How to Draw a Secret

Written & illustrated by Cindy Chang

A young artist must confront family secrets to find her true voice.

4.3/5 Goodreads · 876 ratings

272 pages· 11,987 words· Est. 2 hour read

$15.99Save 6%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

Twelve-year-old Cindy faces a dilemma: how to depict 'family' in an art contest when her own is fractured by secrets. As she hides her father's absence, a trip to Taipei unravels more truths. With her perfect image shattered, Cindy must decide if she can embrace imperfection and reveal her heart's true story. Can she find the courage to share her messy reality?

From the publisher

For fans of Raina Telgemeier’s Sisters and Jen Wang’s Stargazing comes the empowering autobiographical story of a young Taiwanese American artist struggling to find her voice to save what matters most.Twelve-year-old Cindy relishes drawing flawless images, but she is stumped by an art contest prompt: “What family means to me.” No one at school can know that Cindy’s dad moved back to Taiwan four years ago, so Cindy sketches out the perfect plan to draw the perfect picture while keeping her parents’ separation secret.Then an unexpected trip to Taipei reveals devastating new secrets. Suddenly everything from Cindy’s art to her family is falling apart. With her dream of perfection in tatters, Cindy must figure out how to draw from her heart and share her secrets. But can she really reveal the truth, messy lines and all?

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