FROM A WHISPER TO A RALLYING CRY
The Killing of Vincent Chin and the Trial that Galvanized the Asian American Movement
By Paula Yoo
Norton Young Readers (W.W. Norton & Co.)
Paperback Publication Date: August 21, 2023 (with Teacher's Guide)
Hardcover Publication Date: April 20, 2021
From the Publisher:
A compelling account of the killing of Vincent Chin, the verdicts that took the Asian American community to the streets in protest, and the groundbreaking civil rights trial that followed.
America in 1982: Japanese car companies are on the rise and believed to be putting U.S. autoworkers out of their jobs. Anti–Asian American sentiment simmers, especially in Detroit. A bar fight turns fatal, leaving a Chinese American man, Vincent Chin, beaten to death at the hands of two white men, autoworker Ronald Ebens and his stepson, Michael Nitz.
Paula Yoo has crafted a searing examination of the killing and the trial and verdicts that followed. When Ebens and Nitz pled guilty to manslaughter and received only a $3,000 fine and three years’ probation, the lenient sentence sparked outrage. The protests that followed led to a federal civil rights trial—the first involving a crime against an Asian American—and galvanized what came to be known as the Asian American movement.
Extensively researched from court transcripts, contemporary news accounts, and in-person interviews with key participants, From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry is a suspenseful, nuanced, and authoritative portrait of a pivotal moment in civil rights history, and a man who became a symbol against hatred and racism.

PAPERBACK BOOK:
- Publisher: Norton Young Readers (W.W. Norton & Co.)
- Publication Date: August 21, 2023
- ISBN-10: 1324052546
- ISBN-13: 978-1-324052548
- Length: 384 pages
- Reading Age: 13-18 years
- Grade Level: 8 and up
HARDCOVER:
- Publisher: Norton Young Readers (W.W. Norton & Co.)
- Publication Date: April 20, 2021
- ISBN-10: 1324002875
ISBN-13: 978-1-324-00287-1 - Length: 384 pages
- Reading Age: 13-18 years
- Grade Level: 8 and up
AUDIO BOOK:
- Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
- Narrated by: Catherine Ho
- Audible.com Release Date: April 20, 2021
- Listening Length: 7 hours and 36 minutes
WhisperSync for Voice: Ready - Program Type: Audiobook
- Version: Unabridged
- Language: English
- ASIN: B08YLML3NK
AWARDS
2022 NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION (NEA): “READ ACROSS AMERICA” YA BOOK SELECTION
2022 LOS ANGELES TIMES BOOK PRIZE: YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE FINALIST
2022 YOUNG ADULT LIBRARY SERVICES ASSOCIATION (YALSA) AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN NONFICTION - FINALIST
2022 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE COUNCIL OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA:
PEGGY MILLER AWARD FOR YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE
2022 CHINESE AMERICAN LIBRARIANS ASSOCIATION: BEST BOOK AWARD WINNER
2022 MICHIGAN NOTABLE BOOKS
2021 BOSTON GLOBE-HORN BOOK AWARD FOR NONFICTION - WINNER
2021 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD: YOUNG PEOPLE’S LITERATURE - LONGLIST
2021 BOOKLIST EDITORS' CHOICE: TOP OF THE LIST WINNER IN YOUTH NONFICTION
2021 JUNIOR LIBRARY GUILD GOLD STANDARD
2021 AMAZON EDITORS’ PICK FOR BEST YOUNG ADULT BOOKS
2021 BOOKLIST: BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR
2021 CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY: BEST TEEN NONFICTION
2021 HORN BOOK: FANFARE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR
2021 KIRKUS REVIEWS: BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR
2021 NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY: BEST BOOKS FOR TEENS
2021 NPR: BOOKS WE LOVE - BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR
2021 PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR
2021 SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR
2021 TIME MAGAZINE: TEN BEST YA & CHILDREN'S BOOKS OF THE YEAR
2021 THE WASHINGTON POST: BEST CHILDREN’S BOOKS OF THE YEAR
UPCOMING EVENTS
NOVEMBER 2023
Event: National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Annual Convention
Date: November 16-19, 2023
Time: TBA
Link: https://ncte.org
AUGUST 2023
Event: Library of Congress "Intimate Lecture" co-sponsored by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center (APAC) and the Library of Congress
Date: August 4-6, 2023
Time: TBA
Link: https://smithsonianapa.org
MAY 2023
Event: Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) "Research, Teaching and Training on Anti-Asian Hate" Webinar
Date: May 23, 2023
Time: 1 PM EST/10 AM PST
Link: https://www.aejmc.org
Event: "Who Was Vincent Chin? Author Visit with Paula Yoo Tapei American School Webinar
Date: May 19, 2023
Time: 8:30 AM (Tapei)
Link: https://www.tas.edu.tw and https://usic.tas.edu.tw
Event: "Is There Justice for All? A Conversation with Author Paula Yoo" Tapei American School Webinar
Date: May 9, 2023
Time: 8:30 AM (Tapei)
Link: https://www.tas.edu.tw
APRIL 2023
Event: Association for Asian American Studies Annual Conference (Long Beach, CA)
Date: April 6, 2023
Time: 10 AM PST
Link: https://aaastudies.org
Event: The Center for Children's Books: "A Conversation with Award-Winning Writer Paula Yoo" Joint Webinar for University of Illinois and University of Michigan
Date: April 4, 2023
Time: 2 PM CT
Link: https://ischool.illinois.edu/news-events/events/2023/04/04/conversation-award-winning-writer-paula-yoo
MARCH 2023
Event: Cherry Creek School District Author Visits (Denver, CO)
Date: February 27 to March 3, 2023
Time: Various
Link: https://www.cherrycreekschools.org
FEBRUARY 2023
Event: Glendale Central Library "Be the Change" Book Festival Panel Interview with Moderator/Author Paula Yoo and actor/author John Cho ("Troublemaker" by John Cho with Sarah Suk, Little, Brown & Co. 2022)
Date: February 25, 2023
Time: 2:30 PM PST
Link: http://glendaleca.libnet.info/event/7866874
Event: National Association of Chinese Americans (NACA) Spring Festival 2023 Keynote Speaker (Atlanta, GA)
Date: February 18, 2023
Time: 7 PM EST
Link: https://www.naca-atlanta.org/rabbit/
JANUARY 2023
Event: Author Workshop Lecture at DeSales University MFA in Creative Writing and Publishing Graduate Program
Date: January 3, 2023
Time: 1 PM EST
Link: https://www.desales.edu/academics/graduate-studies/MFA-in-creative-writing-and-publishing/about-the-program
NEWS - media
MORE IN COMMON WITH RODNEY CAMPBELL AND KEITH RICHARDSON PODCAST
Air Date: December 16 & 23, 2021
Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/more-in-common/id1256899595
2021 BOSTON GLOBE-HORN BOOK INTERVIEW WITH NONFICTION WINNER PAULA YOO
Air Date: October 21, 2021
Link: https://youtu.be/MLEUouvGQZ4
PBS/KLCS EVERYBODY WITH ANGELA WILLIAMSON
Air Date: October 20, 2021
Link: https://klcs.org/everybody/
2021 BOSTON GLOBE-HORN BOOK AWARDS ANNOUNCEMENT
Air Date: June 23, 2021
Link: https://www.hbook.com/story/presenting-the-2021-boston-globe-horn-book-award-winners & https://youtu.be/1gK-2Q09kbA
FIVE AUTHOR QUESTIONS PODCAST WITH KEVIN KING
Air Date: May 28, 2021
Link: https://open.spotify.com/episode/24aWMLYAiac56dnoyej7J1
"INSIDE THE ISSUES WITH ALEX COHEN" (SPECTRUM NEWS CHANNEL 1)
Air Date: May 27, 2021
Link: https://spectrumnews1.com/ca/la-west/shows/inside-the-issues
BOOK FRIENDS FOREVER PODCAST WITH GRACE LIN AND ALVINA LING
Air Date: May 23, 2021
Link: https://bookfriendsforever.com/home/episode-110-discussing-the-vincent-chin-case-and-anti-aapi-hate-with-paula-yoo
NEED TO KNOW WITH YOONJ KIM: "Congress Passes Hate Crime Legislation on Vincent Chin’s Birthday" (MTV)
Air Date: May 19, 2021
Link: https://youtu.be/2bQji-lPweg
THEY CALL US BRUCE PODCAST WITH PHIL YU AND JEFF YANG
Air Date: April 30, 2021
Link: https://theycallusbruce.libsyn.com/125-they-call-us-vincent-chin
BOOKSMITTEN PODCAST WITH JACK CHENG AND PATRICK FLORES-SCOTT
Air Date: April 28, 2021
Link: https://booksmitten.us/episodes/7-interview-with-author-paula-yoo
NBC NEWS BAY AREA: ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICA WITH ROBERT HANDA
Air Date: April 25, 2021
Link: https://www.nbcbayarea.com/community/asian-pacific-america/award-winning-author-paula-yoo-on-asian-pacific-america/2528129
NBC NEWS BAY AREA WITH JANELLE WONG
Air Date: April 21, 2021
Link: https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/book-about-1982-attack-sparks-asian-american-activism/2525013/
WDET/NPR WITH AMANDA LECLAIRE
Air Date: April 21, 2021
Link: https://wdet.org/posts/2021/04/21/90880-the-detroit-murder-that-galvanized-the-asian-american-civil-rights-movement/
NATIONAL ARCHIVES MUSEUM ONLINE
Air Date: April 20, 2021
Link: https://www.archives.gov/calendar/event/from-a-whisper-to-a-rallying-cry-the-killing-of-vincent-chin-and-the-trial-that-galvanized-the-asian
Youtube Link: https://youtu.be/AzxsavhcGtY
GEEK GIRL RIOT WITH SHERIN NICOLE, ALICE MEICHI LI AND KAT BITTNER
Air Date: April 13, 2021
ShortURL: https://ido.bi/a7m
Permalink: https://idobi.com/podcast/asian-in-america-paula-yoo-from-a-whisper-to-a-rallying-cry/
WHAT MATTERS MOST PODCAST WITH PAUL SAMUEL DOLMAN
Air Date: April 10, 2021
Link: https://www.paulsamueldolman.com/parent/podcasts/pauly-cast/paula-yoo-812/
FOX 2 DETROIT NEWS WITH AMY LANGE
Air Date: March 30, 2021
Link: https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/1982-murder-of-asian-american-vincent-chin-in-hate-crime-the-subject-of-new-book
THE SREE SHOW PODCAST WITH SREE SREENIVASAN
Air Date: March 25, 2021
Link: https://youtu.be/0xTMkbGIS8s
ART BEAT WITH ZINTA AISTARS
Air Date: November 5, 2020
Link: https://www.wmuk.org/post/art-beat-whisper-rallying-cry#stream/0
NEWS - print
THE CRE8ASIAN PROJECT
"Amazing Asians in the Arts: Paula Yoo"
By: Angela Chan
Published: April 29, 2023
Link: https://thecre8sianproject.com/blogs/news/amazing-asians-in-the-arts-paula-yoo
HORN BOOK
"From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry: Paula Yoo's 2021 BGHB Nonfiction Award Speech"
Published: January 18, 2022
Link: https://www.hbook.com/story/from-a-whisper-to-a-rallying-cry-paula-yoos-2021-bghb-nonfiction-award-speech
NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
"The New York Public Library: "2021 Best Books for Teens"
Published: November 23, 2021
Link: https://www.nypl.org/spotlight/best-books-2021
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
"Best Books of the Year - 2021"
Published: November 22, 2021
Link: https://www.slj.com/?detailStory=best-nonfiction-2021-slj-best-books
CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY
"Best Teen Nonfiction of 2021"
Published: November 22, 2021
Link: https://chipublib.bibliocommons.com/list/share/200121216_chipublib_teens/2000663789_best_teen_nonfiction_of_2021
THE WASHINGTON POST
"Best Children's Books of 2021"
Published: November 18, 2021
Link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/kidspost/2021/11/17/best-childrens-books-2021/
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
"Best Books of 2021"
Published: October 22, 2021
Link: https://best-books.publishersweekly.com/pw/best-books/2021/young-adult
CNN
"History Refocused: Vincent Chin's family never got the justice they wanted. But his case changed things for those who came after him"
Published: October 10, 2021
Link: https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/10/us/vincent-chin-history-refocused-cec/index.html
RICH IN COLOR
"Learning About the Present Through Our Past"
Published: August 4, 2021
Link: http://richincolor.com/2021/08/learning-about-the-present/
THE HILL
"Here's what Congress is reading at the beach this summer"
Published: July 13, 2021
Link: https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/562716-heres-what-congress-is-reading-at-the-beach-this-summer
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
"Summer Reading 2021: 28 Enlightening & Highly Engaging Nonfiction Titles for Teens"
Published: June 2, 2021
Link: https://www.slj.com/?detailStory=28-ya-nonfiction-titles-young-adult-teen-summer-reading-2021
THE TEACHING BOOKS BLOG
"Paula Yoo on From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry: The Killing of Vincent Chin and the Trial that Galvanized the Asian American Movement"
Published: May 20, 2021
Link: https://forum.teachingbooks.net/2021/05/paula-yoo-on-from-a-whisper-to-a-rallying-cry/
CRIME READS
"22 New Books by Asian American and Pacific Islander Authors Perfect for Mystery Readers"
Published: May 20, 2021
Link: https://crimereads.com/22-new-books-by-asian-american-and-pacific-islander-authors-perfect-for-mystery-readers/
GOOD MORNING AMERICA (ABC)
"Who is Making Asian American Pacific Islander History in 2021: The GMA Inspiration List"
Published: May 13, 2021
Link: https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/news/story/making-asian-american-pacific-islander-history-2021-gma-76523380
KIRKUS REVIEWS
"8 YA Books That Could Change Your Mind"
By: Laura Simeon
Published: May 12, 2021
Link: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/news-and-features/articles/8_ya-books-that-could-change-your-mind/
MEDIUM
"Grieving Vincent Chin, 39 Years Later"
By: Paula Yoo
Published: May 11, 2021
Link: https://stopasianhate.medium.com/grieving-vincent-chin-39-years-later-f6d139d6eeec
THE TODAY SHOW (NBC)
"24 Beautiful Kids' Books that Reflect the Asian American Experience"
By: Lisa Tolin
Published: May 5, 2021
Link: https://www.today.com/shop/asian-american-kids-books-aapi-month-t215525
BOOK RIOT
"12 of the Best April 2021 Mystery Books"
By: Jamie Canaves
Published: May 5, 2021
Link: https://bookriot.com/12-of-the-best-april-2021-mystery-books/
KIRKUS REVIEWS
"A Journalist Revisits the Case of Vincent Chin" by Laura Simeon
Published: May 3, 2021
Link: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/news-and-features/articles/paula-yoo-whisper-rallying-cry-interview/
JADE MAGAZINE
"Writing Like She Means It: Q&A with Paula Yoo, Author and Screenwriter"
Published: May 1, 2021
Link: http://jademagazine.com/152yoo.html
MACKIN COMMUNITY
"Filling in the Gaps: Why I write About Asian American History"
By: Paula Yoo
Published: April 27, 2021
Link: https://www.mackincommunity.com/2021/04/27/filling-in-the-gaps-why-i-write-about-asian-american-history/
NEW YORK TIMES "Teach Your Kids to Resist Hatred Toward Asians"
By: Michelle Lee
Published: April 25, 2021
Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/24/at-home/anti-asian-hate-books.html
DETROIT FREE PRESS "With attacks on Asian Americans rising, virtual event will revisit the killing of Vincent Chin"
By: Julie Hinds
Published: April 20, 2021
Link: https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/movies/julie-hinds/2021/04/20/vincent-chin-slaying-topic-virtual-event-wednesday/7293916002/
NBC NEWS ASIAN AMERICA "New YA book details how Vincent Chin's killing galvanized Asian American activism"
By: Claire Wang
Published: April 16, 2021
Link: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/new-ya-book-details-vincent-chins-killing-galvanized-asian-american-ac-rcna691
SACRAMENTO BEE "Your AAPI Newsletter: This Week in AAPI Pop Culture"
By: Ashley Wong
Published: April 15, 2021
Link: https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article250615334.html
NORTHWEST ASIAN AMERICAN WEEKLY "First book on Vincent Chin murder"
By: Samantha Pak
Published: April 15, 2021
Link: https://nwasianweekly.com/2021/04/first-book-on-vincent-chin-murder
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY "Four Questions for Paula Yoo"
By: Cady Zeng
Published: April 13, 2021
Link: https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-authors/article/86075-four-questions-for-paula-yoo.html
KIRKUS REVIEWS "16 Best Books To Read in April"
Published: April 1, 2021
Link: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-lists/16-best-books-read-april/#from-a-whisper-to-a-rallying-cry
TIME MAGAZINE "Here Are the 15 New Books You Should Read in April"
By: Annabel Gutterman
Published: April 1, 2021
Link: https://time.com/5951168/best-books-april-2021
NPR CODE SWITCH "How Vincent Chin's Death Gave Others A Voice"
By: Karen Grigsby Bates
Published: March 27, 2021
Link: https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2021/03/27/981718272/how-vincent-chins-death-gave-others-a-voice
DEADLINE DETROIT "As Anti-Asian Racism Escalates, Ex-Detroit Reporter's Book Examines Violent Killing Of Vincent Chin"
By: Allan Lengel
Published: March 26, 2021
Link: https://www.deadlinedetroit.com/articles/27656/as_anti-asian_racism_escalates_ex-detroit_reporter_s_book_examines_violent_killing_of_vincent_chin
THE DETROIT NEWS "New book takes deeper dive into death of Vincent Chin"
By: Susan Whitall
Published: March 26, 2021
Link: https://https://www.detroitnews.com/story/life/2021/03/25/new-book-takes-deeper-dive-into-death-vincent-chin/7004901002/
BUSINESS INSIDER
"11 must-read books if you want to better understand the experiences of Asian-Americans"
By: Allison Jiang
Published: March 4, 2021
Link: https://www.businessinsider.com/best-asian-american-identity-experience-books