Bing’s Cherries
Launch Date March 10, 2026 • Roaring Brook Press • Written by Livia Blackburne
A modern American tall tale woven by a girl and her father about Ah Bing, the Chinese immigrant behind the Pacific Northwest’s most delicious cherries.
You’ve heard of a Bing cherry, but did you know the story of the Chinese American immigrant for whom the dark, luscious cherry is named?
Long ago, Ah Bing was a father who traveled across the sea from China looking for work. It was in Oregon where he met a man who hired him to work in his orchards, where eventually, Bing cultivated the delicious cherries we know of today.
But what was it that made this man and the cherries he made so special? a young girl wonders as she sits together with her father, enjoying cherries from their backyard. Weaving together cultural memory, historical fact, and her own imagination, the young girl imagines a narrative of Ah Bing that is as larger than life and as sweet as his namesake.
With touching text and lush illustrations, Livia Blackburne and Julia Kuo forge an unforgettable Chinese American folktale that has largely been untold.
Launch Events
MARCH
Seattle Launch party with both Livia and Julia
March 15, 2026 at 2pm at Hello Em Việt Coffee & Roastery
Hosted by Friends of Little Saigon and Mam’s Books
Signing at 3pm
Storytime in Los Angeles, CA with Livia
March 21, 2026 at 11am
Hosted by Once Upon a Time
Storytelling Webinar with Livia
March 25, 2026 at 3:30pm PST
Hosted by the USC US-China Institute and the National Consortium for Teaching about Asia.
MAY
Storytime in Los Angeles, CA with Livia
May 2, 2026 at 11am
Hosted by Village Well Books and Coffee
Bing's Cherries talk in Milwaukie, OR with Julia
May 9, 2026 at 2pm at Ledding Library
Hosted by Friends of the Ledding Library
Bing’s Cherries at the AAPI Joy Festival with Livia
May 16, 2026 at the Los Angeles Public Library Central Branch
Order the Book
Interviews and Articles
Who was Ah Bing? New children’s book reveals Oregon story behind famous cherry - The Oregonian
Resources
Storytime and Activity Kit for Bing’s Cherries
Julia Kuo's name pronunciation on TeachingBooks
Livia Blackburne's name pronunciation on TeachingBooks
Honors
Bing’s Cherries is part of the Junior Library Guild’s library book club
Learn About How I Work
Learn about my process for Bing’s Cherries!
Critical Praise
“Folklore is created around the very tall Ah Bing, filling the gaps in history with wonder, respect, and the kind of mythmaking that keeps cultural memory alive across generations.
”Julia Kuo’s stunning illustrations, created in Adobe Photoshop using a Cintiq tablet and stylus, achieve a look of block-print aesthetic on matte paper that feels both contemporary and timeless. She uses perspective and design brilliantly to move the story across oceans from China to America and back again, from past to present, creating visual bridges that mirror the thematic bridges Blackburne builds in the text.
“Kuo’s use of a limited palette of red, blue, black, and tan is striking in its simplicity and allows her intricate patterns to mesmerize without overwhelming. These patterns do important narrative work, while also grounding readers in the natural world that connects Ah Bing’s story to the present. Side note: The endpapers of cherry blossoms, cherries, and leaves are so beautiful that they could serve as wallpaper in a trendy home.
“Bing’s Cherries plants seeds of cultural pride while inviting all readers to consider whose stories get remembered, and how we honor those whose contributions deserve recognition. It’s a quiet, powerful book that works beautifully as both a family read-aloud and a classroom resource for children interested in immigration stories, Asian American history, food origins, and the power of storytelling itself.
- The Children’s Book Review, starred
“In author and illustrator notes, Blackburne and Kuo discuss their interest in American folklore, their Chinese cultural roots, and how they blended both to create this unique Chinese American tall tale.
“The stylized art carries the drama, with clever interplay between fore- and backgrounds to create a dynamic depth; in some scenes an enormous Bing dominates full spreads, where in others he is framed by detailed, textured elements that make up the trees or other human figures.”
- The Bulletin for the Center of Children’s Books
“Chinese American author Blackburne creates a poignant origin story, with plenty of empathic “I hopes” for Bing’s contented happiness. Taiwanese American Kuo’s bold art, captured in blues, reds, browns, black, is reminiscent of woodblock prints, resonating with geometric enhancements—swirls, dots, circles.
“Scant historical details are convincingly transformed into a tall tale revealing the origins of a delicious food.
- Kirkus Reviews
“Kuo’s vibrant, Asian-inspired spreads beautifully depict Bing and the orchards he tended. Back matter includes notes from author and illustrator connecting the story’s inspiration to their Chinese and Taiwanese heritage.
“A beautifully told and authentically grounded tale honoring the immigrant behind the famous Bing cherry and celebrating Chinese American resilience and contribution.
- School Library Journal