San Diego Dad Does Write

La Mesa dad and award-winning children’s author Minh Lê has released a new picture book titled, The Blur. His latest work brilliantly tugs at that piece of a parent’s heart, which knows—but can’t quite fathom—how fast time goes when raising a child. Layered with meaning, the story follows a child hero whose powers astonish her parents. She can make time race. She can make it stand perfectly still. Anyone with a “superkid” can relate.

“My hope is that The Blur appeals to everyone in different ways,” says Lê. “For the youngest readers, there’s the thrill of seeing themselves as a little superhero (‘The Blur’) taking the world by storm. For new parents there’s ‘the Author Minh Lê

blur’ of those early days when life is so hectic and it’s a struggle (albeit a beautiful one) just to keep your heads above water. And then there’s ‘the blur’ as it refers to the passage of time, that universal feeling of time passing by just a little too quickly.”

The book is inspired by the author’s own experience with parenthood. Lê and his wife Aimee have two sons, who are 10 and 7. The family enjoys reading together, making music, playing basketball and just snuggling on the couch. Parenting two boys can be frustrating at times, but Lê says he still feels like he’s won front row seats and backstage passes to the best show on earth. And the time is absolutely whizzing by. “At least once or twice a week we’ll be watching our boys playing and just look at each other and say, ‘It’s THE BLUR!’”

In college, Lê dreamed of becoming a writer. When people asked, he’d say his goal was to run a small-town library and pen children’s books. But his desire to help children get the best start possible led to another rewarding career. He spent a decade as an early childhood policy analyst, examining issues like childcare for the federal government. But children’s literature was never far from his mind. He started a blog. He reviewed picture books. Finally, it was Aimee who insisted he put his own work out into the world. Six books later, he admits it was a very necessary kick in the pants.

“Growing up, I was an intensely shy kid but I loved to read,” says Lê. “Books were my escape from the world. So, it’s somewhat ironic that books have become my way back into the world. Connecting with readers through the pages of a book is absolutely magical to me and I can’t think of a better job.”

In addition to writing, Lê continues to work in early childhood policy and soon begins teaching a two-year MFA creative writing program (through Hamline University) that focuses on picture books and graphic novels. Like most modern parents, he and his wife have a lot of plates spinning. Aimee is a human rights advocate and strategist whose work has taken her all over the world. But both try to ensure that each and every choice is made with the family’s best interests in mind. One way they’ve achieved balance is to involve the boys as much as possible in the writing life. The kids come to author talks and book events. They help choose story ideas. Indeed, they are often the inspiration for those ideas. “Being an author feels very much like a family business,” says Lê.

Illustrator Dan Santat

When it comes to pursuing creative dreams, Lê advises fellow parents to just go for it. “It’s an incredible gift to your children—for them to see their parents cultivating their own creative interests and following those dreams,” he says. “That sets an example that your children will hopefully carry with them throughout their lives.”

The Blur is illustrated by Dan Santat, whose artwork beautifully captures the dizzying pace of life with young children. Santat lives in Pasadena and is dad to two sons, ages 13 and 16. He is a bestselling author and illustrator of over one hundred books—including The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend, which received the Caldecott Medal. Santat is also the creator of the Disney animated hit “The Replacements.”

This is the third collaboration for Santat and Lê. Their previous works include Lift and Drawn Together— which won the 2019 Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature.

“When I was growing up, there weren’t many books that thoughtfully and accurately captured the nuances of the Asian American experience,” says Lê. “Dan and I both came to the project from a very personal place and we filled the book with our own experiences. So, to have that validated and honored by APALA meant the world to me.”

Anne Malinoski is a contributing writer. She lives in Santee with her husband and two sons.

June 2022 • SanDiegofamily.com • 17

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