May 1, 202119 min read

Children's Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Click Here to go to the Teen and Adult Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Book List.

Picture books

Amah Faraway by Margaret Chiu Greanias (Taiwanese)

Amy Wu and the Perfect Bao (Amy Wu) by Kat Zhang and Charlene Chua (Chinese)

Apple Pie 4th of July by Janet S. Wong and Margaret Chodos-Irvine(Chinese)

Beautifully Me by Nabela Noor (Bangladeshi)

Bee-Bim Bop! by Linda Sue Park and Ho Baek Lee (Korean)

Big Red Lollipop by Rukhsana Khan and Sophie Blackall (Pakistani)

Bilal Cooks Daal by Aisha Saeed and Anoosha Syed (Pakistani)

The Boy and the Bindi by Shraya Vivek (Indian)

A Boy Named Isamu: A Story of Isami Noguchi by James Yang (Japanese)

Bracelets for Bria's Brothers by Rajani LaRocca (Indian)

A Bucket of Blessings by Kabir Sehgal and Surishtha Sehgal (Indian)

Chinese New Year Colors by Richard Lo (Chinese)

Chopsticks by Jon Berkeley (Hong Konger)

Desert Girl, Monsoon Boy by Tara Dairman (Indian)

Dim Sum for Everyone! By Grace Lin (Chinese)

The Diwali Gift by Shweta Chopra and Shuchi Mehta (Indian)

Drawn Together by Minh Le (Thai) Eyes That Kiss the Corners by Joanna Ho (Chinese)

Eyes That Speak to the Stars by Joanna Ho (Chinese)

Feast of Peas by Kashmira Sheth (Indian)

Filipino Friends by Liana Romulo (Filipino)

The Girl in the Gold Dress by Christine Paik (Korean)

Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say (Japanese) Grandpa Grumps by Katrina Moore (Chinese)

Ho'onani: Hula Warrior by Heather Gale (Hawaiian) Hula Lullaby by Erin Eitter Kono (Hawaiian)

I am Golden by Eva Chen (Chinese)

I, Doko: The Tale of a Basket by Ed Young (Nepali) I Really Want to See You, Grandma by Taro Gomi (Japanese)

Komodo! By Peter Sis (Indonesian)

Laxmi's Mooch by Shelly Anand (Indian)

The Little Kiwi's New Year by Nikki Slade Robinson (Maori)

Love in the Library by Maggie Tokuda-Hall (Japanese)

Luna's Yum Yum Dim Sum by Natasha Yim (Chinese)

Mommy Sayang by Rosana Sullivan (Malaysian)

Mommy's Hometown by Hope Lim (Korean)

The Most Beautiful Thing by Kao Kalia Yang (Hmong)

My Chinatown: One Year in Poems by Kam Mak (Chinese)

My First Chinese New Year by Karen Katz (Chinese)

My First Book of Japanese Words: An ABC Rhyming Book by Michelle Haney Brown (Japanese)

My First Book of Tagalog Words: Filipino Rhymes and Verses by Liana Romulo (Filipino)

The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi (Korean)

Ohana Means Family by Ilima Loomis (Hawaiian)

Peek! A Thai Hide-and-Seek by Minfong Ho (Thai)

Punky Aloha by Shar Tuiasoa (Polynesian)

The Rice in the Pot Goes Round and Round by Wendy Wan-Long Shang (Chinese)

Ruby's Wish by Shirin Yim Bridges (Chinese)

Ten Mice for Tet! by Pegi Deitz Shea and Cynthia Weill (Vietnamese)

The Ugly Vegetables by Grace Lin (Chinese)

The Wheels on the Tuk Tuk by Kabir Sehgal and Surishtha Sehgal (Indian)

When Lola Visits by Michelle Sterling (Filipino)

When the Sakura Bloom by Narisa Togo (Japanese)

Where Three Oceans Meet by Rajani LaRocca (Indian)

1st and 2nd

Filipino Children's Favorite Stories: Fables, Myths and Fairy Tales by Liana Romulo (Filipino)

Katie Woo: A Happy Day (Katie Woo) by Fran Manushkin (Chinese)

Ling and Ting: Not Exacty the Same! (Ling and Ting) by Grace Lin (Audiobook) (Chinese)

Lydia and the Island Kingdom: A Story Based on the Real Life of Princess Liliuokalani of Hawaii by Joan Holub (Hawaiian)

Pashmina by Nidhi Chanani (Indian)

Stargazing by Jen Wang (Chinese)

Yasmin the Chef (Yasmin #5) by Saadia Faruqi (Pakistani)

3rd and 4th

Ahimsa by Supriya Kelkar (Indian) Ben Yokoyama and the Cookie of Doom (Cookie Chronicles #1) by Matthew Swanson (Japanese)

Finding Junie Kim by Ellen Oh (Korean)

For fans of Inside Out and Back Again and Amina’s Voice comes a breathtaking own voices story of family, hope, and survival from Ellen Oh, cofounder of We Need Diverse Books. When Junie Kim is faced with middle school racism, she learns of her grandparents’ extraordinary strength and finds her voice. Inspired by her mother’s real-life experiences during the Korean War, Oh’s characters are real and riveting.

Junie Kim just wants to fit in. So she keeps her head down and tries not to draw attention to herself. But when racist graffiti appears at her middle school, Junie must decide between staying silent or speaking out.

Then Junie’s history teacher assigns a project and Junie decides to interview her grandparents, learning about their unbelievable experiences as kids during the Korean War. Junie comes to admire her grandma’s fierce determination to overcome impossible odds, and her grandpa’s unwavering compassion during wartime. And as racism becomes more pervasive at school, Junie taps into the strength of her ancestors and finds the courage to do what is right.

Finding Junie Kim is a reminder that within all of us lies the power to overcome hardship and emerge triumphant.

Brother’s Keeper by Julie Lee (Korean)

Front Desk (Front Desk #1) by Kelly Yang (Chinese)

Girl Giant and the Monkey King (Girl Giant and the Monkey King #1) by Van Hoang (Vietnamese)

How to Win a Slime War by Mae Respicio (Filipino)

Slime entrepreneurs face off in an epic battle to see who can sell the most slime, while navigating sticky situations with friends and family. From the award-winning author of The House That Lou Built comes another story about a creative kid with something to prove.

Alex Manalo and his dad have just moved back to Sacramento to revive their extended family's struggling Filipino market. While Alex likes helping at the store, his true passion is making slime! He comes up with his own recipes, playing with ingredients, colors, and textures, which make his slime truly special. Encouraged by a new friend at school, Alex begins to sell his creations, leading to a sell-off battle with a girl who previously had a slime-opoly. Winner gets bragging rights and the right to be the only slime game in town.

But Alex's dad thinks Alex should be focused more on "traditional" boy pastimes and less on slime. As the new soccer coach, Dad wants Alex to join the team.

Alex is battling on multiple fronts--with his new friends at school, and with his dad at home. It will be a sticky race to the finish to see who oozes out on top.

Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai (Vietnamese)

Kira Kira by Cynthia Kadohata (Japanese)

Living with Viola by Rosena Fung (Chinese)

Honest and funny, this award-winning graphic novel from a debut creator is a refreshingly real exploration of mental health, cultural differences, and the trials of middle school.

Livy is already having trouble fitting in as the new girl at school—and then there’s Viola. Viola is Livy’s anxiety brought to life, a shadowy twin that only Livy can see or hear. Livy tries to push back against Viola’s relentless judgment, but nothing seems to work until she strikes up new friendships at school. Livy hopes that Viola’s days are numbered. But when tensions arise both at home and at school, Viola rears her head stronger than ever. Only when Livy learns how to ask for help and face her anxiety does she finally figure out living with Viola.

Rosena Fung draws on her own early experiences with anxiety and the pressures of growing up as the child of Chinese immigrant parents to craft a charming, deeply personal story that combines the poignancy of Raina Telgemeier’s Guts with the wacky humor of Lumberjanes. Exuberant, colorful art brings Livy’s rich imaginative world—filled with everything from sentient dumplings to flying unicorns—to life on the page.

Lupe Wong Won't Dance by Barba Higuera (Chinese)

The Many Meanings of Meilan by Andrea Wang (Chinese)

A family feud before the start of seventh grade propels Meilan from Boston's Chinatown to rural Ohio, where she must tap into her inner strength and sense of justice to make a new place for herself in this resonant debut.

Meilan Hua's world is made up of a few key ingredients: her family's beloved matriarch, Nai Nai; the bakery her parents, aunts, and uncles own and run in Boston's Chinatown; and her favorite Chinese fairy tales.

After Nai Nai passes, the family has a falling-out that sends Meilan, her parents, and her grieving grandfather on the road in search of a new home. They take a winding path across the country before landing in Redbud, Ohio. Everything in Redbud is the opposite of Chinatown, and Meilan's not quite sure who she is--being renamed at school only makes it worse. She decides she is many Meilans, each inspired by a different Chinese character with the same pronunciation as her name. Sometimes she is Mist, cooling and invisible; other times, she's Basket, carrying her parents' hopes and dreams and her guilt of not living up to them; and occasionally she is bright Blue, the way she feels around her new friend Logan. Meilan keeps her facets separate until an injustice at school shows her the power of bringing her many selves together.

The Many Meanings of Meilan, written in stunning prose by Newbery Honor-winning author Andrea Wang, is an exploration of all the things it's possible to grieve, the injustices large and small that make us rage, and the peace that's unlocked when we learn to find home within ourselves.

Maizy Chen's Last Chance by Yee (Chinese)

LONGLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD • Twelve year-old Maizy discovers her family’s Chinese restaurant is full of secrets in this irresistible novel that celebrates food, fortune, and family.

Welcome to the Golden Palace!

Maizy has never been to Last Chance, Minnesota . . . until now. Her mom’s plan is just to stay for a couple weeks, until her grandfather gets better. But plans change, and as Maizy spends more time in Last Chance and at the Golden Palace—the restaurant that’s been in her family for generations—she makes some discoveries.For instance:

You can tell a LOT about someone by the way they order food.
People can surprise you. Sometimes in good ways, sometimes in disappointing ways.
And the Golden Palace has secrets...

But the more Maizy discovers, the more questions she has. Like, why are her mom and her grandmother always fighting? Who are the people in the photographs on the office wall? And when she discovers that a beloved family treasure has gone missing—and someone has left a racist note—Maizy decides it’s time to find the answers.

Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey (Maybe Marisol #1) by Erin Entrada Kelly (Filipino)

Maybe, Maybe Marisol Rainey is an illustrated novel about summer, friendship, and overcoming fears, told with warm humor and undeniable appeal. Fans of Clementine, The Year of Billy Miller, and Ramona the Pest will be thrilled to meet Marisol.

Marisol Rainey’s mother was born in the Philippines. Marisol’s father works and lives part-time on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. And Marisol, who has a big imagination and likes to name inanimate objects, has a tree in her backyard she calls Peppina . . . but she’s way too scared to climb it. This all makes Marisol the only girl in her small Louisiana town with a mother who was born elsewhere and a father who lives elsewhere (most of the time)—the only girl who’s fearful of adventure and fun.

Will Marisol be able to salvage her summer and have fun with Jada, her best friend? Maybe. Will Marisol figure out how to get annoying Evie Smythe to leave her alone? Maybe. Will Marisol ever get to spend enough real time with her father? Maybe. Will Marisol find the courage to climb Peppina? Maybe.

Told in short chapters with illustrations by the author on nearly every page, Maybe, Maybe Marisol Rainey is a must-have for early elementary grade readers. Erin Entrada Kelly celebrates the small but mighty Marisol, the joys of friendship, and the triumph of overcoming your fears in this stunning new novel for readers of Kevin Henkes, Meg Medina, Andrew Clements, Sara Pennypacker, and Kate DiCamillo.

Features black-and-white artwork throughout by Erin Entrada Kelly.

Measuring Up by Lily Lamotte (Taiwanese)

A Place to Belong by Cynthia Kadohata (Japanese)

The Samosa Rebellion by Shanthi Sekaran (Indian)

Critically acclaimed author Shanthi Sekaran makes her middle grade debut with this timely and stunning novel in which a young boy and his friends must rescue his grandmother from a relocation camp after their country’s descent into xenophobia. Perfect for fans of The Night Diary and Front Desk.

Before his grandmother moved from India to the island of Mariposa, Muki Krishnan’s life was good. But now? He has to share his bedroom with Paati, his grandmother, who snores like a bulldozer and wakes him up at dawn to do yoga.

Paati’s arrival coincides with even bigger changes in Mariposa. The president divides citizens into Butterflies—families who have lived in Mariposa for three generations—and Moths, who, like Muki’s family, are more recent immigrants. The changes are small at first. But then Muki and his friends find a camp being built to imprison Moths before sending them away. Soon after, his Paati is captured and taken there.

While devising Paati’s escape, Muki discovers that a secret rebellion is underway, and as he digs deeper, he realizes that rescuing Paati will be the fight of his life.

Save Me a Seat by Sarah Weeks (Indian)

The Shark Caller by Zillah Bethell (Papuan)

Sona Sharma, Very Best Big Sister? by Soundar (Indian)

Can Sona be the best big sister ever when she’s not sure she even wants a baby sister or brother? Brimming with warmth and charm, this story set in India will resonate with new older siblings everywhere.

Sona Sharma's house is full of three generations of people who joke often and argue sometimes. Relatives come over unannounced, the phone rings frequently, and friends drop by all the time. Then one day Amma tells Sona that she is going to have a baby. Is that good? Sona isn’t so sure. She doesn’t want to share her room or her things with a new baby, not to mention the attention of Amma, Appa, Thatha, and Paatti. And despite Amma's assurance that the sky always has room for new stars, Sona doesn’t feel stretchy or bighearted like the sky. But when she learns there will be a baby-naming ceremony, she’s determined to find the best name for her new brother or sister—one as nice as her own, a Hindi word for “gold.” Perfectly pitched to young readers, this tale of warming up to change is followed by a glossary of words from India to explore in the story.

That Thing About Bollywood by Supriya Kelkar (Indian)

Bollywood takes over in this “effervescent” (Booklist) and magical middle grade novel about an Indian American girl whose world turns upside down when she involuntarily starts bursting into glamorous song-and-dance routines during everyday life.

You know how in Bollywood when people are in love, they sing and dance from the mountaintops? Eleven-year-old Sonali wonders if they do the same when they’re breaking up. The truth is, Sonali’s parents don’t get along, and it looks like they might be separating.

Sonali’s little brother, Ronak, is not taking the news well, constantly crying. Sonali would never do that. It’s embarrassing to let out so many feelings, to show the world how not okay you are. But then something strange happens, something magical, maybe. When Sonali gets upset during a field trip, she can’t bury her feelings like usual—instead, she suddenly bursts into a Bollywood song-and-dance routine about why she’s upset!

The next morning, much to her dismay, Sonali’s reality has shifted. Things seem brighter, almost too bright. Her parents have had Bollywood makeovers. Her friends are also breaking out into song and dance. And somehow, everyone is acting as if this is totally normal.

Sonali knows something has gone wrong, and she suspects it has something to do with her own mismanaged emotions. Can she figure it out before it’s too late?

A Thousand Questions by Saadia Faruqi (Pakistani)

Troublemaker by John Cho (Korean)

Troublemaker follows the events of the LA Riots through the eyes of 12-year-old Jordan as he navigates school and family. This book will highlight the unique Korean American perspective. 12-year-old Jordan feels like he can't live up to the example his older sister set, or his parent's expectations. When he returns home from school one day hoping to hide his suspension, Los Angeles has reached a turning point. In the wake of the acquittal of the police officers filmed beating Rodney King, as well as the shooting of a young black teen, Latasha Harlins by a Korean store owner, the country is at the precipice of confronting its racist past and present.

As tensions escalate, Jordan's father leaves to check on the family store, spurring Jordan and his friends to embark on a dangerous journey to come to his aide, and come to terms with the racism within and affecting their community.

Unsettled by Reem Faruqi (Pakistani)

For fans of Other Words for Home and Front Desk, this powerful, charming immigration story follows a girl who moves from Karachi, Pakistan, to Peachtree City, Georgia, and must find her footing in a new world. Reem Faruqi is the ALA Notable author of award-winning Lailah's Lunchbox.

When her family moves from Pakistan to Peachtree City, all Nurah wants is to blend in, yet she stands out for all the wrong reasons. Nurah’s accent, floral-print kurtas, and tea-colored skin make her feel excluded, until she meets Stahr at swimming tryouts.

And in the water Nurah doesn’t want to blend in. She wants to win medals like her star athlete brother, Owais—who is going through struggles of his own in the U.S. Yet when sibling rivalry gets in the way, she makes a split-second decision of betrayal that changes their fates.

Ultimately Nurah slowly gains confidence in the form of strong swimming arms, and also gains the courage to stand up to bullies, fight for what she believes in, and find her place.

While I was Away by Waka T. Brown (Japanese)

The Farewell meets Erin Entrada Kelly's Blackbird Fly in this empowering middle grade memoir from debut author Waka T. Brown, who takes readers on a journey to 1980s Japan, where she was sent as a child to reconnect to her family’s roots.

When twelve-year-old Waka’s parents suspect she can’t understand the basic Japanese they speak to her, they make a drastic decision to send her to Tokyo to live for several months with her strict grandmother. Forced to say goodbye to her friends and what would have been her summer vacation, Waka is plucked from her straight-A-student life in rural Kansas and flown across the globe, where she faces the culture shock of a lifetime.

In Japan, Waka struggles with reading and writing in kanji, doesn’t quite mesh with her complicated and distant Obaasama, and gets made fun of by the students in her Japanese public-school classes. Even though this is the country her parents came from, Waka has never felt more like an outsider.

If she’s always been the “smart Japanese girl” in America but is now the “dumb foreigner” in Japan, where is home...and who will Waka be when she finds it?

When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller (Korean)

WINNER OF THE NEWBERY MEDAL •NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

WINNER OF THE ASIAN/PACIFIC AMERICAN AWARD FOR CHILDREN'S LITERATURE

Would you make a deal with a magical tiger? This uplifting story brings Korean folklore to life as a girl goes on a quest to unlock the power of stories and save her grandmother.

Some stories refuse to stay bottled up...

When Lily and her family move in with her sick grandmother, a magical tiger straight out of her halmoni's Korean folktales arrives, prompting Lily to unravel a secret family history. Long, long ago, Halmoni stole something from the tigers. Now they want it back. And when one of the tigers approaches Lily with a deal--return what her grandmother stole in exchange for Halmoni's health--Lily is tempted to agree. But deals with tigers are never what they seem! With the help of her sister and her new friend Ricky, Lily must find her voice...and the courage to face a tiger.

Yusuf Azeem is Not a Hero by Saadi Faruqi

At a time when we are all asking questions about identity, grief, and how to stand up for what is right, this book by the author of A Thousand Questions will hit home with young readers who love Hena Khan and Varian Johnson—or anyone struggling to understand recent U.S. history and how it still affects us today.

Yusuf Azeem has spent all his life in the small town of Frey, Texas—and nearly that long waiting for the chance to participate in the regional robotics competition, which he just knows he can win.

Only, this year is going to be more difficult than he thought. Because this year is the twentieth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, an anniversary that has everyone in his Muslim community on edge.

With “Never Forget” banners everywhere and a hostile group of townspeople protesting the new mosque, Yusuf realizes that the country’s anger from two decades ago hasn’t gone away. Can he hold onto his joy—and his friendships—in the face of heartache and prejudice?

5th and 6th

Amina's Voice (Amina's Voice #1) by Hena Khan (Pakistani)

Aru Shah and the End of Time (Pandava Quartet #1) by Roshani Chokshi (Indian)

Call It Courage by Armstrong Sperry (Polynesian)

The Dragon Path by Ethan Young (Chinese)

In this action-adventure fantasy, young Prince Sing must overcome monstrous obstacles to help his clan return to their homeland.

Prince Sing, heir to the Wong Clan, is eager for adventure. On a journey to seek a better life in the Old Land, the Wong Clan must travel through the treacherous DRAGON PATH, ruled by the Dragon Tribe. In a fierce battle, Prince Sing is separated from his family. Now it's up to the young prince to save his clan from their sworn enemies - and a wicked traitor hiding in plain sight.

Dragon Pearl (Thousand Worlds #1) by Yoon Ha Lee (Korean)

The Girl and the Ghost by Hanna Alkaf (Malaysian)

A Malaysian folk tale comes to life in this emotionally layered, chilling middle grade debut, perfect for fans of The Book of Boy and The Jumbies.

I am a dark spirit, the ghost announced grandly. I am your inheritance, your grandmother’s legacy. I am yours to command.

Suraya is delighted when her witch grandmother gifts her a pelesit. She names her ghostly companion Pink, and the two quickly become inseparable.

But Suraya doesn’t know that pelesits have a dark side—and when Pink’s shadows threaten to consume them both, they must find enough light to survive . . . before they are both lost to the darkness.

Fans of Holly Black’s Doll Bones and Tahereh Mafi’s Furthermore series will love this ghostly middle grade debut that explores jealousy, love, and the extraordinary power of friendship.

Golden Girl by Faruqi (Pakistani)

From the award-winning, ALA Notable author of Unsettled and Lailah’s Lunchbox, this is a captivating coming-of-age middle grade novel in verse about seventh grader Aafiyah Qamar, a Pakistani American girl who hatches a special plan to help her family but finds that doing what’s right isn’t always easy. For fans of The Thing About Jellyfish and Clean Getaway, this is a heartfelt, soul-searching story with laughter, hope, and lessons learned.

Seventh grader Aafiyah loves playing tennis, reading Weird but True facts, and hanging out with her best friend, Zaina. However, Aafiyah has a bad habit that troubles her—she’s drawn to pretty things and can’t help but occasionally “borrow” them.

But when her father is falsely accused of a crime he hasn’t committed and gets taken in by authorities, Aafiyah knows she needs to do something to help. When she brainstorms a way to bring her father back, she turns to her Weird but True facts and devises the perfect plan.

But what if her plan means giving in to her bad habit, the one she’s been trying to stop? Aafiyah wants to reunite her family but finds that maybe her plan isn’t so perfect after all. . .

The Last Fallen Star (Gifted Clans #1) by Graci Kim (Korean)

Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents Graci Kim's thrilling debut about an adopted Korean-American girl who discovers her heritage and her magic on a perilous journey to save her witch clan family.

Riley Oh can't wait to see her sister get initiated into the Gom clan, a powerful lineage of Korean healing witches their family has belonged to for generations. Her sister, Hattie, will earn her Gi bracelet and finally be able to cast spells without adult supervision. Although Riley is desperate to follow in her sister's footsteps when she herself turns thirteen, she's a saram--a person without magic. Riley was adopted, and despite having memorized every healing spell she's ever heard, she often feels like the odd one out in her family and the gifted community.

Then Hattie gets an idea: what if the two of them could cast a spell that would allow Riley to share Hattie's magic? Their sleuthing reveals a promising incantation in the family's old spell book, and the sisters decide to perform it at Hattie's initiation ceremony. If it works, no one will ever treat Riley as an outsider again. It's a perfect plan!

Until it isn't. When the sisters attempt to violate the laws of the Godrealm, Hattie's life ends up hanging in the balance, and to save her Riley has to fulfill an impossible task: find the last fallen star. But what even is the star, and how can she find it?

As Riley embarks on her search, she finds herself meeting fantastic creatures and collaborating with her worst enemies. And when she uncovers secrets that challenge everything she has been taught to believe, Riley must decide what it means to be a witch, what it means to be family, and what it really means to belong.

Listen, Slowly by Thanhha Lai (Vietnamese)

Pahua and the Soul Stealer (Pahua #1) by Lori M. Lee (Hmong)

Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents Lori M. Lee's middle grade debut, a fantasy adventure inspired by Hmong mythology.

Winner of the 2022 Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children's Literature

Pahua Moua has a bit of a reputation for being a weirdo. A lonely eleven-year-old Hmong girl with the unique ability to see spirits, she spends her summer days babysitting her little brother and playing with her best friend, a cat spirit no one else can see.

One day Pahua accidentally untethers an angry spirit from the haunted bridge in her neighborhood--whoops. When her brother suddenly falls sick and can't be awoken, Pahua fears that the bridge spirit has stolen his soul. She returns to the scene of the crime with her aunt's old shaman tools, hoping to confront the spirit and demand her brother's return. Instead, she summons a demon.

Thankfully, a warrior shaman with a bit of an attitude problem shows up at the last minute and saves her butt. With the help of this guide, Pahua will have to find her way through the spirit worlds and rescue her brother's soul before it's too late. Little does she know she'll have her own discoveries to make along the way. . . .

A Place at the Table by Saadia Faruqi (Pakistani)

Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park (Chinese)

Red, White, and Whole by Rajani LaRocca (Indian)

Shen of the Sea by Arthur Bowie Chrisman (Chinese)

They Called Us Enemy by George Takei, Justin Eisinger and Steven Scott (Japanese)

A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat (Thai)

A 2021 Newbery Honor Book

A boy on the run. A girl determined to find him. A compelling fantasy looks at issues of privilege, protest, and justice.

All light in Chattana is created by one man — the Governor, who appeared after the Great Fire to bring peace and order to the city. For Pong, who was born in Namwon Prison, the magical lights represent freedom, and he dreams of the day he will be able to walk among them. But when Pong escapes from prison, he realizes that the world outside is no fairer than the one behind bars. The wealthy dine and dance under bright orb light, while the poor toil away in darkness. Worst of all, Pong’s prison tattoo marks him as a fugitive who can never be truly free.

Nok, the prison warden’s perfect daughter, is bent on tracking Pong down and restoring her family’s good name. But as Nok hunts Pong through the alleys and canals of Chattana, she uncovers secrets that make her question the truths she has always held dear. Set in a Thai-inspired fantasy world, Christina Soontornvat’s twist on Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables is a dazzling, fast-paced adventure that explores the difference between law and justice — and asks whether one child can shine a light in the dark.

Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor (Zachary Ying #1) by Xiran Jay Zhao

Percy Jackson meets Tristan Strong in this hilarious, action-packed middle grade contemporary fantasy that follows a young boy as he journeys across China to seal the underworld shut and save the mortal realm.

Zachary Ying never had many opportunities to learn about his Chinese heritage. His single mom was busy enough making sure they got by, and his schools never taught anything except Western history and myths. So Zack is woefully unprepared when he discovers he was born to host the spirit of the First Emperor of China for a vital mission: sealing the leaking portal to the Chinese underworld before the upcoming Ghost Month blows it wide open.

The mission takes an immediate wrong turn when the First Emperor botches his attempt to possess Zack’s body and binds to Zack’s AR gaming headset instead, leading to a battle where Zack’s mom’s soul gets taken by demons. Now, with one of history’s most infamous tyrants yapping in his headset, Zack must journey across China to heist magical artifacts and defeat figures from history and myth, all while learning to wield the emperor’s incredible water dragon powers.

And if Zack can’t finish the mission in time, the spirits of the underworld will flood into the mortal realm, and he could lose his mom forever.