Gene Lean Yang

Gene Yang began drawing comic books in the fifth grade. In 1997, he received the Xeric Grant, a prestigious comics industry award, for "Gordon Yamamoto" and the "King of the Geeks," his first comics work. He has since written and drawn a number of titles, including "Duncan's Kingdom" (with art by Derek Kirk Kim) and "The Rosary Comic Book." His first graphic novel, "American Born Chinese "(First Second, 2006), was a National Book Award finalist, a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, a Booklist Editor's Choice for 2006, and recipient of the 2007 Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults. He lives in the San Francisco Bay area.

Previous National Book Festival Appearances

• 2007 Book Festival Webcast