Olivia Fu is a painter, illustrator, and Teaching Artist. She earned her BFA in painting from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She currently teaches mural painting for nonprofit
public art organization, Groundswell and New York history through art for the New York Historical Society Museum. She has taught grades K-12 and is deeply committed to developing accessible and engaging lessons, whether that be in a gallery or classroom setting. In the past, Fu’s mission as an artist was advocacy. Her paintings focused on historical and current events that were personally significant to her, however her experiences teaching have affected her artistic process. While she continues her passion for raising awareness in her murals, she is currently breaking into the field of children’s book writing and illustration. Fu uses storytelling when teaching and believes that stories incite meaningful experiences. She is interested in communicating larger themes and life lessons for a younger audience, in her children’s books.
Reviews
“Elizabeth’s Constellation Quilt offers an engaging picture book about a little mouse who worries that she can never be a sailor because she can’t remember the stars – and thus, can’t navigate.Her mother’s solution is to make Elizabeth a ‘constellation quilt’ so she can live her dreams – and so an engaging story of a little mouse who “wanted to be a sailor, just like her father” emerges to offer something different to parents who read aloud and kids who like warm, different stories.
Elizabeth’s Constellation Quilt excels in both illustration and story line: a special feature because the author is both writer and illustrator, here. The engaging little mouse drawings are perfect accents to this story of a mouse who perceives the stars as “all the same,” and who steps up to the plate when her father is seemingly lost at sea.
It turns out that Elizabeth’s greatest liability will become her only asset in finding her father, holding a gentle conclusion that, while not entirely unexpected, is still warm and involving.
Parents looking for a special read-aloud bedtime story won’t want to pass by this tale: it chronicles the courage of a young mouse who isn’t afraid to dream or tackle life’s challenges.”
– Midwest Book Review, Children’s Bookwatch, June, 2015
“Elizabeth’s Constellation Quilt is a delightful picture pop-up for small children. Olivia Fu has written wonderfully, introducing a loving family of mice in a plot that is educational too. Elizabeth is adorable and brave in her quest to find her father, and I admire her determination. The author shows in a subtle and creative format how children can learn new things while having fun. She has displayed her artistic side with the magnificently coloured illustrations that enhance the story. Olivia Fu will win the hearts of young readers with her entertaining book.”
– Readers Favorite 5-Star Review/Award
“A mouse embarks on a remarkable journey to find her father who’s lost at sea in this heartwarming story of love and stars. The adorable, emotive illustrations, like a movie storyboard, perfectly follow the arc of the tale, in which the plot points connect like stars in a constellation. Children with military parents overseas will especially relate to—and find hope in—little Elizabeth’s determination and unwillingness to give up.”
– Foreword Reviews
Awards
Winner of 2015 INDIEFAB Book of the Year, Picture Books (Children’s)
