Skip to main content

Five Faves: Books by Asian American Authors

By

 May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. This month would be a perfect time to read a few books by Asian American authors. These books are excellent for teaching children about different cultures and helping them appreciate the differences in people and their traditions. This is also a great way to start discussions about the importance of respecting others. 


When the Sakura Bloom
Written and Illustrated by: Narisa Togo
Berbay Publishing, 2022. Picture Book.

A perfect read aloud that celebrates the power of the seasons and shines light on the cultural significance of cherry blossom season in Japan. The words and pictures together help the reader appreciate and understand the enjoyment of taking a look at the natural beauty around us. 


I Am Golden
Written by: Eva Chen
Illustrated by: Sophie Diao
Feiwel and Friends, 2022. Picture Book.

Baby Mei is born a Chinese American to Chinese immigrant parents. This love letter written to Mei talks about being a bridge between cultures as she becomes a teacher and translator for her parents. Gorgeous illustrations touch on Chinese mythology, art, as well as family photographs. A lovely story that celebrates identity. 



Amah Faraway
Written by: Margaret Chiu Greanias
Illustrated by: Tracy Subisak
Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2022. Picture Book.

Kylie is nervous about visiting her Amah who lives in Taipei. But her experience in Taipei teaches her to appreciate new experiences even though they can be scary at first. A perfect tender story about strengthening relationships and learning about new cultures. 


Gib-ber-ish
Written and Illustrated by: Young Vo
Levine Querido, 2022. Picture Book.

It's hard to move to a new country and learn a new language. Dat is starting school and everything is different including the language. New words are constantly being tossed at him and they all sound like gibberish. Dat makes a new friend and together they discover other ways to communicate besides talking. A creative and fun story about learning a new language and making new friends.


All You Need
Written by: Howard Schwartz
Illustrated by: Jasu Hu
Holiday House, 2022. Picture Book.

The poetic text in this story lists a number of things you need to live a fulfilling and good life. As the child in the story grows she is taught to be grateful for what she has. Eventually she leaves home and travels to a new land where she is welcomed and begins to pursue her lifelong dream. A beautiful poem paired with stunning watercolor art leads the reader on a journey of discovering all you need in life. 



Mommy's Hometown
Written by: Hope Lim
Illustrated by: Jaime Kim
Candlewick Press, 2022. Picture Book.

A young boy has grown up listening to his mother's stories of  Korea and the town where she grew up. He is excited to finally be old enough to visit but when they arrive the town is not quite as he imagined. Skyscrapers block the view of the mountains and the streets are busy with people. The boy soon learns that some things change and some things stay the same. A wonderful story about family and the love that defines a home rather than what surrounds it. 
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

If You Like...KPop Demon Hunters

By
KPop Demon Hunters has been one of the most talked-about movies of the summer. If you loved this movie as much as I did, you don't want the magic (or the music) to stop. Try reading these books that touch on some of the same topics and themes as the animated hit! Brick Dust and Bones By M. R. Fournet New York: Feiwel and Friends, 2023. Fiction. 247 pages. Orphaned Marius works in the family business--as their cemetery's ghost caretaker. However, Marius also moonlights as a monster hunter in order to earn the costly Mystic currency he needs to bring his mother back from the dead. As the window to bring his mother back begins to close, Marius's exploits get more and more dangerous, and he may have set his sights on a monster too big to handle on his own. Like Mira, Marius longs for familial connection, and his work as a monster hunter will satisfy the thrill of demon hunting for fans the movie. Where's Halmoni? By Julie J. Kim Seattle, WA: Little Bigfoot, 2017. Comics. W...
Post a Comment
Read more

Review: Kareem Between

By
  Kareem Between By Shifa Saltagi Safadi New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2024. Fiction. 324 pages.  Kareem loves football and as he gets ready to start seventh grade he dreams of someday becoming the first Syrian American NFL player. Seventh grade is not off to a great start for Kareem, after football tryouts don't go as he had planned, his best friend moves away, and his mom returns to Syria to help bring his sick grandfather to the US for treatment. So when Austin, the quarterback and coach's son, offers to talk to his dad and get Kareem on the football team in the spring, if he will cheat and do his homework for him, Kareem agrees. Kareem really wants to fit in at school and he is desperate to find a friend, but deep down he knows that doing Austin's homework isn't the right thing to do. And to make things harder, Kareem's mom asks him to be a friend to Fadi, a Syrian Christian refugee. He knows he should stand up for Fadi and help him adjust to the new school,...
Post a Comment
Read more

Review: A World Without Summer

By
A World Without Summer: A Volcano Erupts, a Creature Awakens, and the Sun Goes Out Written by Nicholas Day Illustrated by Yas Imamura New York: Random House Studio, 2025. Informational. 294 pages. In 1815 on a small island in Indonesia, Mount Tambora erupted. The blast was the largest in human history, and one of the deadliest. Though it couldn't be understood at the time, the deadly blast half a world away would lead to catastrophic famine in Europe, prompt westward expansion in America, and inspire the novel Frankenstein  by Mary Shelley. The global climate disaster following the explosion also led to inventions like modern meteorology and the early invention of the bicycle. The people living at the time couldn't have seen how everything was connected, but this fast paced narrative assures that readers will. As he did in 2024's Sibert winner The Mona Lisa Vanishes, Nicholas Day does an impressive job of weaving together different historical events into one single, compell...
Post a Comment
Read more