Gene Yang began making comic books in the fifth grade and has since written and drawn a number of titles. His 2006 book, American Born Chinese, was the first graphic novel to be nominated for a National Book Award and the first to win the American Library Association's Michael L. Printz Award. It also won an Eisner Award for Best New Graphic Album. His 2013 two-volume graphic novel, Boxers & Saints, was nominated for both the National Book Award and the Los Angeles Times Book Award. Gene currently writes the graphic novel continuation of the popular Nickelodeon cartoon Avatar: The Last Airbender. The Shadow Hero, his comic book series with Sonny Liew, revived the Green Turtle, an obscure 1940s character who is arguably the first Asian American superhero. The author lives in San Jose, California.