Stories That Connect: Author-Illustrator Julia Kuo Visits TAS

Stories, art, and thoughtful conversations shaped the campus experience on April 8 as Taipei American School welcomed author and illustrator Julia Kuo for a full day of workshops and community engagement. Through a combination of live demonstration, personal reflection, and direct interaction with students, Kuo offered a window into both the craft of illustration and the perspectives that inform it. 

Speaking to students about her path into the field, Kuo reflected on the evolving nature of creative work – how early interests, cultural context, and persistence intersect over time. Rather than presenting a single, linear journey, she described a process shaped by exploration and adaptation, encouraging students to remain open to where their own interests might lead. As she explained, “as a professional illustrator, one thing I always remind myself – and others – is that there are no bad drawings. There are no wrong drawings. The process is about trying, adjusting, and sometimes starting again until something feels right.”

Throughout the day, these ideas took shape across all divisions. In the Lower School, Grade 2 and Grade 3 students gathered in the Harmony Theater for a read-along of Bing’s Cherries. As Julia read and sketched, students leaned in with questions about her characters, her ideas, and how a story becomes a book. What began as a read-aloud quickly turned into a conversation, with students making connections to their own families, memories, and traditions. 

Later in the day, Middle School students came together for a schoolwide assembly centered on identity and belonging. Through examples from her work, Julia spoke about how art and storytelling can hold personal meaning while also reaching others. The conversation also touched on historical imagery connected to the Chinese Exclusion Act, prompting reflection on how illustration has been used to shape perception – and how it can be used more thoughtfully today. “What resonated with me most was when Julia shared a historical cartoon about the Chinese Exclusion Act. She spoke about how illustration had been used to stir hatred and affirmed her commitment to using her work as a force for good,” shared Kim Dang, Middle School Latin and English Teacher and DEIB Coordinator. Reflecting on her own experiences, she shared that “growing up, I learned about American Heroes like Paul Bunyan or Johnny Appleseed, and I also knew stories from Chinese mythology – but there wasn’t anything that felt like both. I didn’t see stories about people who were Asian American, like me. That’s part of why I wanted to tell this story.”

In Upper School, the setting shifted to smaller, more informal conversations. In an AP Art classroom and later during a meet and greet session, students asked questions about creative paths, challenges, and what it means to build a life in the arts. The discussions were open and honest, grounded in curiosity and a shared interest in storytelling as both craft and expression. As one student reflected, “it was really interesting hearing how she balances personal meaning with creating something that connects with other people. It made me think about how my own work can say something more intentional.” 

Across each setting Kuo unpacked her creative process, breaking down how ideas move from concept to finished illustration. Live drawing moments revealed the iterative nature of her work – from initial sketches to refined compositions – highlighting that strong outcomes are often the result of revision, experimentation, and patience. 

The day concluded with a PTA sponsored book signing in the lobby, where families, students, and faculty gathered to continue the conversation. Copies of Bing’s Cherries and Home Is a Wish were passed across the table, each one signed and often accompanied by a brief exchange or a quiet moment of connection. 

Throughout the visit, what stood out was not just the range of experiences, but the way students responded to them. They listened closely, asked thoughtful questions, and found pieces of themselves in the stories being shared. Across classrooms and common spaces, those conversations carried on, reflecting a community engaged in understanding identity, honoring different perspectives, and recognizing the role storytelling plays in shaping both. More than a guest, Kuo’s time on campus highlighted the impact of bringing practicing creatives into the learning environment – modeling how identity, perspective, and craft intersect, and reinforcing that storytelling is not only about what is created, but also about who is seen, heard, and represented within it, building a stronger sense of belonging together.