Home › Books for Ages 9–12 › Picture Us in the Light

Picture Us in the Light

by Kelly Loy Gilbert

Family history, friendship, and a future taking shape

Regular price $14.62 USD
Regular price $24.37 USD Sale price $14.62 USD
Save 40%

Paperback New

Delivery to your door
In stock·Dispatches in 1–2 business days
Standard shipping* from $4.35
Standard shipping transit* 5–8 business days after dispatch

Faster options are available.

Rates and delivery estimates depend on your destination and item quantity. Estimates are informational only; the final shipping method and rate are selected at checkout.

Secure checkout
American Express Apple Pay DiscoverGoogle Pay Mastercard PayPalVisa
30-day eligible returns Returns & refunds policy

AlbakiReads Editorial

Family history, friendship, and a future taking shape

Danny Cheng’s plans for an artistic future are complicated by two questions: what his parents have kept hidden, and what his closest friendship with Harry means as their lives begin to diverge. The discovery of old letters and a file connected to a powerful Bay Area family draws Danny into his family’s past, while the anniversary of a tragedy among his friends adds pressure to relationships in the present. The novel brings together family secrets, immigration-related social themes, friendship, and the uncertainty of defining a future on one’s own terms.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Teens and young adults interested in stories about family history and secrets.
  • Readers drawn to fiction exploring friendship, identity, and life transitions.
  • Those interested in young adult fiction with immigration-related social themes.

Themes

Family secrets and historyFriendship and changeArtistic ambitionImmigration and family identityBuilding an independent future

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

"Picture me madly in love with this moving, tender, unapologetically honest book."--Becky Albertalli, #1 best-selling author of Simon Vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

Danny Cheng has always known his parents have secrets. But when he discovers a taped-up box in his father's closet filled with old letters and a file on a powerful Bay Area family, he realizes there's much more to his family's past than he ever imagined.

Danny has been an artist for as long as he can remember and it seems his path is set, with a scholarship to RISD and his family's blessing to pursue the career he's always dreamed of. Still, contemplating a future without his best friend, Harry Wong, by his side makes Danny feel a panic he can barely put into words. Harry's and Danny's lives are deeply intertwined and as they approach the one-year anniversary of a tragedy that shook their friend group to its core, Danny can't stop asking himself if Harry is truly in love with his girlfriend, Regina Chan.

When Danny digs deeper into his parents' past, he uncovers a secret that disturbs the foundations of his family history and the carefully constructed facade his parents have maintained begins to crumble. With everything he loves in danger of being stripped away, Danny must face the ghosts of the past in order to build a future that belongs to him in this complex, lyrical novel.
Shipping & returnsShipping options, delivery timing, and our return policy.

In-stock items normally dispatch within 1–2 business days. The ZIP-code estimator on this page is informational only; the final shipping method, price, and availability are confirmed at checkout for your full order.

For the initial delivery estimate we use these transit windows after dispatch: Standard 5–8 business days, Expedited 2–4 business days, and Priority 1–2 business days. Holiday delays are not included.

Eligible items can be returned within 30 days in accordance with our return policy.

Customer reviews