I Dream of Popo by Livia Blackburne (grades 1-3)

Written by Livia Blackburne and illustrated by Julia Kuo, both of Taiwanese heritage, I Dream of Popo is a heartfelt and authentic immigrant story by the author herself. Surrounding Blackburne's own personal experiences moving with her family to America and leaving her grandmother behind, this picture books entails a roller coaster of emotions, from wholesome grandmother-granddaughter love to a nostalgic departure filled with fleeting connections and longing memories. Blackburne employs simple yet emotionally impactful phrases to highlight her special connection with her grandmother, reflecting how even the subtle details have shaped her childhood and familial bonds.

Born in Taipei, Taiwan, and brought up in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Livia Blackburne is a New York Times bestselling author for the Midnight Thief and Rosemarked duologies. She earned an AB in biomedical sciences at Harvard and MIT, and received her PhD in cognitive neuroscience. She wrote her first novel while researching the neuroscience of reading, and has switched to full time writing ever since.