Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong

Before he became the famous artist Tyrus Wong, he was a young boy named Wong Geng Yeo. He traveled all the way from China to America with nothing but a small suitcase and a few important papers. They weren’t drawing papers—though he loved to draw more than anything—but immigration papers that would help him start a brand‑new life.

Once he arrived in America, Tyrus grabbed every chance he could to make art. He practiced and practiced until he earned a place at an art school in Los Angeles. At night, he worked as a janitor, and even then his mop moved like a paintbrush, sweeping and swirling as if he were creating a masterpiece.

All that hard work paid off. One day, Tyrus was given the opportunity of a lifetime. With gentle watercolors and simple, graceful brushstrokes, he painted the dreamy forest backgrounds for the Disney movie Bambi—art that would become loved by people all over the world.

Winner of American Library Association's 2021 Asian/Pacific American Award for Best Picture Book