Interview with Carren Jao

We are so excited to interview picture book author, Carren Jao on the blog today! Read more about her upcoming picture book, The Shape of Love, illustrated by Corinne Car. It releases on September 22nd.

Kidlit in Color: What was your inspiration for your book? 

Carren Jao: I was inspired to write this book because of many childhood experiences receiving balikbayan boxes. Growing up, my sister and I would get a lot of these, and opening them seemed like such a joyful experience. It’s a little bit like opening the first few pages of an epic fantasy book. The items in the box felt like glimpses of another world, a different way of living. That feeling stayed with me even as I got older, and when it came time to draft stories balikbayan boxes were instantly something that pulled me.

KLiC: Please tell us about your writing process. How long did it take you to write and sell this book? 

CJ: “The Shape of Love” is one of the first drafts that I had worked on. At the time, we were all in a pandemic and couldn’t leave the house. Writing for children seemed to me then a good fit for what I wanted to achieve: a venue for my creativity even when I couldn’t go out and interview people. The short text also gave me a way to work on it in bits and pieces in between taking care of two young kids and also working full time. 

I drafted many versions of this story and bumbled along the children’s writing process. I read a lot, most especially Ann Whitford Paul’s “Writing Picture Books” and attended a lot of webinars by Julie Hedlund’s 12x12 Challenge. 

On and off, I started in June 2022 and kept on working on different versions of this story. I submitted a version (one of many!) to Lee & Low’s New Voices award and learned that I was considered for the top prize in December 2022. I was unagented at the time, so when I got the call, I really felt lucky to be considered. I was also thankful because it felt like it was a sign that I should keep writing and the people resonated with the stories I could write.  

KLiC: What's the only thing you want children to take away from your book? 

CJ: I want children to look for the signs of their parents’ love for them. Parents may not always verbally say “I love you,” but they show it in so many ways and through so many things. 

We are very physical creatures. Touch, feel, and physical proximity matter a lot, but sometimes even when a person is not there, objects and traditions help remind us of their love, even when we cannot see them in person. 


KLiC: Do you have any tips for pre-published authors? 

CJ: One of the best pieces of advice that I got was to sit down and think about why you're writing in the first place, and to really dig deep. Your answer will become your center. Even when times are dark and when writing seems hard, if you remember the reasons why you started writing in the first place, it will help motivate you to keep on going and keep on believing in yourself, your stories, and why they're important to share with the world.

KLiC: What's next for you? 

CJ: I'm excited to say that I have another book coming out with Charlesbridge. It's part of their Steamworks series, which includes authors like Delia Ruiz, Songju Ma Deamicke, Tonya Duncan Ellis, Valerie Bolling, and Aya Khalil (!). So many wonderful illustrators as well like Neha Rawat, Sian James, and Wendy Wen. This next book combines coding and break dancing. It’ll be out next summer 2027. More details soon!

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​Carren Jao is an award-winning Chinese Filipina storyteller. Her stories are like blankets that provide warmth and comfort for one, but can also be shared with many. Born and raised in the Philippines and a longtime Angeleno, she now calls greater Seattle home. She is deeply interested in finding the common threads between people of different cultures and amplifying the representation of Filipino and Chinese culture in children’s books. She lives with an all-star husband and two little ninjas. Find her online at carrenjao.com or Instagram @carrenjao.