children's book author • poet • educator
About Emily
Emily Sun Li is a Chinese American children's book writer with an MA in Children’s Literature and MFA in Writing for Children from Simmons University. She began her career in education teaching high school English literature at the Taft School while earning her M.S.Ed. through the University of Pennsylvania’s Independent School Teaching Residency program. Afterwards, she taught elementary English in Kaohsiung, Taiwan as a Fulbright scholar. She studied creative writing and environmental science at Emory University, graduating summa cum laude.
Her nonfiction chapter book THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE FLUFFY: TRUE STORIES OF ANIMAL TROUBLEMAKERS released with Scholastic in Fall 2024. Her debut picture book MR. CHOW’S NIGHT MARKET will be published by Penguin Workshop in April 2026, followed by THE LO MEIN LOOPHOLE: A SWEET-AND-SOUR TALE OF HOW CHINESE IMMIGRANTS FOUND A WAY—AND FED A NATION, forthcoming in Summer 2028. Her next chapter book, DISNEY’S LILO & STITCH: INTO THE VOLCANO, is forthcoming from Scholastic in September 2026.
Her poetry is published by Button Poetry, Molecule, and Rigorous, and her writing has been recognized by the YoungArts Foundation, Voyage YA Journal, and the City of Boston. She has received support from the Fine Arts Work Center, the Key West Literary Seminar, Centrum, the Sue-Je Lee Gage Sunlit Residency for Human Rights and Social Justice, Tin House, and the Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts. When she’s not writing, she’s probably procrasti-cleaning, drinking milk tea, or traveling.
She lives in Ithaca, New York.
Author Visits
Hi there! Thank you so much for your interest in booking me for an author visit, writing workshop, school and library visit, or general speaking engagement. Drawing on my diverse background as an educator, I love sharing behind-the-scenes details about my books, my life as a full-time author, and the process of writing and revising.
Elementary School Teacher
Emily delivered a wonderful writing workshop for our elementary students that was thoughtfully tailored to our school’s goals and curriculum. As we are currently working through the writing process, I especially appreciated how she shared her own process as an author and emphasized the value of revision. Students were amazed to learn that she sometimes writes ten drafts before a story feels just right, which was both motivating and reassuring for them. As a Chinese immersion school, we were thrilled that Emily seamlessly wove in Mandarin during the workshop, making the experience even more engaging and inclusive. Her interactive activity—turning something “boring” into something fun—was highly effective, and students absolutely loved hearing an excerpt from The Good, the Bad, and the Fluffy.
Most importantly, our students were inspired by the opportunity to meet, listen to, and speak with a real author. It was a meaningful and memorable experience for our community.
Upcoming Events
Mr. Chow's Night Market — Jersey City Book Launch
Friday, April 17 | 7pm ET
Dungeon Books
Mr. Chow's Night Market — NYC Book Launch
Saturday, April 18 | 11am ET
Books Are Magic Montague
Meet the Author and Illustrator — Signing
Sunday, April 19 | 11:30am ET
Yu & Me Books
Mr. Chow's Night Market — Boston Book Launch
Saturday, April 25 | 11am ET
Beacon Hill Books
Mr. Chow's Night Market — Ithaca Book Launch
Saturday, May 2 | 11am ET
Buffalo Street Books
Mr. Chow's Night Market — Family Event
Saturday, May 16 | 2pm ET
Tompkins County Public Library