Today’s picture book is a biography about an inspirational Chinese-American activist I had never heard of before reading the book!

Songju Ma Daemicke grew up in Jilin, China, and came to the United States in 1996. Songju, a former software engineer with Motorola, is an award-winning children’s book author. Her picture book, Tu Youyou’s Discovery – Finding a Cure for Malaria, is a 2023 SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books finalist. Songju’s picture book, Cao Chong Weighs an Elephant, was a Best STEM book, the winner of 2018 CALA Best Juvenile Literature, an Outstanding Science Trade book, a Notable-Social-Studies book, and a Mathical Honor Book. Songju is proud of her heritage and loves to share the rich Chinese culture with people, especially young people. Trained as an engineer with a strong science background, her books share science and logic concepts with young children. When she’s not writing, Songju loves attending to the flowers and vegetables in her garden and shooting her next special photograph. You can learn more about her at her website or follow her on Facebook, Instagram, or BlueSky.

GRACE LEE BOGGS: GARDENS OF HOPE is a nonfiction biography all about Grace Lee Boggs, a Chinese-American activist. She was given a copy of The Secret Garden as a child and dreamed of building a garden like it someday. That day would come in 1992 when she and her husband founded Detroit Summer, a multicultural and intergenerational youth program that inspired kids to become leaders in their community. There is much more to the story, but I don’t want to spoil it all.

Welcome Songju!

Me: Can you tell us a little bit about your writing journey?  When did you start writing? How did that lead to where you are now as the writer of this book?

Songju: I grew up in Jilin, China, a small city with breathtaking frosty rime on the trees alongside the Songhua River. A true winter wonderland. I always loved to read and listen to stories. However, there was not a single public library at that time. I yearned for books and dreamed to be a writer when I grew up.

I came to the United States in 1996 to attend graduate school and then worked as a software engineer for Motorola. After my twin daughters were born in 2003, I became a stay-at-home mom and read to them every day. Reading rekindled my love of literature. Noticing how few children books about Chinese culture existed, I decided to try writing one myself in 2011. So here I am today. Grace Lee Boggs: Gardens of Hope is my fifth traditionally published book.

Me: You have published several amazing nonfiction (& fiction) picture books.  You have quite a knack for finding interesting nonfiction stories. How did you first hear about Grace Lee Boggs? What was it about her story that first grabbed you and drew you to write about it?

Songju: In the summer of 2020, I first read the name Grace Lee Boggs from the author’s notes of a children’s book, Leave It to Abigail: The Revolutionary Life of Abigail Adams by Barb Rosenstock. Grace Lee Boggs was the only Chinese American mentioned.

I looked her up on the internet and found a movie about her called American Revolutionary: The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggs (by director Grace Lee (no relation), 2013). Listening to Grace talk was inspiring. I couldn’t help but totally love her, like a favorite grandmother.  Grace, a thinker and a tireless social activist, devoted her life to equality. I decided to tell her story to inspire young people to be seeds for change and continue Grace’s legacy and quest for a better, kinder, and more just world.

Me: How long did it take from your first discovery of Grace Lee Boggs’ story to its publication? Were there any problems along the way?

Songju: I discovered Grace Lee Boggs in the summer of 2020. My manuscript was acquired by Albert Whitman Publishing in the spring of 2023. Grace Lee Boggs: Gardens of Hope was released last month. From discovery to publication was 5 years.

I started the first round of submissions in 2022. All of the publishers I submitted to rejected it. My teacher in Writing Barn, Nancy Churnin, suggested I use The Secret Garden, a gift from her teacher and the first book Grace ever owned, as the main theme of the story. The manuscript was acquired shortly afterwards.

Me: That’s great advice. Can you tell us a bit about your research process?  How long did it take you to research all the different facts and tidbits that went into this story?

Songju: Luckily, there are a lot of primary resources about Grace Lee Boggs, including many interviews with Grace herself on YouTube. I bought a biography of Grace and Jimmy Boggs, Grace’s autobiography, and other books she authored. Initial research took two months. I re-visited all resources countless times for revision details and illustrations.

Me: What is one thing that surprised you in writing this story?

Songju: Grace had a big heart and a magnetic personality. While beloved by many people, she was not, surprisingly, by her own mother, who shockingly cut Grace from her life, even returning all birthday and Christmas gifts. She prohibited Grace from visiting her, warning she would call the police if Grace showed up at her door. Grace had nightmares of wandering streets, lost, and not finding her mother. Discovering Grace’s lifelong struggle for a loving relationship with her mother made me very sad. 

Me: Wow! That makes me sad to hear that too. Lin’s illustrations in this book are pitch perfect.  Did you communicate with her at all during the creation of them?  Were there any illustration surprises for you? Any favorites?

Songju: Yes. We communicated during the process through our editor. The first spread is my favorite. It is about Grace receiving a gift from her teacher, The Secret Garden, being the first book Grace ever owned. This book inspired Grace to dream about building her own secret garden to help people to heal. I loved seeing a book and a teacher both having such a profound influence on a child.

Me: Any advice for other picture book writers?

Songju: Every story has its own path. For this particular manuscript, I learned that finding a personal connection between the character’s life and the theme of the story is a key. I took a suggestion from a wise writer friend and used the book The Secret Garden, as Grace’s inspiration and gardens of hope as the theme. This allowed my manuscript to finally come together.

A connection may not always come easily. Be patient. Take your time, trust the process, and try to find a natural one. This will help your story take flight.

That is great advice. Thank you for stopping by my blog Songju.

Dear readers, this book was published in March. If you haven’t had a chance yet to track it down, I highly recommend doing so.