Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist

by Julie Leung, Chris Sasaki (Illustrator)

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.

Genres: Picture Books, Biography, Nonfiction, Art, History, Childrens, Immigration

40 pages, Hardcover

First published September 24, 2019

About the author

JULIE LEUNG is an award-winning author of numerous children’s books. Her picture book, The Truth About Dragons is a Caldecott Honor and winner of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature. By day, she works in book publishing. She was raised in the sleepy suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia, though it may be more accurate to say she grew up in Oz and came of age in Middle-earth.

Reviews

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

A rare picture book: poetic text and breathtakingly lovely illustrations by Chris Sasaki. No child required. Check it out for yourself.

[Lisa Vegan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspirational and grim at the same time. It’s a beautifully done book, but I almost didn’t give it 5 stars because the lifelong difficulties and challenges this man experienced had me feeling sad. I don’t think the author & illustrator meant to have that be the focus for the reader but that’s how I felt.

His story conveys the difficulties immigrants face, and in this case not exactly legal immigrants, and how these impediments, especially for those from certain ethnic & racial groups, have always been with us. I’d heard of the Chinese Exclusion Act but reading about this boy and his father gave me more understanding of its impact.

There are some pages with extra information and photos and artwork at the end, and for me they changed the book from rather depressing and infuriating and one about injustice to more uplifting and with some feelings of hopefulness and inspiration. The extras at the end include and author’s note, an illustrator’s note, and several photos of Tyrus Wong at different ages. (Shame on Disney for not giving him sufficient credit for his ideas & work, but I suppose back then some places might not have given him any credit.)

I did learn a lot. Angel Island is right near me. I’ve been there and hiked there and had learned some of its history, but I didn’t know that a huge percentage of Chinese immigrants from 1910-1940 going through Angel Island were paper sons and daughters, nor had I known the term before reading this book.

It’s an incredibly well done book and has some complexity, wonderful art, interesting biographical and historical information, and I just couldn’t rate it lower than I did.

Tyrus Wong lived to be 106 years old. (When I was 13 I met a friend of a family friend who was 107 and recently a good friend died who was 105, but I’ve known very few centenarians.) I loved reading about this man’s life, from his boyhood to his elder years. I am glad this book introduced me to his story and his art.

Highly recommended for older children & older people too who are interested in art, in history, in the movie Bambi, in immigration stories, in people reaching for their dreams and taking opportunities as they arise. I am not sure what would be the youngest age for this book. I think it depends on the child. Some young children might enjoy it. Ages 5-8 & all the way up? I would love to read more about Tyrus Wong and view more of his art.

[Hilary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This picture book tells the story of Tyrus Wong who immigrated to the US from China. When he arrived as a young boy he had to pretend he was from a wealthy family, he was questioned and luckily the story they had both memorised worked and they were allowed to stay. The rest of the story tells of Tyrus' life and struggles to become an artist.

It was so sad that his mother was left behind, I kept hoping that she would join them but it looks like she wasn't able to. The treatment he received from Disney was appalling, although it didn't surprise me I would have thought that today they would try to put this right by giving him his rightful acknowledgment.

I appreciated the information about Tyrus' life at the back of the book, I enjoyed the photos and I'm glad he lived to an old age and enjoyed his life it seems. Much of the book did seem sad and I did want to see something good happen for Tyrus, some acknowledgement of his talent.

The illustrations are beautiful and really suit the story.

[Ross Blocher · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful presentation of the life of Tyrus Wong. Most people will have seen Tyrus's work in the film Bambi, for which he defined the soft, painterly look of its backgrounds. Born Wong Geng Yeo, Tyrus arrived as a Chinese immigrant to the US as a child in 1919, a "paper son" with an assumed name to pose as the scion of a wealthy merchant. After training as an artist and infusing his western art education with Chinese sensibilities, he was brought on at Disney Animation Studios in 1938. He started as an inbetweener (an animator who fills in the drawings between other artist's key drawings), but his talent was quickly recognized and his visual style was adopted for 1942's Bambi, even though he didn't get film credit at the time as the art director. He was let go shortly after the infamous Disney strike of 1941 (he had worked during the strike), but continued his career at Warner Brothers, painting concepts for live action films. By the time I started at Disney Animation in 2008, Tyrus was legendary, and I got to see and meet him there on a few occasions. Tyrus was still building flying kites well into his final years, and lived to the age of 106.

This book does a wonderful job of conveying the essential elements of Tyrus's story, and is masterfully illustrated by Chris Sasaki (an animation artist who has designed for Pixar films, other animation projects, other books, and with whom I studied Animation in college). This is a children's book, but it tackles many of the weighty issues that Tyrus faced - immigration, suspicion, interrogation, discrimination, and even labor disputes - deftly and with grace. Highly recommended.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Breathtaking art and rich storytelling brings to life the unsung story of immigrant and artist, Tyrus Wong. One hundred years ago, he arrived in the United States and was separated from his father by immigration authorities enforcing the Chinese Exclusion Act. After they were reunited, Tyrus and his father took advantage of opportunities in "Gold Mountain," which led to Tyrus developing the landscape style that Walt Disney chose for Bambi. A powerful story of courage, perseverance, and commitment to art, even in the face of inequality, discrimination, and adversity.

[Anna Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely book about Tyrus Wong, who created the beautiful background scenes for the Disney film, "Bambi". I had heard of him, but I didn't know much about him, so this book was a nice introduction. I also did not know that Wong passed away in 2016, so recently, and that he was over 100 years old!

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful introduction to the life and work of the little-known but highly influential Chinese-American immigrant artist.

[Shiloah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspirational!

[Regine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tyrus Wong lived to the age of 106, long enough to see Chinese immigrants become part of American society and to have his own work in animated movies recognized. The story of his life is well told, a touchstone as the tenor of our time keeps changing.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Important, interesting, OwnVoices AAPI. Unfortunately, it's superficial and unsatisfying. It raises more questions than it answers, and the notes give no further information.

For example, isn't every child going to wonder why Disney's workers would have gone on strike? And won't every child want to know what happened to the boy's mother, and why the father immigrated, and whether the father was abusively strict, as one page implies.... And really, there were sad bits in the man's life, but honestly not more than most people, as far as we know, so there didn't need to be such emphasis on those years... photos show life improved quite nicely.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful true story about Tyrus Wong a Chinese immigrant who came to the US during the Chinese Exclusion Act . Times were tough for these Chinese immigrants because they were only allowed to come to the US if they could prove that they would help make the US better through their trade. People who had a jobs like business men, or highly skilled people might be let into the US if they had the paperwork to prove that they had expertise in an area that the US wanted. Tyrus had to memorize the information and wait months before being questioned and reunited with his father. Tyrus was not interested in school, but worked hard anyway. He later learned to combine eastern and western styles at an art school. He got a menial job at Disney but his talent was discovered and he drew for the movie Bambi. This story is a great example of perseverance while teaching us about history. I have added this book to my favorites list and my picture books for adults too!

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love when picture books introduce the reader to someone new. Until this book, I had never heard of Tyrus Wong, even if I have seen Bimbi too many times. I also never knew about “paper sons” and paper families who used fake identities to enter the US when specific cultures were banned. This story was so heartwarming, and at times sad. It follows the life of a man most won’t know, but will come to know, and start looking for his art.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

SO. GOOD. With beautiful illustrations. I learned so much about Tyrus Wong, a Chinese immigrant who eventually designed the backgrounds for Disney's Bambi.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story. I wish there would have been a bit more information on Wong's work.

[Hannah Hall-Salem · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was about a boy who immigrated to America with his father and how that experience was for him and what it was like making a life for himself in this new country. This book taught me a lot about the immigration process that I did not know. One question asked to Tyrus was how many windows are in his house. If I was Tyrus I wouldn’t even know the answer to that question and I wouldn't be able to figure it out without looking. This book is a biography of Tyrus Wong who is a Chinese American immigrant who was responsible for "bringing Disney's Bambi to life." One thing I learned through this book was that in 1919, Chinese immigrants were not allowed into the United States unless they could prove they were citizens of high status. I think it is important for children to understand how difficult it was for people to immigrate to America and how scary it can be for children like Tyrus to come to a new country and be separated from his father. Another thing I learned was how discriminatory was towards Tyrus. He put a lot of work in on the film Bambi and did not get the credit he deserved and was then fired for a strike he did not participate in. I think this is important for children to read about since Disney is a big company that produces for a children based audience. The last thing I learned from this book was that Tyrus was the main illustrator for the movie Bambi which was a movie I loved to watch as a child. The fact that the other animators were struggling to create the backgrounds for this film and Tyrus was able to and did not get the proper credit was infuriating.
This book was a WOW book for me because I never really knew the impact of the immigration process and how it could affect a child like Tyrus to come to America. I also really enjoyed the illustrations of the book and how they really brought the book to life. While this book is a bibliography, it was never boring. Learning about Tyrus and his life was very inspiring but also infuriating. The way he was separated from his father for so long and then wrongfully credited for his work in the film Bambi was difficult to read. I believe this book is free of bias as the author was moved by Tyrus Wong's story and wanted the world to hear it. To write a bibliography of someone's story it takes time and research to ensure you are giving factual information. I believe this story is very important and impactful for all children and adults to read. The way Tyrus never stopped sharing his art for the world even after being wrongfully fired is an important lesson for children. I also feel it was very important that the author used Chinese calligraphy throughout the book to show the language and terms Tyrus and his father used throughout this book. Overall this book deserves a five star rating as it was impactful and extremely moving. I truly believe this is a WOW book and is an amazing piece of children's literature.

[Vincent · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book, Wong Geng Yao, an immigrant boy, and his father travel to America to see Gum Sann but he discovers that there is no golden mountain in this foreign area he is in, so he must face the difficulties that come with adjusting to his new life. The genre of the book is nonfiction more specifically, a biography. A major theme I found was hope. When Wong Geng Yao first arrived in this new land, he thought about all the joys and wonders and even though he didn't have as much as other people, he continued working hard in what he was good at. Another instance is when he came up with amazing illustrations for Walt Disney and was fired for no reason, he didn't let that break him and continued his passion as he got older. The book is anti-bias because, the author himself is an Asian immigrant, so he has his own perspectives to take into account. This is also related to children who have a background where they or their parents are immigrants it portrays the glass doors concept of perspective. I think this is a WOW book because it's something I can relate to because I know the struggle of how my parents immigrated from China to the U.S. and how much effort they had to put in order to live a comfortable lifestyle. If I were to share this book with children, I would teach them that no matter how much your life seems like an endless pit, there will always be a light or opening for you, even if takes days, months, and even years.

Some literary devices I found include imagery and symbolism. Imagery is displayed when Wong Gen Yao is comparing Western and Eastern art when he's at Otis Art Institute. The way the book describes the brush strokes in wavy and circular motions turns his drawing into something alive. Gum Sann, isn't the best symbol, but it shows how although America isn't the best depiction of freedom and joys, it is a place where people have ceaseless hope. This is a reference to how America is like a "Gold Mountain", opportunity is obtainable with immense effort.

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tyrus Wong entered the United States by using papers that belonged to another Chinese boy. In 1919, Chinese people entering the U.S. had to prove that they were of high status. Tyrus and his father both traveled under other people’s identities, making him a paper son. He had to memorize details of the other boy’s life and village, knowing that he would be tested to see if his identity was real. When they reached immigration, his father was let through easily but Tyrus was held for weeks until he was finally released after being interrogated about his identity. Tyrus didn’t like school much and his father was often away for work. Tyrus loved art, studying both western and eastern art styles. After he graduated from art school, he worked for Disney Studios, doing painstaking work. Then he heard of a new movie, Bambi, that the studio was working on. He began to create backgrounds for the film and Walt Disney loved them. Fired from Disney after a worker’s strike, Tyrus continued to make art throughout the rest of his life.

Leung tells Wong’s story with a lovely clarity. From his entry into the country through his career, Wong’s tale is not linear but rather a series of opportunities that he seized upon. The beginning of the book shows a family trapped in the red tape of immigration and that harrowing experience blossoms into a book about art and opportunity to express one’s self. That again narrows when Wong finds himself doing grunt work for Disney Studios and once again opportunities appear to move him forward. Throughout there is a sense of grace and resilience when faced with real obstacles.

The art work is clearly done with Wong in mind, with its ethereal backgrounds. The images are powerful, often showing things from a unique perspective from a look at a line of people on a long pier to directly gazing into Wong’s window to looking down at an image painted with a mop. The result is dramatic and beautiful.

A picture book biography that celebrates a lesser-known artist whose work we have all seen. Appropriate for ages 6-9.

[Franklyn Keister · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is about a boy and his father traveling from China to America to find a better life. Gen Yao pretended to be Zi Jai, a "Paper Son," a famous merchant's son, as it was difficult for Chinese immigrants to enter America. However, their experiences and difficulties were mind-blowing and surprising during their journey. His dad helped prepare him to study all the questions and responses about what the customs officers could ask once they landed in America.

Despite his challenges upon his arrival, he could still remember all the answers he practiced with his dad and managed to get released from custody to reunite with his father. The rest of the story is about Tyrus' life and his attempts to become an artist.

In 1938, he was hired by Disney Animation Studios after training as an artist and combining his western art training with Chinese perspectives. I thought it was unjust that despite all his work on BAMBI, he was only acknowledged as a backdrop artist, which I thought was unfair given the stark unfairness of American immigration towards Asians during that time.

This story teaches and encourages children to have bravery, tenacity, and perseverance to art in the face of inequity, prejudice, and difficulty. It also allows students to enhance and enrich their knowledge of that historical period and foster empathy and understanding of the story. The author's use of tone and visual symbolism was well established in the texts in a way that attracted readers to read the book.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating glimpse into the professional life of artist Tyrus Wong, whose impactful landscapes were foundational to the Disney movie, Bambi. Despite the prejudice and oppression he experienced in America, his talents, hobbies, and career left a lasting, indelible impression.

Through the author’s note: “I first learned about Tyrus Wong through his obituary in the New York Times. He was one of the preeminent Chinese American artists of our time, and yet, I had never heard of him…Despite the lack of recognition throughout his career, Tyrus Wong always found a way to express himself through art. His story reminds us that immigrants, wanted or not, leave an essential mark in the masterpiece that is this nation.”

Such an impactful brief glimpse into his individual and shared experience, of immigration through Angel Island—which I still need to learn more about. I have seen very few books about the Chinese American experience for young readers, and I highly recommend this one for all ages.

[Jassmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book kept coming up and I wasn't sure if I wanted to read it, but every time I closed the tab I had it open on it always came up again, so... I decided to just read it and be done with it. And it was good! I liked it... I don't really have much to say. This is great book for children, diversifying history and also showing the oppression marginalised groups face without being traumatizing. Would recommend, especially to lovers of Bambi!

[C.E. G · Rating 4 out of 5]

This stunningly illustrated picture book follows the life of Tyrus Wong, the man behind the groundbreaking background art of the Disney classic movie, Bambi. When Tyrus was a child, the Chinese Exclusion Act stipulated that Chinese immigrants could only enter the United States if they could prove they were related to someone of high status. Tyrus and his father had to pretend to be wealthy merchants in order to immigrate to the United States. I'd never heard of Tyrus Wong or "paper sons," and it was fun to find more of his art online after I'd finished the book. The author's note in the end would make it a good resource for a school report, as well.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heavier book with more mature themes and more text, but so important to highlight the impact of Tyrus Wong on American art. He also lived to be 106!!!

Not full five because I feel like the story could have been a little more fleshed out toward the end

[Becky Loader · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't as enthralled with the illustrations as I expected to be.

[Danette · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick look at the life of one of Bambi’s illustrators.

10/26/22 Read with Julia and Riley

[Sandy Brehl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was familiar with the history of "paper sons" and the harsh inequity of American immigration policies toward Asians for many decades. I was totally unaware of Tyrus Wong, a Chinese-American-Disney artist whose name should be familiar and revered as an icon in animation and in art. Both the text and and the images bring to life a story of struggle and resilience, one that can and will inspire ANYONE, immigrant or not, artist or not.
There are rich examples throughout this picture book of lyrical language, visual symbolism, and a story arc that almost sound like a movie. In fact, Wong's life has all the makings of a movie and I hope one is made in the future. For now, this picture book can elevate imaginations and open eyes and doors to the past and the potential of the future- for anyone and everyone.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a beautiful book, I was blown away. I hadn’t expected this caliber of work in a children’s book.

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

Introduces how Chinese would memorize another persons information in order to be able to immigrate to America. Wong innovated the style to do backgrounds for Disney's animated movie and was responsible for Bambi.

The Author's Note mentions how the Chinese Exclusion Act was the first federal law designed to prevent an ethnic group from entering the US. Exceptions were made for high social status or blood relatives of American citizens leading to forged papers and immigrants assuming false identities. Of the 170,000 Chinese process From 1910-1940 they estimate 80-90% were "paper" sons and daughters.

Other things that impressed me:

Tyrus was 106 when he passed away in 2016.

Author "His story reminds us that immigrants, wanted or not, leave an essential mark on the masterpiece that is this nation."

Illustrator, writes of Wong's huge influence and how his story encouraged him.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paper Son : The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist by Julie Leung and Chris Sasaki PICTURE BOOK Schwartz & Wade Random House, 2019. $18. 978-1524771874

BUYING ADVISORY:, EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

When Tyrus Wong was only nine years old he immigrated from China with his father - but, because of the Chinese Exclusion Act, he arrived under a false name with a history that wasn’t his - pretending to be of a more important social class. As he grew up he developed an interest and a talent in art, eventually working for Disney and contributing to the success of Bambi.

I do love picture book biographies. Includes an author's and an illustrator's note, along with photographs of Wong. A beautifully illustrated picture book biography, I hope my art teachers and social studies teachers will love this!

Lisa Librarian
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...

[Deborah]

I'm kind of obsessed with Tyrus Wong's masterful background art for Bambi, so I loved learning more about his background. Interesting info about his immigration as a "paper son", and how he worked his way up at Disney.

[Panda Incognito · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Tyrus Wong arrived in America from Japan, he had to pretend to be part of a wealthy family, rehearsing and presenting all of their biographical details so that he could convince immigration officials that he belonged to this family, and was more than just a “paper son.” This picture book biography addresses the hardships and injustices that Asian immigrants faced, and shares about Wong’s artistic achievements, which included working for Disney and designing background animation for Bambi. The book emphasizes his hard work and accomplishments while also being direct and honest about the painful circumstances that he endured. This is best for elementary-aged students and older.