Geng Yeo came to the United States at age nine, a “paper son” passing, along with his father, as upper class Chinese, having memorized false histories to get around strict, racist U. S. immigration laws. Even as a child he loved making art and he grew up to be an animator at Disney. First limited to drawing the “in between” frames for Disney’s animated films—a lot of work for no recognition—when Bambi was in development, he showed how his spare style could be used to create a lush sense of landscape. Despite designing the visual look for the movie as an inspired sketch artist, he was only credited in the film as a background artist. His final years spent making beautiful kites offer a satisfying conclusion to this little known but important man’s life. (Ages 5–9)

Winner of the American Library Association's 2021 Asian/Pacific American Award for Best Picture Book!

An inspiring picture-book biography of animator Tyrus Wong, the Chinese American immigrant responsible for bringing Disney's Bambi to life.

Before he became an artist named Tyrus Wong, he was a boy named Wong Geng Yeo. He traveled across a vast ocean from China to America with only a suitcase and a few papers. Not papers for drawing--which he loved to do--but immigration papers to start a new life. Once in America, Tyrus seized every opportunity to make art, eventually enrolling at an art institute in Los Angeles. Working as a janitor at night, his mop twirled like a paintbrush in his hands. Eventually, he was given the opportunity of a lifetime--and using sparse brushstrokes and soft watercolors, Tyrus created the iconic backgrounds of Bambi.

Julie Leung and Chris Sasaki perfectly capture the beautiful life and work of a painter who came to this country with dreams and talent--and who changed the world of animation forever.