Shining a Light: Celebrating 40 Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Who Changed the World

A collective biography of 40 influential Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, from Kalpana Chawla to The Rock to Tammy Duckworth, whose historical contributions readers may not know but whose light shines on, with stunning illustrated portraits by Hugo Award nominee Victo Ngai.

Meet forty people who helped change the world in countless ways in this beautifully illustrated collective biography.

From scientists to sports stars, aerospace engineers to artists, every person shines in this collection. Dynamic portraits portray each person with bold colors and clever, precise details. Each biography celebrates the determination and courage of people who were on the forefront of changing society.

Using their specific talents, each individual fought for the space for people of Asian and Pacific Islander descent to be seen and treated with dignity and respect. Their important legacy lives on today.

Veeda Bybee is a former journalist who holds an MFA from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. She is a contributor to the YA anthology Rural Voices and MG anthology Calling the Moon. She has also written historical fiction chapter books Lily and the Great Quake and in partnership with the Smithsonian, Li On Angel Island. Veeda is the daughter of Asian immigrants and lives in Nevada with her family. 

Victo Ngai is a Los Angeles-based illustrator from Hong Kong who graduated from Rhode Island School of Design. A Forbes 30 Under honoree and Society of Illustrators New York gold medalist, Victo makes books for publishers such as Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, Folio Society, and Macmillan. Besides drawing, her biggest passions are traveling and eating. She hopes that one day she will save up enough to travel around the world and sample all kinds of food.