MY NAME IS AI LIN by Maria Wen Adcock Cover Reveal

Cover Reveal

For authors, the cover reveal is one of the most exciting milestones in a book’s journey. I’m thrilled to share the cover of my newest picture book, MY NAME IS AI LIN! Published by Sleeping Bear Press and illustrated by Yu Ting Cheng, this book will launch on July 1, 2025, and preorders are available now.

I love the cover of my new book! The softness of the illustrations and colors used captures the book’s tone. The classroom scene with the characters’ expressive faces looking at Ai Lin and listening to her reflects the essence of the story.

MY NAME IS AI LIN Cover by Maria Wen Adcock

Here is the publisher’s description of the book:

“In this empowering story, one child shows that by making the effort to properly pronounce someone’s name, we send the welcoming message that everyone is worthy of respect and dignity.

When Ai Lin starts school, none of her classmates can say her name. The children make several attempts, but they still cannot pronounce it properly. They ask Ai Lin if they can just call her by another name. It’s not that important, right? But Ai Lin knows the significance of her Chinese name. No, it can’t be changed. Her name is part of her identity and heritage. Her name was chosen not only for what it means, but also for how it sounds. It ties her to her family—present and past—and to its traditions.

When Ai Lin shares her family history with her classmates, they come to understand that a name can be a person’s story, special and unique. Ai Lin’s name, and all that it means and stands for, is as personal as a fingerprint, as distinct as a snowflake.”

The Inspiration Behind MY NAME IS AI LIN

Before my first daughter was born, I knew I would choose a Chinese name for her that held meaning, just as my parents had done for me and my siblings. I reached out to my parents for guidance on names that would accomplish this goal. It was important to me to continue this Chinese tradition, given that my heritage is part of my identity. Of the names my parents presented, my husband and I chose Ai Lin. Thus, my book is based on the real-life Chinese name of my daughter. I’ve included a photo of her below when she was around the same age as the character in the book (she is much older now). I love that the illustration of Ai Lin is similar to the real Ai Lin!

Ai Lin Real Life — The real-life Ai Lin when she was about the same age as the character in the book. [Source: Maria Wen Adcock]

The real-life Ai Lin when she was about the same age as the character in the book. [Source: Maria Wen Adcock]

I also knew from my experience growing up as a Chinese American that non-Chinese people sometimes had difficulty pronouncing names that were not familiar. This is understandable since they may not know how to read and pronounce Pinyin, the romanized spelling system for transliterating Chinese.

What is more difficult to reconcile is when others want to change someone’s unfamiliar or “hard-to-pronounce” name to make it easier for them to say, rather than making an effort to learn the name. Regarding the name Ai Lin, “Ai” is pronounced like “I,” and “Lin” is pronounced like “Lynn.”

In the backmatter of MY NAME IS AI LIN, I explain the significance of names:

In Chinese culture, it’s important for a name to have a positive symbolic meaning. Elder relatives often help determine the baby’s Chinese name before the child is born.

Chinese first names usually consist of two words. Ai Lin is the first name of the girl in this story. Her name is similar to double first Western names such as Anne Marie or William Jack.

When I was a child, there were no other Chinese American students in my elementary school. Many people weren’t sure how to pronounce my last name, Wen. It’s pronounced When and sometimes people even misspelled it that way.

As a shy child, I was afraid to correct them. That’s why in MY NAME IS AI LIN, I had Ai Lin stand up for herself and ask the other students to correctly pronounce her name. I hope Ai Lin’s story will empower other children to do the same in similar situations. Names are significant, powerful, and often have emotional and cultural connections. That’s why it’s important to pronounce names correctly so others feel seen and respected.

My Name Is Ai Lin Real Life Siblings — The Real-Life Ai Lin & Ai Mei when they were similar in age to the characters in the book. [Photo credit: Trenda Knezek of 6 Little Feet, LLC]

My Name Is Ai Lin Siblings — The Real-Life Ai Lin & Ai Mei when they were similar in age to the characters in the book. [Photo credit: Trenda Knezek of 6 Little Feet, LLC]

In another part of the book, readers meet Ai Mei, the little sister of Ai Lin. Ai Mei is the real-life Chinese name of my second daughter. The first part of their names, “Ai,” matches for a reason. In Chinese, “Ai” means love. As such, I wanted love to connect them.

The Publishing Process

Sleeping Bear Press Editor, Barb McNally, read my manuscript and fortunately, she loved it! She acquired it and worked with me to make some minor revisions. In the meantime, Sleeping Bear Press found illustrator Yu Ting Cheng to visually bring MY NAME IS AI LIN to life.

During the development of the book, Barb showed me Yu Ting’s sketches to ensure the cultural aspects were correctly portrayed. I appreciated her communication and willingness to get my input. Yu Ting then transformed the sketches into beautiful full-color images. She did a fabulous job creating illustrations that will engage young readers.

I loved the cover as soon as I saw it! It was a proud moment that felt especially meaningful given the book’s true-life ties to my daughters. My girls were so excited when I showed them the cover. I am grateful to the Sleeping Bear Press team for bringing this book together in such an authentic way that celebrates and embraces the important themes in this story.

How to Get a Copy of MY NAME IS AI LIN

MY NAME IS AI LIN is now available for preorders until its launch date on July 1, 2025. Find it on Amazon (Kindle & Hardcover), the publisher’s website, and other online sites. After the book releases, shop in-person for MY NAME IS AI LIN at Barnes & Noble, Walmart, Books-a-Million, and more. Don’t forget to consider independent booksellers around the country, such as Powell’s, Schuler Books, The Last Bookstore, Literati Bookstore, and others.

Thank You, Dear Readers!

For all of you who have been following my writing journey, including with my debut book, IT’S CHINESE NEW YEAR, CURIOUS GEORGE…thank you! I appreciate your support and hope you’ll enjoy MY NAME IS AI LIN!

Author Bio: Maria Wen Adcock

Maria Wen Adcock is a first-generation Chinese American writer and is also the author of It’s Chinese New Year, Curious George. She is the founder of the award-winning Bicultural Mama blog, and has appeared in Bloomberg News, HuffPost, and Newsday, and on The Dr. Oz Show. Maria is a board member of Multicultural Kid Blogs, an organization supporting diverse parenting bloggers, and the cohost of the annual event Read Your World Day. She lives on Long Island in New York. Visit Maria at www.MariaWenAdcock.com and follow her on Facebook and Instagram.

Illustrator Bio: Yu Ting Cheng

Yu Ting Cheng is a Taiwanese illustrator who graduated with an MFA in computer art from the School of Visual Arts in New York. After several years in the animation field, today she draws inspiration from her love for storytelling and the everyday magic of life. Ai Lin’s journey resonates deeply with Yu because of her own experiences abroad. She believes that every name has a story waiting to be told and remembered. Yu lives in Taipei, Taiwan, with her family. Visit Yu Ting at www.yuting-art.com and follow her on Instagram.