Dream Big

Joyce Wan is an author and illustrator of best-selling books for children such as You Are My Cupcake, The Whale in My Swimming Pool, Peek-A-Boo Farm, and Sleepyheads. Joyce’s interest in the arts can be traced all the way back to first grade when she won first place in a city-wide greeting card design contest sponsored by the Art Institute of Boston. Twenty years later, that design would inspire her to launch her own design studio called Wanart where she designed and manufactured greeting cards that were sold to shops and boutiques all over the world. These greeting cards led her to children's book publishing after meeting an art director at a trade show. Her first book Greetings from Kiwi and Pear was published in 2009. Since then, she has published over 30 books for children which have sold a combined total of over 1 million copies worldwide. Joyce is the recipient of the Mills-Tannenbaum Award for Children's Literacy from Reach Out and Read of Greater New York which recognizes children’s book authors dedicated to promoting a lifelong love of reading in young children. She was also twice chosen to be featured at the Society of Illustrators Original Art Show which showcases original art from the year’s best children’s books (2011, 2016). Joyce's book Dream Big, a board book that honors 15 female icons and trailblazers throughout history, was selected for the 2020 The Amelia Bloomer Book List presented by the American Library Association. Joyce is originally from Massachusetts and currently lives in New Jersey with her husband and daughter. She hopes to spread joy through all her work, inspire people to embrace the spirit of childhood, and follow their dreams.