About Michael Wong

G’day, my name’s Michael Wong. I am the author of I Wish You Happiness, a multi award-winning children’s picture book.

This beautifully illustrated picture book is diverse and inclusive, offering inspirational wishes to empower children to be the best they can be.

I Wish You Happiness has received four book of the year awards, 610+ Amazon ratings (4.8 out of 5 stars), and sold over fifteen thousand copies since its release in November, 2020.

Discover why so many teachers, grandparents, parents, librarians, and children’s book authors love, recommend, and give I Wish You Happiness as gifts to loved ones.

I Wish You Happiness is available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, 175 personalized, bilingual, French, German, Italian, and Spanish editions.

Fun/Silly Facts About Me

  • I never in my wildest dreams thought I’d ever win an award that Jim Carrey (yes, that Jim Carry) has won. Yet, I did! We have both the Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal children’s book award.
  • My first five picture books bombed.
  • My sixth picture book, I Wish You Happiness, won four book of the year awards.
  • I was offered a publishing deal and then a distribution deal for I Wish You Happiness, when I was still writing it. I declined both offers so I could be in complete control of my destiny.
  • I raised AU$8,739 on my first Kickstarter for I Wish You Happiness.
  • I am Australian-English-Chinese.
  • I speak English, Cantonese, and Hakka (first language).
  • My parents are Hakka Chinese, originally from southern China.
  • I was born in London, England. I lived there for the first 30 years of my life.
  • I was a big baby, weighing 9 pounds 6 ounces (4.25 kg) at birth (my poor mother :-).
  • I am 5 feet 9 inches (175 cm) tall (and shrinking, as I age :-).
  • I lost touch with my mother after my parents separated, when I was about eight years old.
  • I gained entry to Rainham Mark Grammar School (selective) without taking the eleven-plus exam.
  • I failed my English O level exams twice. I passed on my third attempt. I graduated high school with seven O levels.
  • I almost sold a ZX Spectrum game I wrote to Codemasters in my teens. I was so gutted the deal fell through, I didn’t touch a computer for ten years.
  • My father passed away when I was 23 years old.
  • I built my first website, selling imported old master oil paintings, in 1997.
  • My first internet company, eBoz.com, was acquired by iBoost Technology, Inc., a Softbank funded start-up, in 2000. Here is the earliest archive from January 17, 1999. They hired me as Editor-in-Chief. I moved to North Hollywood and lived there for 18 months.
  • I wrote one of the first books on search engine optimization in 2002. It sold over 3,000 copies. It’s still available online.
  • I have lived on four continents: Europe, North America, Asia, and now, Australia (Sydney, since 2004).
  • I wear two wedding bands because my wife and I got married twice, eighteen months apart.
  • I have been blessed with two beautiful boys.
  • I enjoy playing golf, table tennis and pool, and listening to podcasts, and English and Chinese music.
  • I can do 100 push-ups.
  • I have a younger brother and sister. They both live in England.
  • I have been working from home since 2001.

Follow Us

I am currently working with a talented illustrator on my next book, due for release in 2022. The working title is, “I Wish You Happiness, Part 2.” Follow us for news and sketches. Sign up to our mailing list, and follow us @PiccoPuppy on Instagram and Facebook.

Wanted: Reviewers/Bloggers/Influencers/Read-Aloud YouTubers/Writers

If you’re a book reviewer/blogger, freelance writer that writes about children’s books for popular websites/publications, social media influencer*, or read-aloud YouTuber* contact us for a complimentary copy of I Wish You Happiness. *Influencers/YouTubers must have a sizeable engaged following beyond family and friends.