John Ewing

The idea for QueensBooks.NYC came in a “subway moment,” waiting for a train on the Astoria Boulevard platform. To the west, the Triborough and Hell Gate bridges span the East River, connecting Queens, Manhattan, and the Bronx. To the east, the Amtrak viaduct curves gracefully across the horizon. To the north and south, the trestle of the N/W subway weaves through Queens among the rooftops. And far overhead, passenger planes fly in and out of LaGuardia Airport by the minute.

This panorama of travel struck me as the perfect metaphor for the wondrous diversity of New York City—particularly Queens, the most diverse community in the USA, where over 135 languages are spoken and the world’s population meets. I founded QueensBooks.NYC, a children’s picture-book press, to celebrate the diversity of New York and cultures around the globe. For more, visit www.johnewing.us.