Join us for a storytime with award-winning local author Songju Ma Daemicke featuring her new book, Grace Lee Boggs: Gardens of Hope, followed by a gardening craft!

When Grace Lee Boggs was eight years old, her teacher gave her a copy of The Secret Garden. As a Chinese-American who had experienced prejudice, Grace wanted to grow a garden of her own that would help people heal from the injustice in society. Grace dedicated her life to fighting for civil, environmental, labor, and women’s rights. In 1992, she and her husband founded Detroit Summer, a multicultural and intergenerational youth program that inspired kids to become leaders in their community. Together with these “solutionaries,” Grace finally created the garden she dreamed about, one that continues to inspire people to make the world a better place for everyone.

Author bio: 

Songju Ma Daemicke, a former engineer, is an award-winning Chinese American children's book author. Her book, Tu Youyou’s Discovery: Finding a Cure for Malaria, was a finalist for the 2023 SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books; Cao Chong Weighs an Elephant was a Best STEM book, among many other honors. Songju loves to share China’s rich cultural heritage and her STEM knowledge with young readers.