[From Paul Yee's website]

Why are my books about Chinese people?

This is a question many people ask.

1. They're the people I know best. I grew up in a Chinatown. I'm familiar with the language, history, and culture.

2. They're the people I care about. Some of the characters in my books are drawn from my own family or the community.

3. They're the people about whom I'm most curious. This means I enjoy the research I do.
The more I learn about Chinese people, whether they live in North America, China or elsewhere in the world, the more I learn about experiences that affect me. I say this because people see I am Chinese right away, no matter where I am. Often, they make assumptions about me.

For example:

"He doesn't speak English."
"He doesn't speak Chinese."
"He's an immigrant."
"He know a lot about Chinese food."
"He's going to complain about racism."

4. When I was a child, growing up in the 1960s, there were no books about my world--the world of immigrants, racial minorities, and different histories. I had to learn about these things much later in life.

5. My books mirror images of Chinese people back to themselves. Such books can reassure those in North American that it is valid to be different from the "mainstream." As well, the books let Chinese in North America see themselves, and each other, from new and different angles.