Jonathan Sun is the author behind @jonnysun. When he isn't tweeting, he is an architect, designer, engineer, artist, playwright and comedy writer. His work across multiple disciplines is concerned with narratives of human experience. In June 2017, Sun’s book everyone’s a aliebn when ur a aliebn too (Harper Perennial) debuted.
Based on the enormously popular Twitter account @jonnysun, everyone’s a aliebn when ur a aliebn too is the illustrated story of a lonely alien sent to observe Earth, only to meet all sorts of creatures with all sorts of perspectives on life, love, and happiness, all while learning to feel a little better about being an alien. Through this story of a lost, lonely and confused alien finding friendship, acceptance, and love among the creatures of Earth, we will all learn how to be a little more human. And for all of us earth-bound creatures here on this planet, we can all be reminded that sometimes, it takes an outsider to help us see ourselves for who we truly are.
In an accessible, heartwarming, and engaging manner, Sun’s presentations resonate with audiences of all sizes. Perfect for schools, tech industry conferences, creative organizations, and social media focused events, Sun speaks on his work, his experiences, and more.
Currently Sun is a doctoral student at MIT, a fellow at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society at Harvard, and a creative researcher at the Harvard metaLAB, where he studies social media and online community. As a playwright, Sun’s work has been performed at the Yale School of Drama, Factory Theater in Toronto, Hart House Theater, Theater Lab in Toronto, and the University of Toronto Drama Festival (where he received the President’s Award for Best Production). As an artist and illustrator, his work has been commissioned by the New Haven ArtSpace, and exhibited at MIT, the Yale School of Architecture, and the University of Toronto. He is the creator of @tinycarebot and the co-creator of the MIT Humor Series. His comedic work has appeared on NPR and in TIME Magazine, BuzzFeed, Playboy, GQ, and McSweeney’s. Recently, he was profiled in the New York Times and named one of TIME Magazine's 25 Most Influential People on the Internet.
Praise for Jonny Sun & everyone’s a aliebn when ur a aliebn too:
"Working with Jonny Sun is not only rewarding, but thoroughly enjoyable. He's like cup of sunshine bubbling over, making you feel warm as you learn new things."
-- Vassar College Asian Students' Alliance
“Jomny Sun’s incredible writing knocks you to the floor, breathless, then scoops you up and gives you a kiss where it hurts before it occurs to you to cry. Read this book only if you want to feel more alive.”
— Lin-Manuel Miranda
“Jomny Sun has created a frightened, hopeful view of Life As We Know It from the perspective of a weirdly relatable alien intelligence. Fantastic.”
— Patton Oswalt
“This book is funny and sad, simple and complex, badly spelled and beautifully written. Jonmy Sun gets more out of a panel than most do out of a page, revealing obvious yet hidden truths as only someone one step out of step could.”
— Joss Whedon
“Impressively sincere, at times insightful, and humorous…. Sun’s fans will welcome his first book with wild enthusiasm…”
— Library Journal