Asian American Heritage Month

May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month so this is a good time to share some titles I have in my elementary school library (or have on order). These are all books that I have read and would recommend, but this is not my heritage so keep that in mind.

Picture Books

Summoning the Phoenix by Emily Jiang illustrated by April Chu
The Sound of Silence by Katrina Goldsaito illustrated by Julia Kuo
A Different Pond by Bao Phi illustrated by Thi Bui
Drawn Together by Min Lê illustrated by Dan Santat
It Began with a Page by Kyo Maclear illustrated by Julie Morstad
Queen of Physics by Teresa Robeson illustrated by Rebecca Huang
A Map Into the World by Kao Kalia Yang illustrated by Seo Kim
Paper Son by Julie Leung illustrated by Chris Sasaki
Bilal Cooks Daal by Aisha Saeed illustrated by Anoosha Syed
The Many Colors of Harpreet Singh by Supriya Kelkar illustrated by Alea Marley
My Grandma and Me by Mina Javaherbin illustrated by Lindsey Yannkey
Under My Hijab by Hena Khan illustrated by Aaliya Jaleel
Amy Wu and the Perfect Bao by Kat Zhang illustrated by Charlene Chua
Mommy Sayang by Rosana Sullivan
A Big Mooncake for Little Star by Grace Lin
Feast of Peas by Kashmira Sheth illustrated by Jeffrey Ebbeler
The Wedding Portrait by Innosanto Nagara
Here I Am by Patti Kim illustrated by Sonia Sanchez

Beginning Chapter Books

Yasmin Series (Books 1-12) by Saadia Faruqi illustrated by Hatem Aly
Astrid and Apollo and the Starry Campout by V.T. Bidania illustrated by Dara Lashia Lee [My Review Here]
Pacy Series by Grace Lin
Melody of the Qeej by Mai Kou Xiong illustrated by Vang Lee
Ling and Ting Series by Grace Lin
Jasmine Toguchi Series by Debbi Michiko Florence illustrated by Elizabet Vukovic
Shoua and the Northern Lights Dragon by Ka Vang illustrated by Aimee Hagerty Johnson
Nina Soni, Former Best Friend by Kashmira Sheth illustrated by Jenn Kocsmiersky
Diary of an Ice Princess by Christina Soontornvat illustrated by Barbara Szepesi Szucs
The No-Dogs Allowed Rule by Kashmira Sheth illustrated by Carl Pearce
Mindy Kim Series by Lyla Lee illustrated by Dung Ho (the illustration are sometimes stereotypical and that's unfortunate - I'm hoping that changes as the series progresses)
Ruby Lu Brave Series by Lenore Look

I haven't read the Planet Omar books, but am looking forward to it. 

Middle Grade Chapter Books & Graphic Novels

 

American as Paneer Pie by Supriya Kelkar
Stand Up, Yumi Chung! by Jessica Kim
Mulan Before the Sword by Grace Lin
Pippa Park Raises Her Game by Erin Yun [My Review Here]
Green Lantern: Legacy by Minh Lê illustrated by Andie Tong
Under the Broken Sky by Mariko Nagai
Star Gazing by Jen Wang
Lalani of the Distant Sea by Erin Entrada Kelly
More to the Story by Hena Khan
Count Me In by Varsha Bajaj
My Fate According to the Butterfly by Gail D. Villanueva
All the Ways Home by Elsie Chapman
Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga
A Place to Belong by Cynthia Kadohata
The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman
Everlasting Nora by Marie Miranda Cruz
Front Desk by Kelly Yang
Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed
You Go First by Erin Entrada Kelly
The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani
Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond Series by Sayantani DasGupta
Ahimsa by Supriya Kelkar
The Gauntlet Series by Karuna Riazi
Power Forward by Hena Khan

Pacific Island Books - Hawaii

Shark King by R. Kikuo Johnson

In My Neighborhood/Ma koʿu kaiūlu by Kalani Pūloku Taylor Vahey

Dumpling Soup by Jama Kim Rattigan illustrated by Lillian Hsu-Flanders

It's really Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month, but I have very few books that fit the Pacifika  category. If, like me, you have realized that you haven't read many books by or about Pacific Islanders, here are some places to go for titles. I am hoping that next year, I will be familiar with more of these:

Pacific Island Books for Children and Teens
Aotearoa Books - Pacifika Children's Fiction
The Quiet Pond's Recommendations - Books by Maori and Pasifika Authors
Electric Lit's post 13 Books by Pacific Islanders