I hope after reading Amah Faraway, young readers will feel validated, valued and seen. Any of these reasons are why I write for young readers. If they are Asian, I hope they will feel happy to see a character who looks like them. If they speak Mandarin at home with their family, I hope they will feel proud to see their language reflected in a real book. I hope readers who are growing up far away from loved ones will see themselves reflected in Amah Faraway and will take away how special their relationships with their faraway loved ones can be. At times, I felt jealous of friends who saw their grandparents more often and who shared all the things that my amah and I did not. I adored her, but our relationship wasn't easy because we were separated by distance, language, and culture. Margaret: Like Kylie (the main character in Amah Faraway), I grew up in the United States, and my grandmother lived in Taipei.

Tell us why you wrote this book for young readers. I love books that tell inter-generational stories because those relationships are so important. Kirstie: Clearly, you were inspired by your grandmother to write Amah Faraway. Living in Taiwan sounds amazing! Since the book has been out, I’ve heard from a few people who lived there when they were younger–it makes me wish I had done that too! Margaret: Thank you! I’m so glad you connected with the book. Your book being about Taiwan was really special for me and brought back a lot of wonderful memories of my time spent on the island. We spent a lot of time at the park and visiting the night market where I purchased jade bracelets for friends and family. Reading it was like a trip back to 1994-1995 when I lived in Tianmu with my husband and toddler. Kirstie: Congratulations on your new book AMAH FARAWAY.

Amah faraway