In this episode of The Growing Readers Podcast, host Bianca Schulze interviews Stan Yan about his debut middle-grade graphic novel, The Many Misfortunes of Eugenia Wang. They discuss his journey from stockbroker to children's book creator, the six major rewrites that shaped his story, the significance of Chinese superstitions in his work, and his powerful realization about representation in children's literature when he discovered he had never drawn characters that looked like himself.

Transcription: You can read the transcription on The Children's Book Review

Highlights:

• Representation Awakening: Stan's pivotal moment at age 50, when he realized he wasn't drawing characters that looked like him, despite being inspired by his own experiences
• Six Major Rewrites: How the story evolved from "Olfactory Memory" featuring a male protagonist to Eugenia's supernatural journey through extensive revision
• Cultural Authenticity: The role of Chinese superstitions, particularly the unlucky number four, in shaping Eugenia's character and family dynamics
• From Comics to Kids: Stan's transition from adult zombie apocalypse stories to children's literature and why he finds child protagonists more compelling
• The Scary Kids Book Challenge: His bucket list goal to create a comic that would actually scare him, and how that led to middle-grade horror
• Junior Library Guild Gold: The unexpected honor of being selected as a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selection for his debut
• Creative Process: Working digitally on iPad, the importance of silence while writing, and his post-lunch nap requirement

Notable Quotes:

"I don't want you to grow up thinking that you can't draw a main character that looks like yourself, like me." —Stan Yan

"Your job is to torture your protagonist and what better time of your life to torture your protagonist than when they're probably at their most vulnerable." —Stan Yan on writing for 13-year-olds

Books Mentioned:

• The Many Misfortunes of Eugenia Wang by Stan Yan (Fall 2025): Amazon or Bookshop.org
• There's a Zombie in the Basement by Stan Yan: Amazon or Bookshop.org
• Ghost Book by Remy Lai: Amazon or Bookshop.org
• Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson: Amazon or Bookshop.org

About Stan Yan: Stan Yan is an award-winning, first-generation American-born Chinese writer, illustrator, and educator based in Denver. He co-founded the Squid Works comic creator cooperative, serves as co-Regional Advisor for the Rocky Mountain Chapter of SCBWI, and teaches illustration at Rocky Mountain College of Art & Design. His work spans comics, children's books, and educational materials, with his graphic novel debut earning Junior Library Guild Gold Standard recognition.

Connect and Follow:Learn more about Stan Yan: https://www.stanyan.me/

Credits:Host: Bianca SchulzeGuest: Stan YanProducer: Bianca Schulze