Oliver Chin wrote the children's book series Tales from the Chinese Zodiac and Julie Black Belt, as well as the sports commentary The Tao of Yao: Insights from Basketball's Brightest Big Man. Phil Amara was an editor at Dark Horse Comics, and wrote The Nevermen, The Treehouse Heroes, and So, You Wanna Be A Comic Book Artist? He is an elementary school teacher in Boston, MA.
“I’ve been telling publishers that we need more books like this.” - Sarah Park Dahlen, Associate Professor, St. Catherine University “Awesome Asian Americans aren’t just role models but real life superheroes who smashed through oppression while revolutionizing their industries. The illustrations are so dynamic and vibrant, that I can imagine Tyrus Wong powerfully stroking his paintbrush with Judge Dolly Gee forcefully hammering her gavel. These images aren’t just replicas of their likenesses but visual evolution of their inspiration, struggles, and accomplishments. Awesome Asian Americans is the most current young non-fiction book that acknowledge APIAs contribution to American and Global Society.” - Jeannie Woo, Adjunct Professor AAS Dept., SFSU, Director APIA (Asian Pacific Islander American) Biography Project “This is the book I wish I had when I was young. Who knew that as an Asian American I could one day be a social media phenomenon, a CEO, an astronomer, a Broadway star or an activist like the legendary Yuri Kochiyama? Awesome Asian Americans is engaging and entertaining, but it’s not a fluffy read. The authors frame these extraordinary lives in the social contexts of their times, making their stories our story.” – Renee Tajima-Pena, Filmmaker and UCLA professor of Asian American Studies ""Awesome Asian Americans, fulfills a public craving for content focusing on gifted talent from underrepresented American communities.... Awesome Asian Americans is so compellingly told and illustrated that children may be inspired to follow in the footsteps of the individuals they meet to become artists, storytellers, and scientists. With both of these books, Immedium inspires a world of imagination with many possibilities for readers to explore. They can choose their own path and rise to the top despite adversaries. May these books give each child hope, strength, resilience and inspiration to fulfill their dreams."" - Asian/Pacific Americans Library Association ""This will be a welcome addition to our shelves as there are not enough books to reflect the significant accomplishments of Asian Americans, and many of our users will identify with these heroes. The full-color artwork is similar in style to the art in comic books."" - Association of Children’s Librarians of Northern California ""Amara and Chin chose a wide variety of people to highlight, and the range shows just how important Asian Americans have been in building the image of America that we have, even when others told them to 'go back where they came from.' The overall message of not only tolerance but love and inclusion was clear without being belabored. I was surprised by how many of the people highlighted are familiar to me, and I loved learning more about them.” - Kiss the Book