Lensey Namioka

She writes about China and Chinese American families, as well as Japan, her husband's native country.

Here she met and married Isaac Namioka, a fellow graduate student who was born in Japan.

Namioka ended up earning a bachelor's and a master's degree in math.

These syllables could be written in Gwoyeu Romatzyh as "len" and "sey."

For instance, Ties that Bind, Ties that Break was named one of the American Library Association's 10 Best Books for Young People, and also won the California Young Reader Medal and the Washington State Governor's Writers Award.