Paper Son

Written by Julie Leung · Illustrated by Chris Sasaki

A young immigrant's art transforms animation history.

4.3/5 Goodreads · 1,011 ratings

40 pages· 1,079 words· Est. 9 min read-aloud

$18.99Save 5%

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Bookroo's summary

Journey with Tyrus Wong, a young immigrant from China, who arrives in America with dreams and a suitcase. Amidst challenges, his passion for art leads him to create the iconic backgrounds of Disney's Bambi. Discover how his unique vision and talent changed animation forever, capturing the beauty of nature with just a few brushstrokes. Will his legacy inspire future generations?

From the publisher

Winner of the American Library Association’s 2021 Asian/Pacific American Award for Best Picture Book! An inspiring picture-book biography of animator Tyrus Wong, the Chinese American immigrant responsible for bringing Disney’s Bambi to life. Before he became an artist named Tyrus Wong, he was a boy named Wong Geng Yeo. He traveled across a vast ocean from China to America with only a suitcase and a few papers. Not papers for drawing–which he loved to do–but immigration papers to start a new life. Once in America, Tyrus seized every opportunity to make art, eventually enrolling at an art institute in Los Angeles. Working as a janitor at night, his mop twirled like a paintbrush in his hands. Eventually, he was given the opportunity of a lifetime–and using sparse brushstrokes and soft watercolors, Tyrus created the iconic backgrounds of Bambi. Julie Leung and Chris Sasaki perfectly capture the beautiful life and work of a painter who came to this country with dreams and talent–and who changed the world of animation forever.