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2019

Finding Identity in Family History

Picture Us In The Light

Kelly Loy Gilbert

Audience:

Grades 8+

Danny Cheng has always known his parents have secrets. But when he discovers a taped-up box in his father's closet filled with old letters and a file on a powerful Silicon Valley family, he realizes there's much more to his family's past than he ever imagined. Danny has been an artist for as long as he can remember and it seems his path is set, with a scholarship to RISD and his family's blessing to pursue the career he's always dreamed of. Still, contemplating a future without his best friend, Harry Wong, by his side makes Danny feel a panic he can barely put into words. Harry and Danny's lives are deeply intertwined and as they approach the one-year anniversary of a tragedy that shook their friend group to its core, Danny can't stop asking himself if Harry is truly in love with his girlfriend, Regina Chan. When Danny digs deeper into his parents' past, he uncovers a secret that disturbs the foundations of his family history and the carefully constructed façade his parents have maintained begins to crumble. With everything he loves in danger of being stripped away, Danny must face the ghosts of the past in order to build a future that belongs to him.

About the Author

Kelly Loy Gilbert is the author of Conviction, which was a William C. Morris Award Finalist, and the recently-released Picture Us In The Light, which is set in Cupertino, and explores family bonds, guilt, art, the Asian American experience and life at a competitive Bay Area high school. Kelly believes deeply in the power of stories to illuminate a shared humanity and give voice to complex, broken people. Aside from writing novels, she teaches fiction writing in various capacities. She is a nearly-lifelong Bay Area resident.

Kelly Loy Gilbert

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