TRACI CHEE is a best-selling and award-winning author of books for young people, including The Reader Trilogy, We Are Not Free, A Thousand Steps into Night, and her latest title, Kindling. In 2016, her debut novel The Reader was an instant New York Times best-seller and a finalist for the Kirkus Prize. Her 2020 YA historical We Are Not Free received five starred reviews and accolades as a National Book Award Finalist for Young People’s Literature, a Printz Honor Book, a WNDB Walter Award Honoree, an APALA Honor Book, and one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Best YA Books of All Time. Two years later, her work was again recognized by the National Book Award, with her Ghibli-inspired YA fantasy A Thousand Steps into Night earning a place on the Longlist for Young People’s Literature. She has also made contributions to the six-starred middle grade anthology You Are Here: Connecting Flights (2023) and the forthcoming YA horror anthology The House Where Death Lives (2024).
In the past, Chee has served on judging committees for the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature and the PEN America Phyllis Naylor Grant, and is currently on faculty at the Low Residency MFA in Creative Writing at the University of Nevada, Reno. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys hiking, egg painting, gardening, and hosting game nights for family and friends. She lives in California with her fast dog.
In the past, Chee has served on judging committees for the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature and the PEN America Phyllis Naylor Grant, and is currently on faculty at the Low Residency MFA in Creative Writing at the University of Nevada, Reno. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys hiking, egg painting, gardening, and hosting game nights for family and friends. She lives in California with her fast dog.
SHORT BIO
TRACI CHEE is a best-selling and award-winning author of books for young people, including the instant New York Times best-seller The Reader, Printz Honor Book and National Book Award Finalist We Are Not Free, and National Book Award Longlisted A Thousand Steps into Night. Her latest title is Kindling, a YA fantasy reimagining of Seven Samurai. She has served on judging committees for the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature and the PEN America Phyllis Naylor Grant, and is currently on faculty at the Low Residency MFA in Creative Writing at the University of Nevada, Reno. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys hiking, egg painting, gardening, and hosting game nights for family and friends. She lives in California with her fast dog.
SHORTEST BIO
TRACI CHEE is a best-selling and award-winning author of books for young people, including the instant New York Times best-seller The Reader, Printz Honor Book and National Book Award Finalist We Are Not Free, and National Book Award Longlisted A Thousand Steps into Night. Her latest title is Kindling, a YA fantasy reimagining of Seven Samurai. She is currently on faculty at the Low Residency MFA in Creative Writing at the University of Nevada, Reno, and lives in California with her fast dog.
LEARN MORE
2022
- Miami Book Fair: National Book Foundation Presents the 2022 National Book Awards (reading and Q&A, recorded live): November 19, 2022
- Salem Literary Festival: Monster Mash (panel, recorded live): September 11, 2022
- Geeks of Color: Traci Chee Talks 'A Thousand Steps into Night', Her Writing Process, Book Recs & More (interview): May 31, 2022
- Book n Brunch: Fantasy, Adventure and Mythical Folklore with Traci Chee (interview): May 9, 2022
- Write or Die: Traci Chee & the Epic Reads Egg Video (podcast): May 2, 2022
- SSR Podcast: In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson (podcast): May 1, 2022
- Fantasy Cafe, Women in SF&F Month: What Makes a Hero? by Traci Chee (guest post): April 4, 2022
- Utopia State of Mind: Asian Folklore Panel (panel, recorded live): April 3, 2022
- Epic Reads: Epic Reads Fantasy Meetup (panel, recorded live): March 10, 2022
- Teen Librarian Toolbox: What Makes a Monster? by Traci Chee (guest post): March 3, 2022
- YA Books Central: Author Chat with Traci Chee (interview): March 2, 2022
- Voyage Literary Journal: 5 Questions for Traci Chee (interview): February 25, 2022
- Four Questions Publishers Weekly: Four Questions for Traci Chee (interview): February 24, 2022
- Utopia State of Mind: Asian YA Authors (panel, recorded live): December 4, 2021
- National Book Festival: Interview (video): September 17, 2021
- New York Public Library: TeenLIVE Author Talks (interview, recorded live): May 19, 2021
- We Need Diverse Books with the Library of Congress: 2021 Diversity in Children's Literature Symposium, "Listening, Learning, Creating Communities" (panel): March 12, 2021
- Subtle Asian Book Club: Live Show Discussion: February 28, 2021
- National Book Foundation: BookUp@Home (presentation/Q&A): January 20, 2021
- National Book Foundation: Teen Press Conference (panel, recorded live): December 2, 2020
- The Horn Book: Talks with Roger: September 9, 2020
- BookCrushin: Guest Post: September 4, 2020
- Japanese Cultural & Community Center of Northern California: We Are Not Free Launch Party (recorded live): September 1, 2020
- Sometimes Leelyn Reads: Author Interview: September 1, 2020
- BookPage: Author Interview: September 1, 2020
- Book Rambler Blog: Interview: August 31, 2020
- TeachingBooks: Virtual Book Tour: August 20, 2020
- TeachingBooks: Meet-the-Author (audio): August 14, 2020
- Booklist Writers & Readers: To Ask for a Story: August 1, 2020
- Shelf Awareness, Maximum Shelf: The Magic of Reality: June 29, 2020
- Let's Get Lit Book Festival: Author Interviews: May 25, 2020
- AAPI Book Month: Asian Characters in Historical YA (panel): May 25, 2020
- AAPI Book Month: Writing the Complexity of the Asian American Experience (panel): May 17, 2020
- YALLSTAYHOME: Truth Talking in Tough Times (panel): April 25, 2020
- Baker & Taylor, Growing Minds: Author Spotlight: April 1, 2020
- Mill Valley Public Library: Eight Books That Made Me (audio): February 18, 2020
- Adventures in YA Publishing: On Examining and Adjusting Your Process: November 24, 2018
- Publishers Weekly: Q&A with Traci Chee: November 15, 2018
- Writer’s Block Party: Author Spotlight: November 16, 2017
- YA Open Mic: Barnes & Noble Teen Blog: November 2, 2017
- Spoken Words and Living Stories: Unbound Worlds: November 1, 2017
- The Moulton Mumbler: Interview: February 9, 2017
- Fangirls Unleashed: Exclusive Interview with Traci Chee: January 24, 2017
- Teach Mentor Texts: The Reader, Author Interview with Traci Chee: December 9, 2016
- Sabaa Tahir: Introducing Debut Author: October 10, 2016
- The Writing Barn: Author Interview: October 6, 2016
- Kirkus Reviews: 2016 Kirkus Prize Finalist Traci Chee: September 22, 2016
- Parnassus Books: Authors in Real Life: September 19, 2016
- Hit or Miss Books: Interview: September 18, 2016
- Adventures in YA Publishing: On Rolling Up Your Sleeves and Slogging Through It: September 17, 2016
- Diversity in YA: The Stories You Have to Tell: September 13, 2016
- Class of 2k16: Release Day Interview: September 13, 2016
- The Swanky Seventeens: Debut Club: September 13, 2016
- Penguin Teen: Everything You Need to Know About The Reader Author Traci Chee: September 12, 2016
- Literary Rambles: Delicious, Devourable First Pages: September 12, 2016
- Penguin Teen: One Thing I Wish I Knew When I Was a Teen: September 7, 2016
- I Write for Apples: Query.Sign.Submit.Debut: September 6, 2016
- Sarah Nicole Lemon: Poellean Takeover: September 5, 2016
- Penguin Teen: 5 Things You Need to Know About the Reader: September 1, 2016
- B&N Teen Blog: September Open Mic: September 1, 2016
- Novel Novice: Time Collapses: The Written Word & Actual Magic: August 15, 2016
- Fangirlish: Without Books, I Would Not Exist: August 15, 2016
- School Library Journal: Literacy is Magic: August 7, 2016
- Texas Teen Book Festival: #TTBF Author Interview: July 20, 2016
- A Perfection Called Books: Meet the Newbies: May 14, 2016
- The Sweet Sixteens: Meet the Author: April 18, 2016