If Lin Can: How Jeremy Lin Inspired Asian Americans to Shoot for the Stars

Ages 7 to 10, Grades 2 to 5

This biography of basketball superstar Jeremy Lin is an anthem of Asian American pride that speaks to any child who feels underestimated or misunderstood. If Lin can, you can!

Have you ever been told that you CAN’T? Growing up in the Bay Area, Jeremy Lin heard that over and over again. People made fun of his size and his race and wouldn’t give him a chance. But Jeremy persevered until he became the first Taiwanese American to play in the NBA. And when his big moment came, he seized it!

Jeremy’s meteoric rise, dubbed "Linsanity," inspired the world and a whole generation of young Asian Americans. As author Richard Ho puts it, “Jeremy’s struggles were our struggles, so his triumphs were our triumphs. He made us believe that if he could succeed, so could we.”

Story Locale:San Francisco Bay Area; Harvard University; Madison Square Garden

About the Author

As a child, Richard Ho harbored perfectly reasonable career aspirations: professional basketball player, astrophysicist, and Jedi master. When he "grew up," he worked as a magazine journalist, a scriptwriter, an editor, and an author. His highly acclaimed picture books include Red Rover, The Lost Package, and Year of the Cat.

Author Residence: Northern New Jersey

Author Hometown: Westchester, NY

Phùng Nguyên Quang and Huỳnh Kim Liên are book creators who live and work together in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. They have illustrated several children's books, including My First Day (which they also wrote), Hundred Years of Happiness, and The Floating Field: How a Group of Thai Boys Built Their Own Soccer Field. www.kaaillustration.com

Illustrator Residence:Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Illustrator Hometown:Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam