20 May Songju Daemicke talks about Grace Lee Boggs: Gardens of Hope and a Giveaway

Grace could hardly believe it when her teacher gave her a book– to keep! Grace was eight years old and never owned a book.

So begins Grace Lee Boggs: Gardens of Hope, written by Songju Daemicke and illustrated by Lin. Looking at the cover, I thought this book was about Grace Lee Boggs helping build a garden. And yes, that’s part of it, but it’s about so much more. It has several threads running through it: activism, civil rights, helping others, nature, kindness, and more. Not incidentally, it also demonstrates how a book can spark a lifelong dream. 

 I’m excited to welcome the author of this book, Songju Daemicke. 

EL: Welcome Songju! I’m thrilled to highlight you and your wonderful book. Please tell us a little about yourself.

SD: Thank you for having me, Ellen!

I grew up in a small town in China without a single library. I loved reading and listening to stories and dreamed of being a writer when I grew up. A true love never dies. After leaving China, studying in Europe, living in America for many years, and all the STEM related study and work, I started to pursue my dream of being a writer in 2011. Here I am today. Grace Lee Boggs: Gardens of Hope is my fifth traditionally published book.

I divide my time between Arkansas and Chicago. When I’m not writing, I love tending to my garden, hiking, and shooting my next special photograph. Getting up early to capture a glorious sunrise and then spending hours on pictures would be a happy day for me.

EL: That sounds wonderful! I love your writing. Do you have a writing group or groups? How important do you think they are?

SD: Yes. I have two critique groups. One is classmates from the Writing Barn, and another group consists of fellow writers from 12X12. Both are great! Our meetings push me to get things done. As to my Grace Lee Boggs MS, one group critiqued it 5 times! My critique partners point out the things I can’t see myself, help me brainstorm when I get stuck, and find better words to use. We share passions, frustrations, worries, and cheer each other on. Critique partners are the best! They are indispensable.

EL:  I couldn’t agree more! What inspired you to write about Grace Lee Boggs?

SD: I first read the name Grace Lee Boggs from the back matter of a picture book in the summer of 2020.  Barb Rosenstock lists some amazing women in her author’s notes of Leave It to Abigail: The Revolutionary Life of Abigail Adams. Grace Lee Boggs was the only Chinese American mentioned. I looked her up and was immediately drawn to her. I really love Grace Lee Boggs, her wisdom, magnetism & effervescence. She went beyond racial boundaries to fight for social change. Grace founded the Detroit Summer to inspire kids to become leaders in their community. I wanted to tell her story to inspire and empower young people to lead and make the world kinder and fairer.

EL: I think the illustrations are perfect for your book. Did you get to communicate with your illustrator?

SD: Yes. Lin did a great job of illustrating my Grace Lee Boggs book. She also illustrated Tu Youyou’s Discovery. Like most authors, I communicated with Lin through our editor.

EL: Tu Youyou’s Discovery looks fascinating too! As a writer who can barely draw a straight line, I am always amazed at how much illustrators bring to our work!

SD: An author, as the original story creator, has a big responsibility for the accuracy of the story. For example, a library scene illustrating Grace’s first job after graduation initially showed a computer. While most library front desks have one now, this was 1940, and desk top computers were not invented until 1970. I pointed that out, and Lin changed it. Also, initially, the gardens had fences, which looked ugly and the depiction was not accurate. I passed on screenshots from a Grace Lee Boggs’s documentary for illustration corrections. A book is a team effort. Every detail counts.

EL: Do you have anything else in the pipeline that you can talk about?

SD: I’m working on some fiction MSs. A couple are based on my own childhood, one is drawn from my daughter’s life experience, and some are informational fiction. I’m also working on a few nonfiction MSs. As a former engineer, I love working on STEM projects.

My next book is a STEM board book, Where Does Dinosaur Go?, coming out in Fall 2026 from Charlesbridge.  Two children help their auntie at a laundromat by helping sort laundry in several different ways. I’m so excited for this fun book.

EL: That sounds fun. Congrats on all the new projects, Songju!

Here are a few places where you can get Grace Lee Boggs: Gardens of Hope.

Bookshop:   https://bit.ly/3SNq5mm

Amazon:      https://bit.ly/3TcR7EZ

Barnes & Noble:  https://bit.ly/49s4S8M

And now, a …

Songju is giving one lucky winner a copy of Grace Lee Boggs: Gardens of Hope. (U.S only) Good luck! Just comment on this post to get in the running to win. Let me know if you’re a subscriber or have shared the post to get an extra chance to win. 

Until next time,

Ellen 

On a personal note, I’m currently scheduling school author visits for the 2025-2026 school year. I’d love to visit YOU or a school near you! Please check out  https://EllenLeventhal.com.