Brandon Hoàng

The Beasts Beneath the Winds: Tales of Southeast Asia’s Mythical Creatures

Brandon Hoàng

Brandon Hoàng is the author of the critically acclaimed novel Gloria Buenrostro is Not My Girlfriend, and the middle grade books The Crossbow of Destiny, Minecraft: One Last Quest, and Avatar the Last Airbender's The Kyoshi Warriors.

Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Brandon grew up coveting The Baby-Sitters Club books and slurping phở noodles. Before he was a writer, Brandon was an animation executive. Now a television writer by day and novelist by night, he currently resides in the PNW.

I FELL IN LOVE WITH READING...

Growing up, my Saturdays consisted of slurping noodles at a local pho joint followed by a trip to Powell’s. I used to spend hours in the Rose Room (the children’s lit section). Each visit I was allowed to pick out one book and I took that decision very seriously.

Every Christmas, I looked forward to finding a Newbery Award Winner in my stocking. Although, much to my parents’ dismay, sometimes I would trade in the classics for the latest RL Stine.

THEN I FELL IN LOVE WITH WRITING...

My mom used to bring home reams of used printer paper from her work and I’d use them to write and draw my own books. I bound them with staples and sell them to my neighbors for a quarter. I think I made ten bucks one summer.

After graduating from college with a degree in Sociology, I packed my bags and left for Los Angeles. I started off as an assistant at Nickelodeon Animation Studios and climbed the executive ladder. During the day, I was a Creative Executive and at night, I would plug away on my own manuscripts.

I even curated a popular dating blog (remember blogs?). That’s how I met my wife.

WHEN I’M NOT READING OR WRITING

I play a lot of video games, doodle in my diary, scour the library with my daughters, and laugh a lot with my wife. I’m proud to say that I’ve won a handful of Halloween costume contests.

I believe you can tell a lot from a person based on which Sideways Story was their favorite. Mine was the one where the boy got a tattoo for his birthday present, and he ultimately picked a potato. Take from that what you will.

Brandon Hoàng is the author of the critically acclaimed novel Gloria Buenrostro is Not My Girlfriend, and the middle grade books The Crossbow of Destiny, Minecraft: One Last Quest, and Avatar the Last Airbender's The Kyoshi Warriors.

Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Brandon grew up coveting The Baby-Sitters Club books and slurping phở noodles. Before he was a writer, Brandon was an animation executive. Now a television writer by day...

Books

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Secret of Athria: The Inventor's Eye

After a young genius and his best friend are transported to a strange world of talking animals ruled by an evil dictator, they’ll realize that the only way home is to lead a revolution.

Young genius Fuller Ngô thought he would find answers when he broke into his missing mother’s lab. Instead, he found himself and his sporty best friend Gauntlet...

Gloria Buenrostro Is Not My Girlfriend

A contemporary YA debut about a Vietnamese-American boy who tries to attain popularity by befriending the most beautiful girl in school, inspired by the Vietnamese-American author’s teen experience.

Gary Võ is one of the few Vietnamese kids in his school and has been shy for as long as he can remember--being ignored and excluded by his...

The Crossbow of Destiny

When Vietnamese American Freddie Lo finds herself in Vietnam for the first time since she was little, she’s not quite sure how to feel. The memories of her extended family are more like distant echoes; she has a tough time speaking Vietnamese; and she can’t help but feel like she just isn’t Vietnamese enough. Still, this is her chance to...

Praise

Gloria Buenrostro Is Not My Girlfriend is a richly layered, relatable teen novel about what it means to be a man and how to be a good friend. With a cinematic summer setting and well-drawn characters to root for, this young adult novel explores important topics in today’s teen landscape, from toxic masculinity to classism and mental health, while remaining appropriate for the youngest in its audience.

– Afoma Umesi, Reading Middle Grade

It's not very often that you can read a book that's directed at children and preteens and have them feel like the characters could actually be real. But here they most definitely do feel real. I could see a little bit of each of the characters in my son. The twists and turns and mystery were honestly incredibly well done. Every aspect of this book was truly perfect and even I loved every minute of it. I couldn't put it down and neither could my son.

You're also looking for a fantastic book for ages 9 and up, especially if your child is going into middle school, that shows them the important parts about still being a kid, that growing up and changing is okay, and how important the magic of finding fantastic friends who will always love you for you is.
(Minecraft: One Last Quest)

– Carlina Kinch, Goodreads

I'm known for being just a tad more lenient with my MG reads than those that are YA. I'm very far removed from my MG years, but I would have killed for a book like this growing up.
(The Crossbow of Destiny)

– Mai H, Goodreads

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Events

YALL FEST is Charleston’s Young Adult and Middle Grade Book Festival. The first YALLFest took place in 2011, and was co-founded by Blue Bicycle Books owner Jonathan Sanchez and authors Margaret Stohl and Kami Garcia. It has grown into one of the nation’s most beloved book festivals, spawning a west-coast sister festival in YALLWEST, and it is one of the largest kidlit festivals in the country.