Lensey Namioka facts for kids

Lensey Namioka (born June 14, 1929) is a talented writer from China who now lives in America. She writes many popular books for young adults and children. Her stories often explore the lives of Chinese and Chinese American families. She also writes about Japan, which is her husband's home country.

Early Life and Learning

Lensey Chao went to Radcliffe College and the University of California, Berkeley. She studied mathematics there. Her father was a professor of Asian Studies at Berkeley. While studying, she met and married Isaac Namioka. He was also a graduate student and was born in Japan. Lensey Namioka earned both a bachelor's and a master's degree in math.

How Lensey Got Her Unique Name

Lensey Namioka has a very special first name. It is believed that she is the only Chinese person with the name "Lensey." What makes it even more unique is that there are no traditional Chinese characters to write it.

Her father, a language expert, was studying all the sounds in the Chinese language. He noticed two sounds, "len" and "sey," that could be made in Chinese but were not used in any words. Soon after, his third daughter was born. He decided to name her "Lensey," using these two special sounds.

Awards and Special Recognition

Lensey Namioka has won many important awards for her books. For example, her book Ties that Bind, Ties that Break received great honors.

• It was named one of the American Library Association's 10 Best Books for Young People.
• It also won the California Young Reader Medal.
• She received the Washington State Governor's Writers Award for her work.