Born and raised in Queens, New York, Sylvia Chen has also lived and worked in Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, Paris, and Tokyo, and now resides in Essex County, New Jersey. As an Asian American children’s book author, she recently celebrated her debut picture book TRICKY CHOPSTICKS (illustrated by Fanny Liem and published by Atheneum/Simon & Schuster) and her newest picture book SPARKLES FOR SUNNY: A Lunar New Year Story (illustrated by Thai My Phuong and published by Flamingo Books/Penguin Random House). Sylvia loves crafting picture books that spark kids’ interest in STEAM and creative thinking.  https://www.sylviaichen.com/

Awards

SPARKLES FOR SUNNY was featured as a 2026 January/February Kids’ Indie Next List Pick by the American Booksellers Association. In addition, TRICKY CHOPSTICKS was the 2025 Crystal Kite Award Winner (Atlantic Division) and was also awarded for the 2025 Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People (Kindergarten to Fifth Grade category), by the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) and the Children’s Book Council (CBC). TRICKY CHOPSTICKS was also chosen as the recommended Elementary picture book for May in the National Education Association (NEA)’s Read Across America for 2025-2026.

3 Fun Facts

1. I love making DIY costumes and crafts when I have a good chance to create them.
2. I like sneaking secret meanings into my books.
3. And I really enjoy drinking boba tea!