Kids’ Storytime on Tuesday, March 24

Join the Chinese American Museum and Ms. Rita from the Los Angeles Public Library’s Chinatown branch for a very special Kids’ Storytime event on Tuesday, March 24, at 4:00 PM!  

For this month’s storytime, we will be joined by bestselling author, Livia Blackburne, and illustrator, Julia Kuo, as they read their newly released book Bing’s Cherries.  

This book is suitable for ages 5-12, though we welcome children of all ages, including parents! 

This program is hosted virtually on Zoom. Register today by following the link: https://camla.org/storytime

**“Kids’ Storytime featuring Asian American Authors” is hosted in partnership with the Chinatown Branch Library.  

About the book: 

Bing’s Cherries tells a modern tall tale spun by a girl and her father about Ah Bing, the Chinese immigrant whose name lives on in one of the Pacific Northwest’s most beloved cherries. As they snack on the same cherries from their own backyard, they imagine his journey from China to Oregon, where he labored in orchards and helped cultivate the sweet, dark variety that would one day bear his name. Blending family storytelling, cultural memory, and historical fact, this beautifully illustrated book reclaims Ah Bing’s legacy as a larger-than-life American story. Together, Livia Blackburne and Julia Kuo craft an unforgettable Chinese American folktale—one that has long gone untold. 

About the author: 

New York Times bestselling author Livia Blackburne wrote her first novel while researching the neuroscience of reading at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  Since then, she’s switched to full-time writing, which also involves getting into people’s heads but without the help of a three tesla MRI scanner.  Her YA books include Rosemarked (A YALSA Teens Top Ten Nominee), Disney’s Feather and Flame, and Clementine and Danny Save the World (And Each Other) (A Junior Library Guild selection) as well as the picture books Dreams to Ashes (An Orbis Pictus Honor Book) and I Dream of Popo, which received three starred reviews and was on numerous Best of Year lists. She is Chinese American and lives in southern California with her husband and daughter. 

About the illustrator: 

Julia Kuo is the Taiwanese-American author and illustrator of Home Is a Wish, Let’s Do Everything and Nothing and Luminous: Living Things that Light Up the Night. She is the illustrator of several picture books including I Dream of Popo by Livia Blackburne and I Am an American: The Wong Kim Ark Story by Martha Brockenbrough and Grace Lin. Julia has created editorial illustrations for publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Economist. She has taught at Columbia College Chicago and at her alma mater, Washington University in St. Louis. Julia has been an artist-in-residence twice at the Banff Centre for the Arts and a 2019-2021 fellow with the Gray Center for Arts and Inquiry at the University of Chicago. She lives in a suburb of Seattle, WA. 

Beyond the Screen: Flower Drum Song

Join the Chinese American Museum on Thursday, March 26 at 6:00 pm at the historic Pico House (424 N. Main St) for a special screening of Flower Drum Song.

The first major Hollywood film to feature a majority Asian American cast, Flower Drum Song stars Nancy Kwan in her second leading role. The film follows Mei-li, a young picture bride who arrives in San Francisco’s Chinatown during the 1950s. The young woman gets swept into a whirlwind of love, family expectations, and personal freedom amid the glittering nightlife of Grant Avenue. 

Lead actress Nancy Kwan will introduce the film. Following the screening will be an exclusive performance from East West Players previewing their upcoming theatrical adaptation of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Flower Drum Song musical, running April – May 2026 in Little Tokyo.

About Nancy Kwan: 

Nancy Kwan is a Chinese American actress best known for her groundbreaking performances in The World of Suzie Wong and the beloved musical Flower Drum Song. Kwan is also an accomplished filmmaker and a dedicated political activist. Her contributions to film and representation have been recognized with numerous honors, including the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award from the Asian Hall of Fame.  

About East West Players:  

East West Players (EWP) is the nation’s longest-running Asian American theater and the largest producer of Asian American theatrical works. Founded in 1965, EWP has premiered more than 228 plays and musicals, along with over 1,000 readings and workshops for actors, writers, and directors. The company creates platforms for artists of color while advocating for nuanced representations of the AAPI experience, raising the visibility of Asian American stories through innovative productions, artist development, and impactful youth education programs. 

Spring Fest 2026

The Chinese American Museum and El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument celebrate the Year of the Horse with our annual Spring Festival on Saturday, April 25th from 12 – 5 pm. Kick off Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) month with an exciting day of multicultural performances and family friendly activities! Click here for more information.

This event is FREE to the public and no registration is required.