photo credit: Kyra Nygard
Bio text and images may be used for publicity purposes. See the Contact page for booking info and for more publicity/permission information.
Sun Yung Shin
신 선 영 Sun Yung Shin is an award-winning poet, writer, editor, children’s book author, and cultural worker. She was born in Seoul, raised in the Chicago area, and lives in Minneapolis.
She is the author of the creative nonfiction book Heart Eater: A Memoir of Immigration, Language, and Belonging, forthcoming from Black Lawrence Press in July 2026. Her fifth and most recent poetry collection is Six Tones of Water (Ricochet Editions), co-authored with poet, novelist, and visual artist Vi Khi Nao. She is the editor of the anthologies A Good Time for the Truth: Race in Minnesota and What We Hunger For: Refugee and Immigrant Stories on Food and Family (Minnesota Historical Society Press). She is a co-editor of the groundbreaking collection Outsiders Within: Writing on Transracial Adoption (University of Minnesota Press).
She is the author of four Coffee House Press poetry collections: The Wet Hex (winner of a Midland Authors Society Award, finalist for a Minnesota Book Award, finalist for a PEN USA Literary Award); Unbearable Splendor (finalist for a PEN USA Literary Award, winner of a Minnesota Book Award); Rough, and Savage (finalist for The Believer Award); and Skirt Full of Black (winner of an Asian American Literary Award).
Her books for children include the bilingual (Korean/English) picture book Cooper’s Lesson (Lee & Low Books, National Parenting Publications Award, Booklist and School Library Journal Starred Reviews) and co-authored picture book Where We Come From (Lerner Publishing, winner of a Carter G. Woodson Award, finalist for a Minnesota Book Award).
Her latest picture book, Revolutions are Made of Love: Grace Lee Boggs and James Boggs (Lerner Publishing, 2025), is co-written with Mélina Mangal and illustrated by Leslie Barlow. It is a finalist for a Minnesota Book Award in the picture book category, to be announced in May 2026.
Her poems, nonfiction, and visual arts writing have been published widely in places such as POETRY, BOMB Magazine, the 광주 Gwangju Biennale, Frieze London, American Craft, American Composers Forum, and elsewhere.
Shin is a current McKnight Foundation Fellow in Creative Nonfiction judged by Valeria Luiselli and is a recent MacDowell Fellow; she has received artist grants from the Bush Foundation, the Minnesota State Arts Board, and elsewhere. She co-directs the community micro-organization Poetry Asylum with poet Su Hwang.
Forthcoming books include:
- Asian American Histories of the United States for Young People, a co-adaptation for young readers with Sarah Park Dahlen based on the original book by Cathy Ceniza Choy published by Beacon Press.
- The Wonder of Watersheds, a picture book co-authored with her Where We Come From co-authors Diane Wilson, Shannon Gibney, and John Coy, to be published by Lerner Publishing Group in Fall 2028.
Sun Yung Shin is represented by literary agent Tricia Toney Lawrence at Aevitas Creative Management and her speaking agent is Anya Backlund at Blue Flower Arts Literary Speakers Agency.
Sun Yung Shin
신 선 영 Sun Yung Shin is an award-winning poet, writer, editor, children’s book author, and cultural worker. She was born in Seoul, raised in the Chicago area, and lives in Minneapolis.
She is the author of the creative nonfiction book Heart Eater: A Memoir of Immigration, Language, and Belonging, forthcoming from Black Lawrence Press in July 2026. Her fifth and most recent poetry collection is Six Tones of Water (Ricochet Editions), co-authored with poet, novelist, and visual artist Vi Khi Nao. She is the editor of the anthologies A Good Time for the Truth: Race in Minnesota and What We Hunger For: Refugee and Immigrant Stories on Food and Family (Minnesota Historical Society Press). She is a co-editor of the groundbreaking collection Outsiders Within: Writing on Transracial Adoption (University of Minnesota Press).
She is the author of four Coffee House Press poetry collections: The Wet Hex (winner of a Midland Authors Society Award, finalist for a Minnesota Book Award, finalist for a PEN USA Literary Award); Unbearable Splendor (finalist for a PEN USA Literary Award, winner of a Minnesota Book Award); Rough, and Savage (finalist for The Believer Award); and Skirt Full of Black (winner of an Asian American Literary Award).
Her books for children include the bilingual (Korean/English) picture book Cooper’s Lesson (Lee & Low Books, National Parenting Publications Award, Booklist and School Library Journal Starred Reviews) and co-authored picture book Where We Come From (Lerner Publishing, winner of a Carter G. Woodson Award, finalist for a Minnesota Book Award).
Her latest picture book, Revolutions are Made of Love: Grace Lee Boggs and James Boggs (Lerner Publishing, 2025), is co-written with Mélina Mangal and illustrated by Leslie Barlow. It is a finalist for a Minnesota Book Award in the picture book category, to be announced in May 2026.
Her poems, nonfiction, and visual arts writing have been published widely in places such as POETRY, BOMB Magazine, the 광주 Gwangju Biennale, Frieze London, American Craft, American Composers Forum, and elsewhere.
Shin is a current McKnight Foundation Fellow in Creative Nonfiction judged by Valeria Luiselli and is a recent MacDowell Fellow; she has received artist grants from the Bush Foundation, the Minnesota State Arts Board, and elsewhere. She co-directs the community micro-organization Poetry Asylum with poet Su Hwang.
Forthcoming books include:
- Asian American Histories of the United States for Young People, a co-adaptation for young readers with Sarah Park Dahlen based on the original book by Cathy Ceniza Choy published by Beacon Press.
- The Wonder of Watersheds, a picture book co-authored with her Where We Come From co-authors Diane Wilson, Shannon Gibney, and John Coy, to be published by Lerner Publishing Group in Fall 2028.
Sun Yung Shin is represented by literary agent Tricia Toney Lawrence at Aevitas Creative Management and her speaking agent is Anya Backlund at Blue Flower Arts Literary Speakers Agency.
photo credit: Kyra Nygard
Bio text and images may be used for publicity purposes. See the Contact page for booking info and for more publicity/permission information.