The Great Ant Sleepover

Written by playwright Madhuri Shekar and illustrated by Nicole Kang Ahn, The Great Ant Sleepover celebrates the special bond between siblings and reminds us that with family by your side, even new experiences can feel like home.

The Great Ant Sleepover is going on stage this May! Dig into the underground world of ants and join Anton on his very first night in the big kids' room, where he discovers that even brave little ants can feel a bit anxious when faced with new adventures.

Bina’s Harvest

Written by acclaimed playwright Lloyd Suh and beautifully illustrated by Nicole Kang Ahn, this heartwarming story is the 2024 Mayor’s Summer Reading Club book selection, marking the sixth collaboration between the MSRC and the Alliance.

Set against the backdrop of an apple orchard, Bina’s Harvest follows young Bina as she eagerly joins her family in harvesting apples for the first time. Throughout her journey, Bina learns that patience and timing are essential parts of the process. This beautifully crafted story imparts valuable lessons about growth and understanding.

Lloyd Suh, known for his poignant play Bina’s Six Apples, has infused Bina’s Harvest with personal and cultural significance. Reflecting on this project, Suh shares:

“It’s such an honor to work with Nicole Kang Ahn and the team at Alliance Theatre on this book, which means so much to me as a story inspired by my family’s history, and motivated by my family’s future. I’m so grateful to the Mayor’s Summer Reading Club for making it possible to share this story with my kids, my parents, and the city of Atlanta.”

Nicole Kang Ahn, a celebrated Atlanta artist whose work often explores themes of cultural identity and motherhood, has brought Bina’s world to life with her vibrant illustrations. Reflecting on her experience, Ahn says:

“Bina’s Harvest is one of the most joyful projects I have taken on as an artist. I loved working with Lloyd Suh and bringing Bina’s story to life. His ability to guide and direct in his writing gave me the freedom to imagine Bina as a character that is a part of who I am. I reflected on my experiences, my mother’s, and my grandparents’, and drew inspiration for the characters from my own daughter and husband. As a second-generation Korean American, this book is a gift to my child and to my community. I am deeply grateful to the Alliance Theatre for another opportunity to illustrate and dream up these stories through my art.”

The Curious Cardinal

Written by Mark Valdez and illustrated by Nicole Kang Ahn, The Curious Cardinal follows the journey of a newly hatched CC through the forests of Atlanta.

The Curious Cardinal was first dreamt up back in 2021 by the Kathy & Ken Bernhardt Theatre for the Very Young. In collaboration with the Fernbank Museum of Natural History and sponsored by PNC’s Grow Up Great program, the Curious Cardinal animated short was created to engage with young audiences while teaching them about the changes that all our seasons bring. From the screen to the stage, we brought the story of CC to life this year when the Kathy & Ken Bernhardt Theatre for the Very Young produced the short as a show in the Selig Family Black Box Theatre.

When Valdez signed on to write the Curious Cardinal story, he “wanted to write a story that captured the joy and life that’s found in nature. Atlanta is such a beautiful city, with its water and trees, and animals. I hope the readers of this book will be curious enough to spend more time outdoors, exploring what’s right here.”

As per the Mayor’s Summer Reading Club initiative, the story impacted the children who read/witnessed it. However, it was also significant to those who contributed to the story, as illustrator Nicole Kang Ahn remarks:

“Working on Curious Cardinal‘s illustrations resonated deeply with me as a new mom and as a long-time resident of Atlanta. This book is a celebration of Atlanta’s rich forestry and all of its beautiful inhabitants, but also about a love between a mother and child.”

ABC’s of AAPIs Coloring Book

Commissioned by the Asian American Advocacy Fund and produced by Color ATL, AAPI Artists in Metro-Atlanta created illustrations and poems exploring Asian American history and cultural themes for every letter of the alphabet. Learn more about the coloring book HERE.

Remembering 3/16 Atlanta Spa Shootings

Commissioned by Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Atlanta, these illustrations mark one year of tragedy that deeply impacted Atlanta’s AAPI communities.

The illustrations are on view at Central Library through May 31, 2022. More on the project HERE.