Girl makes invisible AAPI stories seen

By Aani Nagaiah

The Takeaways

• Representation sparked her mission. Discovering an AAPI protagonist for the first time in fifth grade showed Madeleine how powerful it is for kids to see themselves in stories — and it shaped everything she built afterward.
• A shy teen became a community leader. What began as self‑publishing two books turned into school presentations, book drives, and a fast‑growing nonprofit reaching thousands of young readers.
• One young person can create real change. At just 13, Madeleine launched Mindful Reading, donated 5,000+ books, and helped libraries and youth programs elevate AAPI stories — proving age is no barrier to impact.

The Details

Thirteen-year-old Madeleine Chin did not expect a few emails from young readers to change her life. After self-publishing two books on Amazon and getting featured in The Week Junior, a national kid’s magazine, she suddenly started hearing from readers across the country who said her writing inspired them to pursue their own stories.

“I did not even know they knew about me,” she said. “But they talked about how I motivated them and inspired them to also try writing their own book.”

The feeling of making an impact on younger kids, she said, made her want to do more. That spark led to Mindful Reading Inc, the Long Island nonprofit she launched in February 2025. In less than a year, she delivered 20 school presentations, reached more than 1,800 kids, and donated more than 5,000 books across New York.

But one moment stands out. This fall, she curated and launched a dedicated AAPI bookshelf at her local Great Neck Library – 245 donated titles, custom book plates, AAPI spine labels and oversized scissors for the ribbon cutting.

“Never in a million years, if you had told me in February 2025 that that would happen in just a few months, I would not have believed you,” she said.

The book that changed everything

Growing up in New York, Madeleine did not see many Asian protagonists in the books available to her. Despite living in a diverse area, she did not read a book featuring an Asian character until the fifth grade. That was when she discovered Kelly Yang’s Front Desk and New From Here.

“I thought that was like a one in a million book that would actually have an Asian protagonist,” she said. “It should not be so rare to find a book that reflects your heritage.”

Traditions and superstitions woven into the story, even a sprinkling of Chinese words and foods such as dumplings. These were cultural details she had never seen in the books she grew up reading. That experience shaped everything. It shaped what she looks for now when choosing titles for young readers.

“I wanted books that help readers feel like they are seeing a reflection of themselves, not just in how they look, but in the culture behind them,” she said.

Making the invisible visible

The books were always there, her father explains. They were just hidden. You had to dig to find them.

Madeleine started with her family’s basement inventory. She selected books she found there that captured distinct cultures within the larger AAPI community. The goal was visibility.

With help from her parents and local librarians, she first partnered with South Asian Youth Action (SAYA), a nonprofit in New York focused on South Asian youth, to create a dedicated bookshelf space. When they dropped off books at SAYA, the program director looked at the titles and said something Madeleine will not forget.

“These books look amazing. I want to read them. I never read these when I was growing up.”

Then came Great Neck Library. A complete AAPI shelf category. Two more libraries have since agreed to collaborate on AAPI genre lists across Nassau County. People keep reaching out through Mindful Reading’s Instagram asking how to replicate the project in their own communities.

Getting shoved into the pool

Before Mindful Reading grew, Madeleine assumed she would only donate books. Then a teacher reached out asking if she could speak to students about pursuing their writing dreams. She was shy. But she agreed.

“Originally, it was going to be classrooms,” her father said. “But it was career day, and they had guests on stage. They played her slides and she just went into her thing.”

One hundred fifty kids attended. They handed her a microphone. There would be no turning back.

“Sometimes you are trying to swim and you just get shoved into the pool,” she said. “You just start swimming.”

Kids listened. They asked questions and even hugged her afterward. Some told her she inspired them to write.

“I did not expect to like it because I was pretty shy,” she said. “But I love talking to them. A few of them even say I have inspired them to pursue their writing dreams.”

Her own journey as a writer started in first grade. Printer paper folded in half. Covers drawn with care. The Rainbow Magic series inspired her to create stories of her own, though her first drafts were not about fairies but about her own characters and worlds.

“During COVID, during the quarantine when you have nothing to do, I was writing so much,” she said. “I loved having the freedom of creating my own characters and my own plot and my own world.”

One memory still makes her smile. Her fifth grade teacher praised her 10,000 word draft and asked her to sign it “so when you get famous, I still have it.”

“That was the first time where I felt like an adult was really recognizing me,” she said. “I felt seen.”

Age is just a number

When asked what she would say to another kid who wants to make a difference but feels too young, Madeleine does not hesitate.

“Age is just a number,” she said. “If you have the motivation and the drive and the discipline to achieve it, nothing can stop you.”

She is honest about the hard parts. “There are so many times where I am writing my drafts and I just want to throw it out the window because I have writer’s block. But you try and you try and you try again until it finally works.”

About resources, she said this: “You can email your teachers, your educators, your librarians, your parents. Look for books and the people will help bring you the resources.”

What books mean

Madeleine wishes adults understood something about young readers. That books are not just books. That characters mean more than words on a page.

“Especially if you are going through the same problems as the protagonist, seeing their story, seeing their journey, seeing how they overcome their problems, can literally mean the world to someone who is struggling with the same thing,” she said.

With 5,000 donated books and multiple partnerships already in place, Madeleine is not slowing down. She wants Mindful Reading to expand across states, possibly even nationally. Her father adds that volunteers, teen helpers, and cross state collaboration are all on the horizon. Young readers who attend her presentations could become future volunteers.

For now, Madeleine keeps writing, organizing book drives, and speaking at schools while being a full time middle school student.

“Look out for us,” she said. “Mindful Reading is not going to die.”

Learn more about Mindful Reading at mindfulreading.org or follow Madeleine’s journey on Instagram @madelinechinwrites.

(Correction: An earlier version of this story misidentified the name of the library. It’s been corrected)