Michelle Jing

Chan

Author & Illustrator

Graphic Novelist

Travels from: Seattle, WA

“In a bold cartoon style, Chan’s illustrations are bursting with color and life, and she features a glorious array of skin tones, physical abilities, and ages. This unique book that embraces sensitivity and encourages action is highly recommended for school and public libraries.” ― School Library Journal

Michelle Jing Chan is a queer Chinese American author-illustrator who grew up in Colorado and now lives in the Pacific Northwest. Although her education is in engineering and economics, her heart has always been in storytelling. Ever since she could hold a pencil, Michelle has been scribbling her daydreams to life. Now she spends her days creating picture books and comics for kids and teens.

Her work has been featured in the Wing Luke Museum, Buzzfeed, and Upworthy. She has illustrated books for Penguin Random House, Macmillan, Bloomsbury, Hachette, and Lerner. Her illustrator debut picture book, Moonlight Memories written by Amanda Davis, was the winner of Hindi’s Libraries Females of Fiction – Best Picture Book of 2023 award.

Michelle gravitates towards empowering stories that celebrate diversity and self-acceptance –books she would have loved to read as a kid! Her debut author-illustrator picture book, Weiwei and the Winter Solstice: A Dongzhi Story, will be released fall 2025 from Bloomsbury. Michelle also creates graphic novels; her debut YA graphic novel, Somewhere in the Gray, will be released fall 2026 from Macmillan.

When she’s not drawing or writing at her desk, you can find Michelle petting the neighborhood cats, cozying up with a book, or hunting for ghosts and cryptids in spooky video games.

Michelle Jing's Featured Titles

Lunar New Year Storytime and Art Activity

Let’s learn about Lunar New Year! I lead a storytime and art activity related to this holiday and its cultural traditions. I wear my qipao (traditional Chinese dress) to the event and bring hong bao (lucky red envelopes) to hand out to the children. We end the visit with an art activity where we make a giant dragon poster or smaller zodiac animals. Optionally, we parade around the school with our finished creations, just like a real Lunar New Year parade!
(Based on the book LUNAR NEW YEAR: A CELEBRATION OF FAMILY AND FUN)

Affirmations Storytime and Art Activity

“‘Stay angry, little Meg,’ Mrs. Whatsit whispered. ‘You will need all your anger now.’” Based on this iconic quote from Madeleine L’Engle’s classic, A WRINKLE IN TIME, the picture book STAY ANGRY LITTLE GIRL reminds girls to embrace their authentic emotions, even if those traits may be met with resistance. I lead a storytime for this book and host an affirmations-based art activity afterwards where we make our own book covers that showcase us embracing an emotion that we have been ashamed of in the past. Optionally, I have coloring pages as well that the students can work on.
(Based on the book STAY ANGRY LITTLE GIRL)

Healing from grief - storytime and art activity

Grief looks different for every child, and creativity is one way that children can express their emotions and heal from the grief of losing a loved one. I host a storytime for the book MOONLIGHT MEMORIES (winner of Hindi’s Libraries Females of Fiction – Best Picture Book of 2023 award), written by Amanda Davis. Afterwards, I lead an art activity where the students paint memory rocks to honor a loved one who has passed, and we discuss different ways that we can process grief and keep their memory alive. Optionally, I have coloring pages as well that the students can work on.
(Based on the book MOONLIGHT MEMORIES)

Civil Rights- Storytime and Art Activity

Did you know that an 8-year-old Chinese American girl became a changemaker in the fight for desegregation? MAMIE TAPE FIGHTS TO GO TO SCHOOL is written by Traci Huahn and based on the true story of Mamie Tape, a Chinese American girl growing up in San Francisco in the 1800s who was prohibited from attending the segregated public school. This book was featured in Rethinking School’s picks for Social Justice Books, Zinn Education, Social Justice Books, and Seattle’s Child Magazine. I host a storytime for the book and a discussion on the difference between equality vs. equity, how Mamie’s case fits into the broader picture of civil rights history, and how students can relate to the feelings of being excluded. I also lead an art activity where the students will learn about different social justice terms introduced in the book and brainstorm as a group examples relevant to their own lives or day-to-day at school. Optionally, I have coloring pages as well that the students can work on.
(Based on the book MAMIE TAPE FIGHTS TO GO TO SCHOOL)

LGBTQ+ Alliance- Presentation and Q&A

Being in community with other LBGTQ+ people is invaluable to helping a child feel included, supported, and safe to be their authentic self. I host a presentation and Q&A about growing up Chinese and queer in one of the top 10 most conservative towns in America, discovering my own queer identity, my coming out journey, and my path to becoming a full-time author-illustrator whose debut graphic novel is about asexuality. After the presentation, I lead an optional art activity where I can show the students how to make a short comic or a zine about their own LGBTQ+ identity.

Nontraditional Career Paths - Presentation and Q&A

As a child of immigrants, when I was younger I never could have imagined pursuing a career in a nontraditional, creative path! Now as an adult, I aim to bring a different perspective to career conversations and highlight that there are many ways to pursue a fulfilling career. I host a presentation and Q&A about my path from aspiring to become a lawyer, to studying engineering and economics in college, to working in tech, and finally becoming a full-time author-illustrator. After the presentation, I lead an optional art activity where the students will make mind maps to visualize all their interests and different paths that life can take them.

“In a bold cartoon style, Chan’s illustrations are bursting with color and life, and she features a glorious array of skin tones, physical abilities, and ages. VERDICT: This unique book that embraces sensitivity and encourages action is highly recommended for school and public libraries.” ― SLJ, 2024

“There are many picture books with a bedtime theme, but this one stands out because of the diverse settings and Chan’s beautifully painted illustrations. A perfect, calming story for afternoon story hours, or to fill out curricula on the experience of night across various locations.” ― SLJ, 2024

“This book gives girls a full-throated endorsement to be true to themselves.” ― Kirkus, 2024

“This book sheds light on the reality of many fights for desegregation and quality education in the United States — including the role of children and their families as organizers and the countless ways that white supremacists circumvent the law when a court rules for equitable access. Children reading this book will realize that court rulings are just one part of any campaign for human rights.” ― Rethinking Schools, 2024

“In 13 expressive pages that went viral online…Michelle Jing Chan, an artist and children’s book illustrator, remembers how her 92-year-old grandfather had recounted the story of his immigration to America….People not only connected with the story but also left moving comments and shared it on social platforms from Facebook to Reddit.” ― Buzzfeed, 2023

“I can’t thank Michelle enough for her time and the inspiration that she gave to our class! They have been writing and illustrating their own books since…she has impacted a whole new generation!” ― Douglass Valley Elementary School, 2023

Michelle’s Comics Link