LUCY TANDON COPP’s new picture book, Longan’s Lantern is set against the lights and fireworks of the Lunar New Year celebrations. Read on for a Q&A with the author.
What inspired you to write Logan’s Lantern?
When I wrote the first draft of Logan’s Lantern, we were just coming out of a very dark winter here in the UK! I remember retreating to my desk where I found joy and happiness through words, storytelling and wonderfully supportive writing communities. At the same time, my children were really little, aged 3 and 1, and motherhood was lighting up my world in ways I’d never anticipated. I found myself inspired to write a story about light and love and bravery and trust, and that beautiful bond between parent/carer and child. At the same time, it was very important to me that the backdrop to this narrative reflected my family’s heritage.
What challenges will Logan and his dragon need to overcome in this story?
Logan and Little Dragon face a very real challenge at the start of this story. Little Dragon is afraid of the dark and, when Logan steps outside, he realises that he is a bit afraid too. But to enjoy the sights and sounds of the Lantern Festival, somehow, they need to find the courage to venture beyond Logan’s front door. As Logan and Little Dragon’s bond deepens, later, Little Dragon faces a new challenge: will he be brave enough to let go of Logan’s hand and fly off into the night sky in the ultimate act of bravery and independence?
What drew you to write a story set during the Lunar New Year?
I’m really passionate about increasing ESEA and mixed heritage stories in children’s books. So, when I wrote this story, I was very intentional about the setting and environment. Lunar New Year is a really magical celebration full of colour and movement and sound and food! The lantern festival, which falls on the 15th day of LNY, is a particularly atmospheric celebration and I knew it would lend itself really well to a highly-illustrated picture book. It also provides a wonderful learning opportunity for children.
Was there a particular memory from your own life that influenced this book?
Not many people know this about me, but I have always been afraid of the dark! My fear is less pronounced now than when I was a child, but it’s still a feeling I know really well and have great empathy for. At the same time, I have very happy memories of attending nighttime events as a child where my excitement outweighed my fear, often thanks to the people I was with or the fun distractions of the environment itself. Logan and Little Dragon’s story very much felt a part of my own.
How did you collaborate with illustrator, Ya-Ling Huang, to bring Logan’s world to life?
Logan’s Lantern is published by Bloomsbury, who presented Ya-Ling’s work to me shortly after the acquisitions process. I was blown away by her innate ability to convey emotion and meaningful interaction between the characters on-page. Most of the story happens in the dark, yet Ya-Ling manages to bring lightness to these scenes with such magic and fluidity. What I find so special is, that through her illustrations, she has also shaped and added context to the narrative. For example, in the little vignettes on the final spread, we see some of the moments shared by Logan and Little Dragon as gentle memories. I particularly love the vignette of them both lying back on the grass together, looking happy and relaxed. This was never written in, but is so heart-warming to see. Ya-Ling is such a talent.
What message or feeling do you hope readers take away from the book?
I really hope that the story empowers children to know that they too have the ability to overcome any challenge or fear that they face, by taking it one minute, one day or one ‘step’ at a time. It’s okay if progress feels slow or if you find yourself needing to take a break, just like Logan and Little Dragon when they sit down for a snack! Just remember to be kind to yourself, acknowledge how far you’ve already come and know that everything you need to reach the top of that hill is already within you.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lucy is a Malaysian-Chinese and English children’s author and award-winning journalist based in the UK.
Her debut picture book, A Love as Full as the Moon, was published in August 2025 with Puffin (Penguin), while her second book, Logan’s Lantern, will publish in January 2026 with Bloomsbury.
Lucy is passionate about increasing mixed race and ESEA representation in children’s books and on UK bookshelves. Her stories are bursting with heart and spread a message of inclusivity and empathy through lovable characters and universal themes that everyone can relate to.
She says: “Growing up mixed race in the UK, the stories that I read as a child didn’t reflect my family or my mixed heritage, but if they had, I wonder what kind of positive impact that could have had?
“Representation in children’s books goes beyond being seen; it helps to create empathy, grow confidence and to know, in our hearts, that we truly belong. That’s something I’m working hard to ensure for future generations.”
Lucy is on the Organising Committee for the Story Feast Literary Festival at SOAS and the Little Story Feast Children’s Literary Festival at the British Library. In 2023, Lucy was awarded grant funding from Arts Council England to develop her creative practice in order to champion diversity in children’s books. She was part of the Penguin UK WriteNow cohort 2022/23.
Lucy grew up in Oxfordshire and now lives in Henley-on-Thames with her husband, two children and a not-so-miniature schnauzer called Moose.
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