Photo: Michelle Panduri Metalli
Monique Truong, a Vietnamese-American writer born in Saigon and a refugee to the U.S. in 1975, is based in Brooklyn, New York. Her debut novel, The Book of Salt (2003), was a national bestseller and received numerous literary awards. She followed with Bitter in the Mouth (2010), which won the Rosenthal Family Foundation Award, and The Sweetest Fruits (2019), which earned the John Gardner Fiction Book Award. She has also ventured into children’s literature with Mai’s Áo Dài and contributes essays to major publications such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Food & Wine.
Beyond fiction, Truong is a librettist, editor, and intellectual property attorney. She has held prestigious fellowships at Princeton, the Guggenheim Foundation, and the U.S.-Japan Creative Artists program, among others. An active literary advocate, she has served on the Authors Guild Council and PEN America’s Literary Awards Committee. When not writing, she enjoys cooking, napping, and long walks in search of good bakeries—though she admits to lacking basic life skills like driving or riding a bike.
https://monique-truong.com
NEW WORK
Released January, 2025
Simon & Schuster
Celebrity fashion designer Thai Nguyen from Netflix’s Say I Do joins forces with bestselling author Monique Truong and illustrator Dung Ho in this irresistibly charming picture book about embracing your heritage and the traditions that tie generations together—centered around Tet, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year.
Nguyen and Truong beautifully manifest a heartfelt story that balances Mai’s vibrant personality with a deeper exploration of cultural pride; the passion and deep understanding brought to the narrative allow emotions to shine through. Bright and lively illustrations by Ho are the cherry on top. . . Add this to the shelf! It fills an important gap with charm, fun, and heart; it’s a must-have for holiday collections.
—CASSIE VESELOVSKY, SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
Where to purchase:
SIMON & SCHUSTER
BOOKSHOP.ORG
BOOKS-A-MILLION
BARNES & NOBLE
AMAZON