Asian and Pacific Islander Voices: A Reading List for Children and Families

We hope these selections serve to spotlight #ownvoices stories by authors of Asian and Pacific Islander heritage, introduce readers to diverse writers and perspectives, and educate and encourage a dialogue on topics of racial justice in AAPI communities.

Watercress by Andrea Wang

Driving through Ohio in an old Pontiac, a young girl’s parents stop suddenly when they spot watercress growing wild in a ditch by the side of the road. Grabbing an old paper bag and some rusty scissors, the whole family wades into the muck to collect as much of the muddy, snail covered watercress as they can. At first, she’s embarrassed. But when her mother shares a story of her family’s time in China, the girl learns to appreciate the fresh food they foraged. Together, they make a new memory of watercress. Asian American author Andrea Wang shares this identity with the main character in this picture book.

Available formats: Book

Eyes That Kiss in the Corners by Joanna Ho

A young Asian girl notices that her eyes look different from her peers’. They have big, round eyes and long lashes. She realizes that her eyes are like her mother’s, her grandmother’s, and her little sister’s. They have eyes that kiss in the corners and glow like warm tea, crinkle into crescent moons, and are filled with stories of the past and hope for the future. Drawing from the strength of these powerful women in her life, she recognizes her own beauty and discovers a path to self love and empowerment. Asian American author Joanna Ho shares her identity with the character in this book.

Available formats: Book

Hot, Hot Roti for Dada-ji by F. Zia

Aneel’s grandparents have come to stay, all the way from India. Aneel loves the sweet smell of his grandmother’s incense, and his grandfather, Dada-ji, tells the world’s best stories. When he was a boy, adventurous, energetic Dada-ji had the power of a tiger. He could shake mangoes off trees and wrangle wild cobras all because he ate fluffy-puffy hot, hot roti. Aneel cannot wait to cook Roti for Dada-ji.  Author F. Zia is Indian American and shares this with the main characters in this picture book.

Available formats: Book

The Most Beautiful Thing by Kao Kalia Yang

Drawn from Kao Kalia Yang’s childhood experiences as a Hmong refugee, this picture book offers a window into the life of a family with little money and a great deal of love. A poignant look at intergenerational relationships within families.

Available formats: Book

Where’s Halmoni? by Julie J. Kim

Korean American author Julie J. Kim shares her background with the main characters in this graphic novel style picture book. A brother and sister go looking for their grandmother in a fantastical world filled with Korean folklore.

Available formats: Book

No Kimchi for Me! by Aram Kim

Yoomi hates stinky, spicy kimchi―the pickled cabbage condiment served at Korean meals. So her brothers call her a baby and refuse to play with her. Yoomi is determined to eat kimchi.  Grandma shows Yoomi how to make kimchi pancakes. This story about family, food, and celebrates Korean culture.

Available formats: Book, Audiobook (Hoopla)

Ganesha’s Sweet Tooth by Sanjay Patel

Ganesha is just like any other kid, except that he has the head of an elephant and rides around on a magical mouse. He loves sweets, but when Ganesha insists on biting into a super jumbo jawbreaker laddoo, his tusk breaks off! With the help of the wise poet Vyasa, and his friend Mr. Mouse, Ganesha learns that what seems broken can be quite useful after all.  Author Sanjay Patel shares is South Asian identity in the  sweet and funny retelling.

Available formats: Book

Amy Wu and the Perfect Bao by Kat Zhang

Amy loves to make bao with her family. But it takes skill to make the bao taste and look delicious. Her bao keep coming out all wrong but Amy is determined to get it perfect.  Chinese American author Kat Zhang shares her identity with the main character in this picture book.

Available formats: Book

Redwoods by Jason Chin

Chinese American author Jason Chin  shares the story of how ordinary subway trip is transformed when a young boy happens upon a book about redwood forests. As he reads the information unfolds, and with each new bit of knowledge, he travels all the way to California to climb into the Redwood canopy.  The author shares his identity with the main character in this story.

Available formats: Book, Audiobook (Hoopla)

Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist by Julie Leung

Author Julie Leung capture the amazing story of Chinese American artist Tyrus Wong in this inspiring biography. Before he became an artist named Tyrus Wong, he was a boy named Wong Geng Yeo. He traveled across a vast ocean from China to America with only a suitcase and a few papers.  Once in America, Tyrus seized every opportunity to make art, eventually enrolling at an art institute in Los Angeles. Working as a janitor at night, his mop twirled like a paintbrush in his hands. Eventually, he was given the opportunity of a lifetime and using sparse brushstrokes and soft watercolors, Tyrus created the iconic backgrounds of Bambi.

Available formats: Book

My Chinatown: One Year in Poems by Kam Mak

Available formats: Book

The Umbrella Queen By Shirin Bridges

When Noot is finally allowed to paint umbrellas like the other women and girls in her village, she secretly hopes that she might be chosen as this year’s Umbrella Queen. Carefully, she creates serene flowers and butterflies exactly as she has seen her mother and grandmother do for years. But soon her imagination takes over, and Noot finds herself straying from the old patterns, to the dismay of her family, who depend on the traditionally painted umbrellas for their livelihood. Her parents tell her she must go back to the old designs and Noot obeys, knowing that the King is coming soon to name the one who has painted the most beautiful umbrella. Asian American author Shirin Bridges celebrates Thai culture in this beautiful picture book.

Available formats: Book

Mulan, The Legend of the Woman Warrior by Faye-Lynn Wu

This retelling of an ancient Chinese ballad  share the story of Mulan. Mulan loves nothing more than her family. She will do anything for them even if it means joining the army in her ageing father’s place. Since girls are not allowed in the army, Mulan cleverly disguises herself as a man. But she must look deep within herself to find her might and her courage. Taiwanese American author Faye-Lynn Wu’s story celebrates family in this heat warming and beautifully illustrated picture book.

Available formats: Book

Hush! A Thai Lullaby by Minfong Ho

In an endearing lullaby, a mother asks a lizard, a monkey, and a water buffalo to be quiet and not disturb her sleeping baby. Chinese American author Minfong Ho  draws on her experience living in Thailand to create a beautiful  reflection on mothers and children and bedtime rituals.

Available formats: Book

Surfer of the Century: The Life of Duke Kahanamoku by Ellie Crowe

This biography celebrates the life of a sports legend American and Native Hawaiian Duke Kahanamoku. Growing up in Honolulu with the Pacific Ocean as his backyard, Duke Kahanamoku learned to swim and surf at a young age. By his early twenties, Duke’s lightning-fast swimming won him a place on the 1912 United States Olympic team and a gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle race. Over the years Duke struggled with racism and financial troubles, but by the end of his twenty-year Olympic career, he was a six-time medal winner.

Available formats: Book

Wabi Sabi by Mark Reibstein

Wabi Sabi, a little cat in Kyoto, Japan, had never thought much about her name until friends visiting from another land asked her owner what it meant. This unsatisfying answer sets Wabi Sabi on a journey to uncover the meaning of her name, and on the way discovers what wabi sabi is: a Japanese philosophy of seeing beauty in simplicity, the ordinary, and the imperfect. Chinese American illustrator Ed Young  uses a rich color palette to create collage style images that complement the authors text.

Available formats: Book

Shining Star: The Anna May Wong Story by Paula Yoo

This biography explores the life of Chinese American actress Anna May Wong, who was a pioneering movie start in cinema. Born in 1905, Anna May Wong spent her childhood working in her family’s laundry in Los Angeles’ Chinatown. Anna May struggled to pursue an acting career in Hollywood in the 1930s. There were very few roles for Asian Americans, and many were demeaning and stereotypical.  After years of unfulfilling roles, Anna May began crusading for more meaningful roles for herself and other Asian American actors.

Available formats: Book

Maya Lin: Artist-Architect of Light and Lines by Jeanne Walker Harvey

This biography celebrates the visionary artist-architect who designed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Maya Lin. As a child, Maya Lin loved to study the spaces around her. She explored the forest in her backyard, observing woodland creatures, and used her house as a model to build tiny towns out of paper and scraps. The daughter of a clay artist and a poet, Maya grew up with art and learned to think with her hands as well as her mind. From her first experiments with light and lines to the height of her success nationwide, this is the story of an inspiring Chinese American artist.

Available formats: Book

Priya Dreams of Marigolds and Masala by Meenal Patel

Priya lives in the United States and her family is from India. She feels the magic of the place her family comes from through her Babi Ba’s colorful descriptions of India–from the warm smell of spices to the swish-swish sound of a rustling sari. Together, Priya and Babi Ba make their heritage live on through the traditions that they infuse into their everyday lives. Author Meena Patel shares her Indian American identity with the main character in this picture book.

Available formats: Book