What Gives Cátia Chien Hope

More hope. From the kidlit community, to you.  

No matter where you are. No matter what’s going on around you. No matter what is pulling your attention or competing for space in your mind. May these next few minutes offer you rest, peace, and hope.

Hope - March 21, 2026

Cátia Chien, illustrator of Fireworks (Clarion Books), written by Matthew Burgess, shares what is giving her hope today: the small acts of kindness and love that we give to the world. 

Listen along:

About the Book:  Fireworks by Matthew Burgess and Cátia Chien. Published by Clarion Books.

Fireworks is a sparkling picture book from the award-winning team of Matthew Burgess and Cátia Chien, highlighting the simple delights of a steamy July day in the city as two siblings eagerly anticipate a spectacular fireworks display.

POP!

As a hot day sizzles into evening, everyone on stoops and sidewalks looks skyward on this special summer night—the Fourth of July! Words and art blossom into flowers of fire across the sky, making this a perfect read for firework enthusiasts in cities and suburbs everywhere.

More:

Visit Cátia Chien online at catiachien.com 

Learn more about Boyds Mills and their upcoming programs by visiting boydsmills.org. 

Transcript:

Cátia: "It is hard to not have hope when you see love that keeps showing up in this way. And I do think that, there was a time in my life too where I felt like. The parts of me that were vulnerable, the parts of me that perhaps, had been pushed into the shadows because I felt that I had gotten either remarks or hurt in some way. And we then put away parts of ourselves thinking that the world is not ready for them.

But to hear someone like being an artist and then seeing somebody shine so fully, I think it's and understand that your strength is your vulnerability and that the parts of you that perhaps you thought, oh, I can't show that part. I can't talk about that.

And then when you do talk about it, you become a mirror to all the people that perhaps are afraid to show themselves and now are able to then step into the light with you. And it's such a brave act.

And I think so as an artist, I think, both Matthew and I really felt so, enlivened by that for, by her and by her, what she represents and who she, how she talks about art for.

So I think for me it just, it's an act of love. All of that. It's an act of love, and so it's creating books. So it's making this podcast. So it is this gift that we wanna give to the world. These are small acts of kindness. And also the other thing that also gives me a lot of hope is forgiveness and allowing people to change their minds.

We know that came up recently in the news, like just the idea of we can see people getting caught up and then we can say, Hey, let me just stay here because I know that I believe in you and I know that things can change. Something like, that's really moving to me as well."