children's book author • poet • educator
About Emily
Emily Sun Li is a Chinese American children's book writer with an MA in Children’s Literature and MFA in Writing for Children from Simmons University. She began her career in education teaching high school English literature at the Taft School while earning her M.S.Ed. through the University of Pennsylvania’s Independent School Teaching Residency program. Afterwards, she taught elementary English in Kaohsiung, Taiwan as a Fulbright scholar. She studied creative writing and environmental science at Emory University, graduating summa cum laude.
Her nonfiction chapter book THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE FLUFFY: TRUE STORIES OF ANIMAL TROUBLEMAKERS released with Scholastic’s Clubs and Fairs division in Fall 2024, and her debut picturebook MR. CHOW’S NIGHT MARKET publishes in Spring 2026 with Penguin Workshop/Penguin Random House in a two-book deal. Her poetry is published by Button Poetry, Molecule, and Rigorous, and her writing has been recognized by the YoungArts Foundation, Voyage YA Journal, and the City of Boston. She has received support from the Fine Arts Work Center, the Key West Literary Seminar, Centrum, the Sue-Je Lee Gage Sunlit Residency for Human Rights and Social Justice, Tin House, and the Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts. When she’s not writing, she’s probably procrasti-cleaning, drinking milk tea, or traveling.
She is represented by Emily Forney at BookEnds Literary Agency.
Author Visits
Hi there! Thank you so much for your interest in booking me for an author visit, writing workshop, school and library visit, or general speaking engagement. Drawing on my diverse background as an educator, I love sharing behind-the-scenes details about my books, my life as a full-time author, and the process of writing and revising.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS
RATES
In-Person Visits
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Local (within ~1 hour drive of Ithaca, NY)
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$500 per day (up to 3 sessions)
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Single session: $250
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Extended travel
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$1,000 per day (up to 3 sessions)
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Single session: $350 (typically booked in conjunction with additional engagements)
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Virtual Visits
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$200 (approximately 45 minutes; flexible)
Visit Logistics
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Additional sessions beyond three are available upon request.
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Travel and lodging are not included in the honorarium.
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If I'm already in your region or coordinating multiple school visits, I'm happy to discuss adjusted rates. If budget is a concern, please don't hesitate to reach out—I'd love to explore options together!
TESTIMONIALS
Author Emily Li’s visit to Mt. Alvernia Academy was a delightful and inspiring experience for our 2nd–6th graders. Through a lively reading of her book The Good, the Bad, and the Fluffy, she captivated students with humor, heart, and the wild adventures of the animals themselves. Her interactive activities, including a Mad Libs-style creative writing activity and thoughtful Q&A, sparked imagination and made storytelling feel accessible to all.
Emily’s warm, encouraging presence empowered young readers to see themselves as creators, and her visit left a lasting impression—we can’t keep her book on the shelf at the library!
Elementary School Principal
Mr. Chow's Night Market — Boston Book Launch
Saturday, April 25 | 11am ET
Beacon Hill Books