Doan Phuong Nguyen was born in Vietnam and immigrated to the United States when she was in elementary school. Her debut middle grade novel Meo and Be was praised by #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Niven as "heartwrenching, hopeful, and heartwarming." After growing up in the South, she settled in the Midwest. Doan Phuong loves anything pink and cute but enjoys writing incredibly sad, emotionally evocative novels. She received her MFA in creative writing for children and young adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Her debut middle grade novel, Meo and Be, was a 2024 Notable Book for a Global Society and a 2023 Freeman Book Award Honorable Mention.
