PORTOLA VALLEY, Calif. — At the end of her freshman year in 2023, Adelyn Qian and other Woodside Priory School students began creating “In Tune,” a children’s book. Two and-a-half years later, Qian, a high school senior, and her co-collaborators — Jacqueline Chuang, Jane Zhou and Emily Chao — have finished their book. Amazon Kindle Digital Publishing published the book.
“In Tune” follows twin Asian American sisters named Celeste and Angela. Celeste plays the drums, despite her parents’ disapproval, and wants to join the school talent show with her friends. Angela earns A’s and plays the piano, and wants to stay true to herself while trying to meet her parents’ expectations. Angela also wants to perform in the talent show like her sister.
The sisters struggle with their parents’ strict treatment, which leads them to be jealous of each other. After bumping into her sister and knocking sheet music out of her hands, Celeste apologizes to Angela. Angela tells Celeste their mother told her to keep practicing the piano to ensure her performance was perfect. Ultimately, Celeste asks Angela to join her and her friends in their talent show performance.
Qian said the book collaborators all connected with the sisters in the book. She often “felt pressure to fit the narrow expectations placed on Asian American students — excelling in math, playing the piano, and staying quiet in class. It wasn’t direct peer pressure, but rather the standards from teachers, relatives, and even the stories I read, where Asian characters were always the ‘smart sidekick,’ rarely creative or outspoken.”
“Writing ‘In Tune’ became my way to rewrite that narrative, to show that Asian American kids can be expressive, bold, and proud of their passions and pursuits,” Qian said.
Despite the pressures Qian felt, Patrick Ruff, the head of school at Woodside Priory, praised Qian, noting “it’s the perfect way for her to share her voice in a way that is going to impact so many people for generations.” He said the book’s message is “timeless, and just speaks to the importance of family, the importance of doing your best, following your interests.”
“I think the process itself as a whole, it really allowed me to grow as someone who’s independent…,” Qian said. She learned about the marketing process, trying to get the book out to bookstores and libraries.
Qian said one of the main focuses when they began writing the book was to “make sure that it would be widespread within our community” and if people were not in the “financial position to pay for the book, that they would still be able to receive a copy.” Qian said they have sold more than 460 physical copies and more than 90 e-copies.
She said the authors raised about $2,400 to $2,600. Amazon takes a portion of the profits. They donate the rest of the profits to Asian Women’s Shelter in San Francisco. Qian said they wanted to donate to the organization because it is an Asian Pacific Islander nonprofit and they’re “really passionate about women’s empowerment.”
Qian noted an important takeaway from the book is to “truly be yourself.”
Nichi Bei News staff writer Derek Tahara is a Yonsei or fourth-generation Japanese American born and raised in Sunnyvale, Calif. He earned his B.S. in Journalism at the University of Oregon. He is a lifelong fan of the Golden State Warriors and San Francisco Giants.
Leave a Reply