Interview: Jasmine Fang
SARAH STEINBACHER: Your debut picture book, BENEATH THE SAME ROUND MOON: A MOONCAKE FESTIVAL STORY (available 9/1/26), is “an enchanting tribute to a beloved holiday and warm acknowledgement that familial bonds are a constant despite change” (Kirkus). What inspired you to write this story?
JASMINE FANG: I've always been close with my family, so the year we couldn't be together was a strange one. I drafted this story during the pandemic, when we were scattered around the world. My parents in Taiwan, my sister in Singapore, my grandfather recently gone, and me in the SF Bay Area with my husband and a growing baby bump.
When the Mid-Autumn Festival came around, we celebrated with mooncakes, a pot of tea, and a video call across time zones. I have never felt so far from my family and so close to them at once.
That feeling became the heart of the book. I wanted children whose families are spread across cities or countries, or changed by loss, to know that the people they love are never really far away.
SARAH STEINBACHER: In the book, a young girl explores how to celebrate when her family is separated by distance. How can all children benefit from stories like this?
JASMINE FANG: Separation is one of the first big feelings a child encounters, and it often returns in new forms from a parent working evenings, a grandparent traveling overseas, to a best friend moving away. A child carrying any one of those can feel like the only person in the room holding it.
Stories like BENEATH THE SAME ROUND MOON: A MOONCAKE FESTIVAL STORY show ways to connect despite being separated by distance. One connector is the moon, as it's the same moon over Taipei and over a bedroom window in California, and it’s a simple visual children can understand. The other connector can be found in the book.
For those whose families are together in one place, the book is a window into a friend’s life instead of a mirror.
SARAH STEINBACHER: Do you have a favorite Mooncake Festival memory?
JASMINE FANG: Growing up, my parents would come home with a box of mooncakes, often gifted from friends, and they'd tell us the story of Chang'e, the Moon Goddess who lives on the moon with the Jade Rabbit. Then we'd all stand outside, squinting, trying to find the rabbit's shape. Some years the moon was so bright, we were in awe. One year my sister and I stood out there in the rain, laughing. We knew we’d get drenched though we went out anyway.
SARAH STEINBACHER: In your upcoming picture book, OUR CHINATOWN MARKET (available Spring 2028), a community comes together to save a local, beloved Chinese market. Why are stories about community important for kids today?
JASMINE FANG: My parents used to say that when you share your joy, it doubles; when you share your burden, it halves. That’s the power of community. Stories about community also show children what can be accomplished when you work together. In Our Chinatown Market, no one person can save the store single-handedly. It takes the neighborhood, both young and grown, and a lot of unglamorous effort.
SARAH STEINBACHER: You’ve traveled to over 30 other countries. What are some of the most memorable destinations? And what’s still on your bucket list?
JASMINE FANG: I have too many, though I’ll share a couple.
Greece, for the sunsets, the ocean swims, and grape wine jam. Shanghai during the World Expo, which felt like the whole world had shown up in one city. The peaceful foothills of the Himalayas. Istanbul, where East meets West and where I met refugees whose stories I’ll always remember. The Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu (albeit the worst altitude sickness). And of course, Taiwan, where I’m from.
As for the bucket list, I'm a tennis player, so perhaps Wimbledon or the Australian Open. More than any single place though, I’d like to continue traveling with my family and experience the world through my children’s eyes.
SARAH STEINBACHER: What was one of your favorite children’s books growing up? And what’s a recent favorite?
JASMINE FANG: Growing up, I loved Roger Hargreave’s Little Miss Books (in Mandarin Chinese) and Madeline by Ludwig.
A recent favorite is SWING by James Yang (a young girl playing tennis!).
SARAH STEINBACHER: What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever received?
JASMINE FANG: Persevere!
SARAH STEINBACHER: What else would you like to share?
JASMINE FANG: I'm also a 2026 mentor with PBRisingStars.
Follow Jasmine through her website, Instagram, and Facebook.
*****Order Jasmine’s picture book, BENEATH THE SAME ROUND MOON: A MOONCAKE FESTIVAL STORY, available 9/1/26.*****
