It's Monday! What are you reading?

Immigration is frequently on my mind lately, as my daughter and her Japanese husband prepare to move to the United States in 2021.  I was drawn to this picture book biography on the review table, not realizing that the subject played a crucial role in the first Disney movie I remember seeing--"Bambi".

The title, Paper Son, refers to the practice of forging background paperwork to circumvent the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882.  In 1920, Wong Geng Yeo immigrated to the United States with his father, who pretended to be a merchant in order to gain entry.  Geng Yeo's forged name was Tai Yow.  When he began attending public school, his teachers combined and Americanized his name to Tyrus Wong.

Tyrus' father worked hard to support his son and encouraged his artistic talent.  Tyrus made his way into the Disney studios, doing the "grunt work" of hand-drawn animation.  He continued developing his own art skills on the side, mixing Western and Eastern influences into a style of his own.  When he heard that Disney was having difficulty coming up with backgrounds for "Bambi", he submitted his own painted landscapes.  Walt Disney decided they were just what the movie needed.

"Bambi" was not the end of Tyrus Wong's story.  To read more about his immigration process, time at Disney, and his artful pursuits, read Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist by Julie Leung, illustrated by Chris Sasaki. 

For more information about Chinese immigration and heritage in the United States, explore the National Archives at this link.