“100 Days: A Story of Sisterhood” Picture Book Cover Reveal + Author & Illustrator Interviews

Congratulations to author Kimberly Lee and illustrator Michelle Jing Chan on their upcoming picture book, 100 Days: A Story of Sisterhood! Published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux [an imprint of Macmillian Publishing], the book’s release date is July 1, 2025. Bicultural Mama is thrilled to officially reveal the cover of 100 Days: A Story of Sisterhood.

Bicultural Mama interviewed the author and illustrator who provided insight on what inspired them during the creative process and how the book developed. Michelle Jing Chan provided a behind-the-scenes look into process sketches that led to the festive and gorgeous cover for this book. Read on to find out more!

Interview with Author Kimberly Lee

Bicultural Mama (BM): What is the book about and what inspired you to write it? Why was it important for you to include your Chinese culture in this book?

Kimberly Lee (KL): 100 DAYS is a story centered on the bond between siblings – that unique mix of love, rivalry, and shared history – and the changing relationship between two young sisters – culminating in the 100 Days Celebration, a significant milestone which marks the first 100 days of an infant’s life. 

The book delves into the significance of this Chinese cultural tradition and its unique customs (like the preparation of ang ku kueh cakes and a baby’s first haircut), which carries a poignant meaning for the book’s characters about the power of sisterhood, the passage of time, and the beauty of a slow and steady love. 

What inspired me to write it? My two young sons! Ironically, I myself am an only child, but being thrust into the role of a mom and coming to terms for the first time with the nuances of sibling relationships – those endless feuds and the deep affection that still remains – made me want to write a book about what I observed as a fond tribute to my kids (and siblings everywhere)! 

I’ve also always found the 100 Days Celebration, or a child’s ‘full moon,’ to be such an interesting tradition. It is one that is also celebrated in other Asian cultures, such as Korea and Japan. I enjoyed being able to share this unique part of my culture, alongside a universal story about familial love.

BM: What was the process like for you to get the book published?

KL: I had the privilege of working with my wonderful editor, Trisha de Guzman, on my earlier book with FSG Macmillan, BOYS DON’T FRY, which I had previously sold at auction for a two-book deal. I remember pitching this story to Trisha via email sometime back and her resonating with the manuscript. To have an editor who supports your vision and the stories you want to tell is such a joy. 

Once we had our story in place, we discussed suitable illustrators for this project. I knew I wanted an illustrator who shared the same cultural background as me to accurately represent the book’s intended message. When Michelle’s name cropped up, I knew our story had found its artist. I’d already been a fan of Michelle’s gorgeous work, so when she said yes, it was kismet!

BM: What level of interaction did you and the illustrator have during the process?

KL: Michelle, together with Trisha and our art director, Aram Kim, collaborated so beautifully on the initial sketches and design work with occasional reference requests coming my way to ensure greater accuracy (e.g. in regards to the traditional outfits, the kitchen utensils used for food preparation, etc). 

Michelle and I had always been friendly over social media. Once her artwork was finalized, we finally got the chance to properly chat and get to know each other. She’s as lovely as I had always thought!

BM: What was your initial reaction to the cover?

KL: Aahh, I LOVED it! Cover reveals are the best! I fell head over heels for the little details Michelle included that have a deeper connection to the story as a whole. Michelle captured our two main characters so vividly with nods to significant moments in the book. 

I also adored Michelle’s suggested inclusion of the stuffed animal toys that both sisters carry (one being a tortoise, the other a bunny) as a cute easter egg that references a pivotal turning point in the story. Read the book to find out more!

BM: Do you have other books or projects coming up?

KL: Yes, I do – I have 3 books releasing in 2025. MULAN AND THE LANTERN FESTIVAL (DISNEY PRINCESS) by Disney/Penguin Random home in January, a picture book releasing in my home country of Malaysia in February on the topic of internet safety, and 100 DAYS in July!

Author’s Biography

Kimberly Lee is the award-winning author of BOYS DON’T FRY, the coauthor of WHAT IF? and the managing editor of parenting platform makchic. She is an only child who now witnesses the world of sibling love and chaos through the lenses of her two young sons. Kimberly lives in Malaysia with her family. Find her online at www.kimberlyleebooks.com and on Instagram and X as @kimlsywrites.

Interview with Illustrator Michelle Jing Chan

Bicultural Mama (BM): What was the process for you to connect with the author’s manuscript?

Michelle Jing Chan (MJC): My amazing agent, Jemiscoe Chambers-Black, contacted me with the offer from Trisha de Guzman (the editor for this book) to sign onto this project as the illustrator. I had the opportunity to work with FSG/Macmillan before on another picture book, STAY ANGRY LITTLE GIRL (inspired by Madeleine L’Engle’s A WRINKLE IN TIME). Even though that book was with a different editor and art director, I had a wonderful and deeply collaborative time working with this imprint. I was thrilled to have the chance to work with FSG again!

BM: What made you say “yes” to the story?

MJC: I connected with Kimberly’s story from the first time I read the manuscript. The way she describes Anya’s feelings and the relationship between siblings is so accurate. I was surprised when I found out Kimberly was an only child herself! My own experience with becoming an older sister was very similar to Anya’s. My younger brother and I were 3 years apart in age. Like Anya, I was also super jealous when he was born! It took time, but I grew to love him. Now we are close friends just like Anya and Hana. This book was dedicated to him. When I signed onto this project, I dug up some hilarious childhood photos to show Kimberly and the FSG team. We had a good laugh over how similar my expressions looked to Anya’s!

 

BM: What other books have you illustrated?

MJC: I have illustrated:

• GAY THE PRAY AWAY written by Natalie Naudus (Little Mountain Media)
• MOONLIGHT MEMORIES written by Amanda Davis (WorthyKids/Hachette)
• LUNAR NEW YEAR: A CELEBRATION OF FAMILY AND FUN written by Mary Man-Kong (Golden Books/PRH)
• MAMIE TAPE FIGHTS TO GO TO SCHOOL: BASED ON A TRUE STORY written by Traci Huahn (Crown/PRH)
• STAY ANGRY LITTLE GIRL inspired by Madeleine L’Engle (FSG/Macmillan)
• GOODNIGHT SOUNDS written by Debbie S. Miller (Bloomsbury)
• ENLY AND THE BUSKIN’ BLUES written by Jennie Liu (Lerner)

BM: Can you tell us about the process of illustrating the cover?

MJC: With guidance from the powerhouse duo of Trisha de Guzman (our editor) and Aram Kim (our art director), I created three different sketches for the cover. The character designs in the sketches were based on the initial character designs I created for each character in the family. The team agreed that they liked the 2nd option best, with the girls in their traditional outfits and the ang ku kueh and red eggs included. From there, I filled in the base colors and then added details. Lastly, I added shadow and light. Aram created the adorable hand-lettered font for the title.

 

BM: What do you love most about how the cover turned out? 

MJC: I love their traditional outfits and the way they are smiling sweetly at each other! I hope their expressions capture their growth and the love that develops between the two of them in this story. I also love the tortoise and hare stuffed animals. Since the ang ku kueh are shaped like tortoise shells, I thought it would be cute to include a tortoise stuffed animal for Hana and a hare for Anya to show how the two of them are initially at odds at the beginning of the story.

BM: Do you have other books coming up?

MJC: Yes! I have 3 picture books releasing in 2025, including my own author-illustrator debut picture book, WEIWEI AND THE WINTER SOLSTICE: A DONGZHI STORY (Bloomsbury). The other two books are MY LITTLE GOLDEN BOOK ABOUT PRIDE by Kyle Lukoff and this book, 100 DAYS, with Kimberly. My debut YA graphic novel about asexuality, SOMEWHERE IN THE GRAY, also comes out in 2027 from FSG/Macmillan.

Illustrator Biography

Michelle Jing Chan is a queer Chinese American author-illustrator who studied engineering and economics but now creates art and stories. Just like Anya, Michelle is an older sister who was jealous of her little brother at first but learned to love him over time. Today they are close and share food, inside jokes, and fun memories together. Michelle lives in the Pacific Northwest where she spends her time petting the neighborhood cats, cozying up with a book, or playing spooky video games with her brother. Visit Michelle at www.michellejingchan.com or on social media @michellieart.

Where to Find “100 Days: A Story of Sisterhood”

100 Days: A Story of Sisterhood, is ideal for children ages 3-6 years old. Find the book at bookstores and online retailers like Amazon nationwide. For a complete listing, please view Macmillan’s listing for the book here.