GUANGZHOU, Aug. 23 (Xinhua) -- When I walked into the meet-and-greet event in southern Chinese metropolis of Guangzhou with American author Wendelin Van Draanen, she looked around in astonishment and asked, "Are they all here for me?"

Readers eager to meet Van Draanen and get her autograph had formed a long line. They greeted her with smiles and high-fives, their excitement filling the hall. Overwhelmed by the warmth of her Chinese readers, Van Draanen took out her phone to capture the moment.

"It makes me cry, actually. My story has traveled around the world and touched so many hearts here. It's a very emotional thing for me," she told me.

From Aug. 15 to 19, the 2025 South China Book Festival in Guangzhou brought together a host of international authors to meet and interact with Chinese readers. For Van Draanen, it was her first-ever visit to China.

Her well-known novel, Flipped, which has been adapted into a hit film, has made Van Draanen a familiar and much-loved figure among young Chinese readers. At the book fair's signing session, she autographed more than 500 copies, with some readers traveling from other cities just to see her.

Despite the high demand for signatures and photos, she responded to each reader with patience and warmth.

"I think that books have a way of bringing us together and that literacy and literature are so important in seeing how other people live, but also realizing that we share a common heart," she said during her conversations with readers.

I asked Van Draanen why Flipped, published 15 years ago, continues to resonate so deeply with young readers around the world. She paused for a moment before saying that the story came straight from her heart. Having spent 15 years as a teacher -- and having experienced the trials of adolescence herself -- she has a deep understanding of what young people go through.

Van Draanen explained that her goal in writing is to craft stories that show young people they are not alone, that they can overcome the challenges they face, and that staying true to themselves matters. She believes these messages can empower readers through difficult times.

Van Draanen brought Flipped to Guangzhou, and the city itself also "flipped" her heart. During her stay, she visited landmark sites and eagerly shared her impressions, from the rich history of Guangdong literature at the Bai'etan Greater Bay Area Art Center to the exquisite architecture and folk craftsmanship at the Guangdong Folk Arts Museum and the stunning cultural spaces of the Guangzhou Opera House and Guangzhou Library.

Guangzhou is such a beautiful city, with history, culture, fashion and a sense of modern technology, she said.

Though California, where Van Draanen lives, lies across the Pacific Ocean, she felt that her days in Guangzhou reshaped her perspective of the world. "Being in a different environment gives you a different perspective. The time it took for me to get here was very long, but the world is actually very small. Any of you could be my neighbors, and we could understand each other," she said.

Before leaving, Van Draanen told me she had spent some of her happiest days in Guangzhou. "When I go home, I'll tell people about this city and its warm, welcoming people. I truly believe word of mouth is stronger than any advertisement." ■