Troublemaking: A Conversation with Arree Chung

At my library (Evanston Public Library) we create a list consisting of 101 Great Books for Kids at the end of each year. To make this list, I will receive a slew of galleys and review copies of children’s book titles and then meticulously file them on shelves behind my desk for any committee member to have. In doing this, I’ve noticed that some categories have changed in size over the last few years. Poetry this year, in comparison to 2024, is rather robust. Ditto Fairy Tales/Folk Tales/ Religious Tales. And for all that we’re decrying the death of Middle Grade Fiction (if it’s a slow news day in book publishing then something somewhere has to be dying, I figure) the number I’ve seen already is hugely impressive!

But there is one shelf that is particularly full as of April 2025, and that is the graphic novel shelf. When I think back even ten years ago to the state of GNs for kids outside of the comic book industry and then compare it to what we’re seeing today, I’m floored. Now I’m sure there are some publication reasons for the plethora currently on display (and, by the same token, I know that fears of tariffs could change everything in an instant) but the fact of the matter remains that while other types of children’s books experience some kind of flux and flow, comics are still doing mighty well.

And comics with memoir components? Forget about it. They’re on fire!

Naturally, this lead up brings me to Arree Chung. If you are a children’s librarian that name may already be familiar to you, but within a younger context. No doubt you have at some point encountered Arree’s picture books, if not his Ninja picture book series then Mixed: A Colorful Story (though I was always a particular fan of his work on How to Pee, but that’s me). So how do you take the leap from picture book to middle grade fictionalized memoir? I intend to find out.

Don’t Cause Trouble (out TODAY, you lucky ducks) follows the story of Ming Lee, best described by its publisher in this way:

Twelve-year-old Ming Lee hopes middle school will be the fresh start he needs.

But stepping into school with the same bowl haircut his mom insists on giving him, and wearing the extra-discounted thrift shop clothes she buys him doesn’t quite make for the first day of his dreams. Things only get worse when he’s placed in an ESL class despite English being his first (and only) language. The journey ahead is full of awkward, painful, and downright embarrassing moments.

Ming’s dad always tells him, “Get good grades! Don’t cause trouble!” But with two new friends by his side, and a few tricks up his sleeve, Ming is determined to make some changes.

Perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier and Jerry Craft, Don’t Cause Trouble is a funny, warmhearted graphic novel that will resonate with readers who are looking for a place to belong.

Today, I get to talk to Arree about the book itself and its links to real life:

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Betsy Bird: Arree! Thank you so much for talking with me today. You’ve done your fair share of picture books over the years, but writing a graphic novel is another set of muscles entirely. Did you always want to write a comic, or did the idea creep up on you slowly?

Arree Chung: I’ve always loved comics and toyed with the idea of making one, but I never found the right story until my agent, Rubin, asked if I’d explore my own experiences growing up Asian American. I thought, “Boy, do I have stories to tell!” I had plenty of funny, awkward, and deeply personal memories from my childhood as a child of immigrants. Over the next few years, as I shared these experiences with my editor Kate, the idea naturally evolved into Don’t Cause Trouble.

On one hand, switching from picture books to a graphic novel felt familiar—my picture books often use panels and sequential art, so the visual storytelling came naturally. On the other hand, tackling a project that required an entire screenplay-style script and more than 250 pages of art was no small feat. It stretched my storytelling skills in new ways, but finishing something so substantial was incredibly rewarding. It turns out that big challenges can be a lot of fun when they come from telling a story close to your heart.

BB: The middle grade graphic novel memoir is considered a staple of comics for kids right now. With that in mind, was writing a fictionalized version of your own experiences your first inclination when you thought about making a GN or was it something that was suggested to you as a good place to start?

Arree: When I first started, I envisioned something more autobiographical—along the lines of Smile by Raina Telgemeier. But when I tried piecing them together chronologically, it felt scattered. Some experiences, like the mysterious love note I once received, never really had a neat conclusion in real life. It was humorous but wasn’t a full story.

That’s when I realized it would help to fictionalize things. I could take those awkward, funny, and heartfelt moments and weave them into a cohesive storyline with its own emotional arc. Making a fictionalized version of my experiences gave me the freedom to explore what I learned and felt, without being bound by strict facts and timelines. And it allowed me to infuse humor and tie everything back to the central idea of embracing where you come from and who you are.

BB: While a lot of this feels very specific and very real, it’s impossible for the reader to know which parts actually happened to you and which just extrapolate on those real experiences. For example, I found myself wondering if they really put you in an ESL class in middle school. Is that true?

Arree: Yes! Being placed in ESL was absolutely true—though it actually happened in my later elementary school years. By middle school, a teacher recognized my strengths and placed me in honors classes, which was a huge turning point. As for some of the other story elements, like Ming’s friends Vikrum and Marcus, they’re inspired by real people but from different periods of my life. And that love note? Totally real—but I never discovered if it was just a prank or genuine.

The part about stealing shirts from a department store was also drawn from real events. In reality, I got my brother involved instead of my friends, and we both got caught! Needless to say, my parents were not thrilled about that episode.

BB: Well, and much along the same lines, how did you go about deciding which elements from your own life to include and which you wouldn’t? Were there stories you really wanted to put in the book that simply didn’t fit the storyline?

Arree: Fictionalizing my childhood gave me room to shape a complete story while still capturing the heart of my experiences. I had plenty of memories I wanted to include, but if a scene didn’t serve the book’s core themes, I had to let it go. I wanted to maintain a clear story arc and explore Ming’s identity, so every plot point needed to reinforce that.

For instance, Ming’s journal and his alien drawings show how he feels different and dreams big. But the trick-or-treating adventure never actually happened to me—it just felt like the perfect moment to deepen the boys’ friendship. On the other hand, scenes of my parents collecting a “candy tax” really did happen. In the end, it’s a mix of real anecdotes and invented moments, but all of it supports the story I wanted to tell.

BB: I think I speak for all kids when I say that the “candy tax” moment caused me almost physical pain to read. You know, it can be difficult taking a real life and giving it a satisfying narrative with a strong end. Did you have to invent the conflict in this book or was some of it real?

Arree: Most of the conflict in Don’t Cause Trouble comes directly from my life: My parents really struggled financially, they truly sent money back to family abroad, and arguments about paying tithe vs. saving every cent happened often. The longing for new clothes, the bowl haircut, wanting to join the basketball team, and even stealing clothes to fit in—all real.

What took more creativity was weaving these moments into one cohesive arc. Real life can feel random, so I had to invent certain details—like how my friends reacted to the mysterious love notes—and build a satisfying resolution. In reality, I never learned if my own love note was legit. And while I dreamed of my mom turning her egg rolls into a business, that never happened. If it did, perhaps today we would be rich! But at its heart, the core lesson remains the same: by working through trouble, I learned from my mistakes, discovered what truly mattered, and carved my own identity.

BB: Finally, what else do you have coming out these days? What else is on the horizon?

Arree: I’m currently developing two new inspirational picture books—The Long Shot and The High Bar. Both focus on resilience, overcoming challenges, and learning how to get back up when you fall. I’m also exploring fresh ideas for more graphic novels. And who knows? There might be a sequel to Don’t Cause Trouble. I still have plenty of personal experiences that haven’t made it onto the page yet!

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Huge thanks to Arree for taking the time to talk to me on this, his book’s birthday. Thanks as well to Morgan Rath and her team at Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for giving me the chance to talk to Arree in the first place. Don’t Cause Trouble is out at this precise moment in time, so delay not! Find yourself a copy and indulge. You won’t even have to pay a candy tax.

Filed under: Interviews