Interview - Michele Wong McSween for Gordon & Li Li

Author Michele Wong McSween is here for AAPIHM to discuss her children's book series, Gordon & Li Li, the challenges of trying to learn Mandarin later in life, and reconnecting to her culture.

More about Michele:

She's a former fashion designer and creator of Gordon & Li Li. She is a native Californian, but has lived in New York City for the past 26 years and currently lives in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Growing up as a fourth generation Chinese-American, Michele never learned to speak Chinese, so making sure her own boys were exposed to the language and culture became a priority for her.

After enrolling them in early-learning Mandarin classes, Michele looked for first word Mandarin books that were easy to read, engaging, modern, and most importantly, were books that they’d want to cuddle up with at bedtime.

When Michele realized what she wanted didn't exist, she created Gordon & Li Li to introduce her children to the joy of learning Mandarin Chinese and to foster a deep appreciation for their heritage and culture. 

The latest installment to Michele’s series of books is, Gordon & Li Li: All About Me (2025), which teaches basic anatomy terms, continuing the journey of early education.

You can find her books at https://gordonandlili.com/ 

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