Michelle An

Born and raised in Beijing, China, Michelle An moved to Canada after receiving her BA from China University of Political Science and Law. She pursued her academic studies at University of British Columbia in Vancouver, and received her second degree and Master’s degree in pre-modern Chinese literature in the Asian Studies department. She was a teaching assistant for the Chinese language department, and a research assistant for the Asian Studies (Chinese history) department while pursuing her graduate studies there. As an outstanding graduate student, Michelle An was awarded SSHRC (Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council) grant for her MA thesis research.

The “Chinese Workbook for Kids” series was inspired by the birth of her son. Fluent in both English and Mandarin, Michelle An was hoping her son would speak and write both languages as well. After researching various early Chinese language learning materials from China and abroad, she found most materials were not designed for children of bilingual families, or lacked essential activities to enhance learning results. She then created this workbook series. The material is easy, fun, and yet systematic for young learners. It’s a great starter book series to foster love and passion for Chinese learning in young children. For Michelle An, there is nothing better than hearing from her son saying “mom, I love your books!” She hopes this workbook series can inspire more kids to find joy and sense of accomplishment in their Chinese language learning journey!

She also published a supplementary practice notebook series for Chinese language learning, make sure to check them out!