Cynthia Kadohata is the author of the Newbery Medal–winning book Kira-Kira, the National Book Award winner The Thing About Luck, Cracker!, Outside Beauty, A Million Shades of Gray, and Half a World Away. When she appeared at the 2014 National Book Festival, the biographer wrote, “Though this Japanese-American author is able to sum up her life in eight simple words — 'laughter, writing, son, dog, California, tacos, ice cream' — she has many memorable stories to tell young readers.”

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Arts