HURRAY! In the midst of what may right now feel like the depths of despair, there are always beacons of light. Our mission, should we decide to accept it, is to find those beacons of light and nourish them. One beacon of light for me has been the slow but sure improvement in my vision – this is the first blog post I’ve created since my eye surgery in July. It’s definitely been a challenge for someone who was used to spending almost 24 hours a day reading and writing. And it’s given me a greater appreciation for all those who continue reading, writing, and going about daily tasks, even though their vision is impaired. My vision will always be somewhat limited, but I feel blessed that I can be blogging again.

Another beacon of light for me is the fact that writers keep sharing their words and illustrators continue to delight us with their art. Now, more than ever, we need to fill the world with books that entertain, inform, and inspire. Which brings me to the main reason for this post…a glorious celebration of the launch of a new graphic novel written by one of my long-time CPs, Tina Cho, and illustrated by Deb JJ Lee.

Happily, author Cho stopped by to share a little bit about the book and what inspired her to write it – and also to offer a GIVEAWAY…a copy of the book!:
Welcome, Tina!!!!
TINA: “The Other Side of Tomorrow is a lyrical middle grade graphic novel about two kids who escape out of North Korea along the Asian Underground Railroad. While living in South Korea for ten years, I met North Koreans, heard their stories, and wanted kids around the world to know about them. This story started out as a picture book manuscript, morphed into a chapter book, then a novel in verse, and finally into its current form of a graphic novel. “

For more information about the book, the acknowledgements of all who helped, and an educator’s guide, please visit my website, http://www.tinamcho.com.

To buy the book:

The Other Side of Tomorrow

Here’s a little bit about the author:
Tina Cho is the author of Rice from Heaven: The Secret Mission to Feed North Koreans (Little Bee Books), Korean Celebrations (Tuttle), My Breakfast with Jesus: Worshipping God around the World (Harvest House), The Ocean Calls: A Haenyeo Mermaid Story (Kokila/Penguin Random House), God’s Little Astronomer (Waterbrook), God’s Little Oceanographer June 2025, & The Princess & the Grain of Rice (FSG Fall 2025). Her lyrical middle grade graphic novel, The Other Side of Tomorrow, published from Harper Alley 11/12/2024. After living in South Korea for ten years, Tina, her husband, and two kids reside in Iowa where Tina also teaches kindergarten. 

And here’s a little bit about the illustrator:
Deb JJ Lee (they/them) is a trans nonbinary artist based in Brooklyn, New York. They have appeared in the New Yorker, the New York Times, NPR, Google, Radiolab, and more. They are known for their award-winning graphic memoir, In Limbo, about mental illness and difficult relationships with trauma. Their cat, Marlie, has three teeth.

The book has received glowing reviews all across the board including these:
“Triumphant, moving, and unforgettable.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“This gripping graphic novel about childhood under dictator Kim Jong Un balances horror and wonder in both its poetic language and vibrant imagery.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Dear friends, please help important books like this one become a success:
We can share on our social media
We can request our library purchase copies for their shelves
We can buy a copy as a holiday gift for a teacher – maybe she’ll be able to use it in her class
We can borrow the book from our local library
We can ask our indie bookstore if they will carry this title
WE CAN!
And remember to leave a comment and SHARE this post on your social media for a chance to WIN the giveaway copy of THE OTHER SIDE OF TOMORROW.

As the year winds down, I’ve got one more big event coming up…the NCTE (National Council of Teachers of English) conference in Boston from November 21-24. I’m excited for so many reasons…I’m honored to be part of two amazing panels, I’ll be at the Calkins Creek/Astra booth signing PEDAL, BALANCE, STEER: Annie Londonderry, the First Woman to Cycle Around the World, and the very best part of all of this…I’ll get to hug so many kid-lit friends. Here’s a graphic that gives the dates and times of my panel sessions and book signing…if you will be at NCTE, I hope we will connect in person!