Lyla Lee is a writer of many things. After working various jobs in Hollywood and studying psychology and cinematic arts at USC, she now lives in Dallas, Texas. When she is not writing, she is teaching, watching Korean dramas and other TV shows, and eating all kinds of good food
Lyla Lee’s Selfie with the Mindy Kim Chapter Book Series
This selfie was taken just a few days before the first two MINDY KIM books came out on January 14th! It was hard to position the books like so but I managed with the help of my staircase and my phone’s camera timer feature.
Bringing these books to life has not been easy but I am smiling as bright as I can, ever trying my best to be optimistic. I’m filled with hope that these books will have a positive influence on kids’ lives.
I also have a corgi stuffed animal on my lap, not only because Mindy LOVES dogs so it’s #onbrand with her, but also because it’s one of the stuffed animals that a very close friend gifted me. My friends have been a vital part of my writing/publishing journey as well as my life in general so I wanted to incorporate them in my photo in some way.
Lyla Lee’s Shelfie
My books are an eclectic mix, largely because of my varied reading tastes but also because of the fact that many of my books are ones by author friends. Although I now largely do most of my reading through audiobooks (the intensive amounts of reading I have to do for my writing career, as well as my other job, make it so my eyes get too tired for me to read printed books outside of work), I still try to buy physical books to support my friends whenever I can afford it. I am fluent in Korean as well as English, which is why there are a few Korean books (Haruki Murakami’s The Novelist as a Vocation and a self-help book on effective communication) on my shelf as well. Finally, my shelf has things that are not books, such as the gray planner where I keep track of my writing goals, the pink bookish storage container where I keep my writing accountability stickers, and the various gifts that my friends gave me throughout the years. This shelf is right by my desk so I can always look at it and be reminded of my friends’ support whenever I’m struggling with writing.
To learn more about Lyla Lee, visit https://lylaleebooks.com/, Twitter – https://twitter.com/literarylyla, and Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/literarylyla/.
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Mindy Kim and the Yummy Seaweed Business
Written by Lyla Lee
Illustrated by Dung Ho
Publisher’s Synopsis: Fresh Off the Boat meets Junie B. Jones in this first novel in an adorable new chapter book series about Mindy Kim, a young Asian American girl who is starting a snack business!
Mindy Kim just wants three things:
1. A puppy!
2. To fit in at her new school
3. For her dad to be happy again
But, getting all three of the things on her list is a lot trickier than she thought it would be. On her first day of school, Mindy’s school snack of dried seaweed isn’t exactly popular at the lunch table. Luckily, her new friend, Sally, makes the snacks seem totally delicious to Mindy’s new classmates, so they decide to start the Yummy Seaweed Business to try and raise money for that puppy!
When another student decides to try and sabotage their business, Mindy loses more than she bargained for—and wonders if she’ll ever fit in. Will Mindy be able to overcome her uncertainty and find the courage to be herself?
Ages 6-9 | Publisher: Aladdin | January 14, 2020 | ISBN-13: 978-1534440098
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Mindy Kim and the Lunar New Year Parade
Written by Lyla Lee
Illustrated by Dung Ho
Publisher’s Synopsis: Fresh Off the Boat meets Junie B. Jones in this second novel in an adorable new chapter book series about Mindy Kim, a young Asian American girl who is getting ready to celebrate Lunar New Year!
Mindy is excited to celebrate the Lunar New Year! Even though it’s the first one without her mom, Mindy is determined to enjoy the day. She decides to make traditional Korean New Year food, a rice cake soup that’s her favorite. But things aren’t going quite to plan, and the celebration doesn’t feel the same as it did before.
With the help of her family and friends, can Mindy find a way to still enjoy her old holiday traditions, and create new ones along the way?
Ages 6-9 | Publisher: Aladdin | January 14, 2020 | ISBN-13: 978-1534440111
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Also in this series: Mindy Kim and the Birthday Puppy (Aladdin, May 2020)
Discover more books like the Mindy Kim chapter book series, written by Lyla Lee, by checking out our reviews and articles tagged with Asian American Books and Chapter Book Series; and be sure to follow along with our Selfie and a Shelfie series.
