Sophie Chen Keller: "Little Wonder" | Oprah's Book Club

Sophie Chen Keller: "Little Wonder" | Oprah's Book Club

June 16, 2026 · 51 min · Episode 82

About this episode

Oprah interviews Sophie Chen Keller about her book 'Little Wonder' and the themes of motherhood and cultural experiences.

Oprah’s Book Club 124th selection is Little Wonder by author Sophie Chen Keller. Oprah and Sophie sit down with an enthusiastic audience of readers to discuss Sophie's childhood spent both in the USA and China and how that experience impacted her writing. She also shares how becoming a mother for the first time was the inspiration for Little Wonder. The story is about a profound bond of love that connects a mother, Song, to her son, named River. A cataclysmic roller coaster of events is set in motion when Song loses hold of River’s hand in the teeming crowds at a Beijing train station. Throughout this story of love, perseverance and hope mother and son desperately seek to find their way back to each other. Readers share that the climactic end had them in tears. Audience members also share the passages that moved them the most and ask questions of Sophie. BUY THE BOOK! https://www.amazon.com/Little-Wonder-Novel-Thousand-Voices/dp/B0G5X5Z5R9 00:00:00 - Welcome Sophie Chen Keller, author of “Little Wonder” 00:06:05 - Writing ‘Little Wonder’ 00:09:40 - How Sophie found her title 00:12:32 - Her writing process 00:14:05 - Characters and plot 00:16:10 - Writing from a boy’s perspective…

People in this episode

Host: Oprah

Guest: Sophie Chen Keller

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Little Wonder

Places: USA, China, Beijing train station

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