Piper Chen loves nothing more than to sing. She sings to the sun, and she sings to the moon. She sings to her stuffed animals and with the birds outside her window. So, when her music teacher asks if Piper would like to sing a solo in her school’s Spring Sing, all she can say is “yes!” But as practice continues, doubt and worry creep in and Piper’s confidence wavers. She feels like butterflies are having a dance party in her belly. At home, Piper finds Nai Nai, her grandmother, at the piano. They’ve always shared a love of music, and Piper knows if anyone can help her through the unsettling feeling in her stomach and to shine her brightest at the Spring Concert, it’s Nai Nai.
Sisters-in-law Phillipa Soo and Maris Pasquale Doran have created a cheerful intergenerational story that inspires confidence in the face of nervousness.
Author
Phillipa Soo
Phillipa Soo is an actor and singer, best known for originating the role of “Eliza” in Broadway’s critically acclaimed HAMILTON, earning her a Tony nomination, a Grammy win, and an Emmy nomination for the award-winning film on Disney+. She has also appeared as “Cinderella” in INTO THE WOODS on Broadway, and “Guinevere” in Aaron Sorkin’s Broadway revival of CAMELOT, among many other plays and musicals. She stars in the film adaptation of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s bestselling novel, ONE TRUE LOVES, and voices the moon goddess, “Chang’e,” in Netflix’s animated feature, OVER THE MOON. On television, Soo can be seen in Hulu’s DOPESICK and in AppleTV+’s SHINING GIRLS. She resides in Brooklyn with her husband and fellow actor, Steven Pasquale.
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Maris Pasquale Doran
Maris Pasquale Doran, LCSW has always loved listening to and learning from people’s personal narratives and has evolved her career in social work to include writing and creating her own characters and stories. Piper Chen Sings is her first publication. She continues to work as a private psychotherapist and is an adjunct lecturer at Columbia University’s School of Social Work. She lives in Maplewood, NJ with her husband and two young children. Reading to them is always her favorite part of the day.
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Qin Leng
QIN LENG has illustrated numerous picture books, magazines and book covers with publishers from around the world. Her recent picture books include the national bestseller Skinnamarink, One Elephant Went Out to Play and Peanut Butter and Jelly written by Sharon, Lois and Bram; and Trèfle (Clover) by Nadine Robert, which won the 2022 Governor General’s Literary Award for Young Persons Literature — Illustrated Books. She is also the illustrator of A Family Is a Family Is a Family written by Sara O’Leary and Hana Hashimoto, Sixth Violin, which was a finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Award and received the APALA Award for best picture book. She lives in Toronto with her husband and her son.
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