to middle grade novels. After graduating from Rhode Island School of Design, she published her first book, The Ugly Vegetables, in 1999. Since then, her work has garnered numerous awards, including the 2010 Newbery Honor book Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, the 2011 Theodore Geisel Honor early reader Ling and Ting, and the 2019 Caldecott Honor picture book A Big Mooncake for Little Star. Her own experiences, culture, and identity serve as fodder for much of her work, and this also holds true for The Year of the Dog. Additionally, Lin’s artwork was put on display in the White House when former President Obama recognized her as a Champion of Change for Asian American and Pacific Islander Art and Storytelling. In 2022, Lin also received the Children’s Literature Legacy Award from the American Library Association.

Additionally, Lin is an advocate for diversity in literature. As a regular commentator on New England Public Radio, a TEDx speaker, and a writer for PBS, she has contributed to a growing movement that values diverse voices and stories and emphasizes the importance of allowing young people to see themselves reflected in the literature they read and to learn more about others whose lives differ from their own.