Events
When: Saturday, September 7, 2024; times TBD
Where: Brick & Mortar Books (7430 164th Ave NE, Redmond, WA 98052)
Save the date! Tricky Chopsticks author Sylvia Chen will be featured along with many other amazing authors and illustrators at this awesome festival for its 2nd year running! More details to be shared when available. See the Bigfoot Kids' Book Festival website for the latest information.
When: Sunday, September 22, 2024, 2-3pm
Where: Watchung Booksellers – The Kids' Room (44 Fairfield St., Montclair, NJ)
Author Sylvia Chen will have her very first TRICKY CHOPSTICKS Storytime in New Jersey at Watchung Booksellers! Come join us for an in-person read-aloud, followed by Q&A, fun activities, special swag (while supplies last), and book signing.
If you can, please RSVP through Watchung Booksellers' EventBrite link for this event. This will help us plan for space, supplies, etc. Hope you can join us, thank you!
When: November 21-24, 2024; see scheduling details below
Where: Boston, MA
Will you also go to NCTE in Boston 2024? Look out for jumbo chopsticks to spot Tricky Chopsticks author Sylvia Chen traipsing around NCTE! Or consider attending one or both of her panel sessions:
Friday, November 22, 2024, 3:30-4:45pm EST (Room 162 A): "Hugging Hearts with Humor to Engage Students in Reading, Writing, and SEL" with fellow author presenters Janet Sumner Johnson, Carrie Finison, and author–educator Andrew Hacket
Saturday, November 23, 2024, 1:15-2:30pm EST (Room 204 A): "Accessing the Heart: Teaching Universal Themes Through Culturally Specific Stories" with fellow author presenters Lindsay H. Metcalf, Vicky Fang, Stephen Briseño, Zainab Khan, and author–educator Pamela Courtney
More in-person and virtual events in the works, including at the 18th Annual Brooklyn Museum Children’s Book Fair, on Sunday, November 10, 2024. Please check back periodically for updated event info. Thank you!
Past Events
When: Attending Thursday, June 27, 2024 - Monday, July 1, 2024; scheduling details TBD
Where: San Diego, CA
Will you also attend ALA in San Diego 2024? Tricky Chopsticks author Sylvia Chen will attend the conference along with various #PBRisingStars and #12x12 meetups. Come by for a special Tricky Chopsticks author-signing plus fun swag at the Atheneum/Simon & Schuster booth #716 on Saturday, June 29, 2024 3:30-4pm. Look out for jumbo chopsticks to find Sylvia Chen roaming around ALA!
"It was an absolute delight to work with Sylvia! In communication, she is the kindest, most prepared and most responsive author I have ever worked with in the public library space. She is an excellent collaborator and was able to seamlessly adjust her program planning to include activities aimed at our youngest patrons' developmental level. On the day of the event, she was super well-organized and extra accommodating to patrons who had arrived after the storytelling portion of the event. The chopstick challenge tables were incredibly popular with kids of all ages and their grown ups, as was the 3D origami star craft. She even gave away her balloon decorations to the kiddos at the end! I would work with Sylvia again in a heartbeat and I look forward to seeing and reading her work in the future. Tricky Chopsticks forever!"
-Hope Y., Children's Services Librarian
Thank you Hope and Redmond Library for so kindly collaborating with me for this event! It was an absolute joy to connect with so many attendees for both the reading and fun, interactive activities after. And a HUGE thanks to Brick & Mortar Books for joining us to have books on hands for those who wanted their own personal copies. Plus a very special thank you to fellow author Elayne Crain for volunteering your support for this event. Such an honor to work with you all through and through!
Storytime and Q&A!
Chopsticks Demo
Chopsticks Pick-Upstacle Course (more stations not pictured) plus 3D Origami Lucky Star Crafting
Thank you fellow author Elayne Crain for offering to volunteer for this event, especially during the activity time! (and psst! look out for Elayne's debut picture book, There's Something Odd About the Babysitter, available in summer 2025!)
Storytime to start!
Fun chopsticks challenges after!
"Sylvia Chen's visit to the Kirkland Library drew a large, diverse and enthusiastic audience. Her interactive book reading kept the crowd engaged and entertained. She followed the story with a great Q&A and an explanation of how chopstick styles differ between different countries. The hands-on activities that she prepared were leveled so that even the youngest rookie felt successful. The families had a great time and left with special gifts from the author. I am looking forward to seeing Ms. Chen's next book and would love to have her back in the future."
Amy Faulkner, Children's Services Librarian at King County Library System
A Bit Tricky: Pom-Pom Challenge!
Trickier: Food Squishies Challenge!
Thank you Amy and Kirkland Library for providing such a wonderful venue for this event! I truly enjoyed connecting with so many families from different backgrounds and it was pure joy seeing all the kids rise up to the challenge of using chopsticks in many fun ways! I'd also like to wholeheartedly thank Friends of the Library/Library Guild for your generous sponsorship of this event. Thank you all!
Trickiest: Shiny Star Stacking Challenge!
Look at that impressive stack!
A very heartfelt THANK YOU to Mam's Books (in International District / Chinatown) for hosting my Seattle-side launch event and close friends+family plus new fans who attended, I loved chatting with all of you! It was such an honor to collaborate with Mam's Books for its mission to uplift our wonderful #AAPI community and fellow creators. Please check out the video recap at right which features some sweet highlights. And please visit and support Mam's Books if you can!
"Planning an author visit with Sylvia was super easy, with her School & Library Visit menu. There were a lot of fun combinations to choose from, our library went with "Let’s Make 3D Origami Lucky Stars!" which included a read aloud, Q&A and craft. Sylvia was super flexible in customizing the program to work at our library. Both kids and parents alike enjoyed the read aloud and asked so many great questions, which Sylvia answered with enthusiasm. Participants were able to connect with Sylvia during the crafting session in a meaningful way. I highly recommend hosting Author Sylvia Chen at your public library!"
Shelby Dupre, Children's Librarian at King County Library System
Thank you Shelby and Newport Way Library for hosting me at your wonderful library! And a special thanks to Art Cart origami expert Ayumi for providing your skillful support for our attendees! Plus much gratitude to Friends of the Library/Library Guild for your generous sponsorship of this event. Thank you all!
Storytime at the beginning!
Impromptu storytime mid-event!
Making 3D origami lucky stars!
Thank you to Barnes & Noble in Kirkland for hosting me for a special storytime + signing event on National Tell a Story Day. And a heartfelt thanks to those who dropped by to join. I loved chatting + signing and personalizing books, meeting super cute kids, and even doing impromptu storytime readings at the table after! 🥰
Original videography credit: Mac Chen
Such a cool welcome!
Loved personalizing so many book orders!
Such an honor to sign the author wall!
"The students and staff at our school thoroughly enjoyed Sylvia Chen's presentations about her first picture book, Tricky Chopsticks. Sylvia's engaging talks, tailored for students in grades K-3, provided an interactive and fun experience for our young readers and writers. During the sessions, students learned about Sylvia's writing inspirations, writing tricks, and word play. One of the highlights was Sylvia's creatively crafted rap about the main character of her story, which inspired everyone with a fun beat and rhythm. I'm looking forward to adding future books written by Sylvia Chen to our school library!"
Melissa Reinardy, librarian, Audubon Elementary School
Thank you Super Librarian Melissa Reinardy and Audubon Elementary School (and PTSA!) for such a warm and excellent welcome for my very first official author visit! I will treasure this memory forever, including one student who shared a parting over-the-shoulder request, "Let me know when your next book comes out, okay?" and 3rd grader who endearingly (and wisely) shared, "I think you're being brave [to present to us]."
Author visit split into two days with five K-3 group sessions
Loved presenting to almost 300 students total!
Fun students vs. author chopsticks challenges with jumbo chopsticks...
...and regular chopsticks with extra author-challenges (eyes closed, one foot up, etc.)
A huge THANK YOU to Brick & Mortar Books in Redmond for hosting my launch event and everyone who supported by coming and those joining in spirit from afar! The event was an absolute dream-come-true. Please see the Inside Peek video at right which captures some of the event highlights (too many to include in a short video!).