I like to read diverse books because I enjoy learning about different cultures. I also believe that reading diverse books is the best way to promote diversity and inclusion from a younger age. Recently my mom shared an article by Michelle Lee, published on April 24th, in New York Times. In “Teach Your Kids to Resist Hatred Toward Asians,” Lee mentioned that “Books make a great educational resource to combat discrimination, xenophobia, and foster activism.” Inspired by this article, I decided to compile my list of books written by Asian American authors. Reading these books, I have learnt a lot about different Asian cultures, heritage, and history. It covers a wide variety of important themes like family, friendship, racism, immigration, refugees, freedom, courage, hope, grief, and finding your roots. These books represent children from diverse communities.
As May is the Asian American and Pacific Islanders Heritage month (AAPI), I want to honor all the AAPI authors that have written books for young readers. Here I share my list that has positively influenced me and has changed my perspective of life. I can identify myself with many characters in these books.
- Kelly Yang
- Front Desk
The Front Desk is about a ten-year-old Chinese girl named Mia and her family’s struggle as an immigrant in the United States. Her parents have to work in a motel and have a mean boss named Mr. Yao. Mia is assigned to the front desk of the motel, where she has many adventures. When Mia goes to school, things get harder as Mr. Yao’s son, Jason Yao is in Mia’s class and troubles her. That badly affects Mia. With a strict boss, Mr. Yao getting on Mia’s family’s nerves, Mia finds support in her best friend Lupe, and the motel guard Hank. Mia wants to be a writer, but her mother forces her to focus on math and science as her mother doubts her ability. Her mother would say, “You’re just a bike in English, but the other kids are cars.” She meant that Mia cannot be perfect in English as it is not her first language, and secondly, Mia’s mother wants Mia to stay to her roots. Besides financial problems in the family, Mia also experiences challenges of being an immigrant and witnesses racial prejudice faced by people of color. For instance, her mother gets badly assaulted by a group of gangsters that leave her mother with injuries requiring hospitalization. As a responsible daughter, Mia uses all the money she had saved for her essay contest for the hospital bills. Hank, an African American man who worked in that motel, and was close to Mia, gets accused of something that he had not done just because he was black. Do you think that Mia’s family will have enough money to have their own place to live? Will they get to live their American dream? Will Mia be able to participate in the essay contest? To learn more about Mia and her journey in America, please read the Front Desk.
- Three Keys
This is the sequel to The Front Desk, and Mia is now happier in life. Her family bought the hotel from Mr. Yao, and can’t wait for the new school year. Things go well at first. Jason becomes friendlier towards Mia, and Lupe is in the same class. But Mrs. Welch doesn’t see Mia as a good writer, and her secret is exposed to the whole class that Mia lives in a hotel. What happens next? Read this book to find out.
2. Cynthia Kadohata
- Kira Kira
Kira- Kira is one of my favorite books by the author. Kira-Kira means glitter/bright in Japanese. Kira Kira is about a Japanese American family and the sisterhood between Lynn and Katie. They are both sisters and best friends. They do everything together. But after a few years, everything changes as they grow up. The parents work long hours in a hatchery to support the family and are not able to spend time with their kids. Their lives change when Lynn gets diagnosed with cancer. Will Lynn get better? Will the sisterhood fall apart? Read the story to find out.
- A Place to Belong
A Japanese-American family gives up their American citizenship after being poorly treated in concentration camps. They moved back to Hiroshima after World War II/ Pearl Harbor attack. The family is unaware of the damage there after the atom bomb was dropped during the war. What happens to this family? Read this book to find out.
3. Mitali Perkins
- Rickshaw Girl
This is another book by Mitali Perkins. Naima is a talented Bangladeshi girl. She paints the best ‘alpnas’ in town. ’Alpanas’ are traditional paintings made by Bengali women to decorate their houses. Alpanas are Naima’s passion, but she cannot make money from it. She wants to ride a rickshaw to support her family financially. But the job of riding a rickshaw was considered men’s work. Her father is a rickshaw driver who becomes sick, and cannot work. What is Naima going to do next? No matter what or who you are, or what your gender is, you can do anything you want to do for your family. As Naima disguises herself as a boy, she then learns she does not need to worry, and she can do what she wants. This is a story of poverty and changing gender roles in society. The alpana sketches and patterns in the book are amazing.
- You Bring the Distant Near
“You Bring the Distant Near” by Mitali Perkins is about three generations of women in the Das family and their life in America. It starts off with Ranee Das, an Indian woman who was originally born and raised in Calcutta, India. She has two daughters named Sonia and Tara. The family moves to the United States from London. Each generation has its challenges.
Tara is the oldest daughter of Das’ family and wants to be an actress one day whereas Sonia loves writing. Their dad likes to travel, and the family visits many countries including Singapore, Malaysia, Ghana, and India. Their father suddenly dies in a hit, and run accident, and Ranee (the mother) is left as a widow with two daughters. Sonia and Tara then follow their dreams, and later get married, and have daughters named Anna, and Chantal.
Tara marries a man from India whereas Sonia marries an African American man.
Anna is shy and is the daughter of a Bollywood actor. She is like a Bengal tiger, always ready for what is next. Chantal is a fierce girl, an amazing Indian classical dancer, and very confident.
“You Bring the Distant Near,” means that although you are somewhere far from home, you should try to make it feel like home. Ranee makes sure that her daughters and granddaughters remember their Indian roots. This book symbolises cultural values, family traditions, and love among sisters. I enjoyed reading this book because I could identify with many characters and events in the book.
The author Mitali Perkins has written this book in a simple language that is easy to read and understand.
- Forward Me Back to You
This book is about two characters, Katina AKA Kat, and Robin. Katina is a young jiu-jitsu champion-winning teenager with a big scholarship. After a male student assaults her, it makes Kat’s anxiety rage keeping her from getting into a good college. Robin was adopted as a toddler from India and carries the name, Robin. But secretly loves his real name before getting adopted, Ravi. When Kat’s mother gives her a break and sends her to Boston, she meets Robin at the church volunteer group. Then they travel to Kolkata to volunteer. Will Robin find his biological parents? What happens next? Read this book to find out.
- Home is in Between
This is a picture book written by Mitali Perkins and illustrated by Lavanya Naidu, Shanti moves to America with her family from India. When they move to the United States, she realizes the big differences between the two countries. So she finds herself, stuck between two different worlds. I highly recommend this picture book to everyone, (Elementary, and Middle-Grade Readers)
4. Padma Venkatraman
- The Bridge Home
The bridge home is about two girls Viji and Rukku (who is disabled) run away to the city from their abusive father. As Viji and Rukku look for a place to stay, they run into a stray dog “Kutti,” which means dog in Hindi. They then become friends with two homeless boys named Arul, and Muthu. They pick trash from the heap of the junk instead of begging on the streets. As fall comes, Rukku gets very sick and gets dengue and pneumonia. Viji uses the money for medications and food. They sleep in a tent under the bridge instead of staying in the orphanage school a few blocks from there. Viji, Rukku, Arul, Muthu, and Kutti have fun together. The girls find a family under the bridge away from their home. Will it be too late to help sick Rukku? Will the kids find a new home? Read to find out. This book is very heartbreaking, and it is sad to learn that even to this day there are many homeless children on the streets. After reading this book, I am very thankful for everything I have. This story is very close to my heart as it shows strong bonding between sisters. The journey of these girls was filled with challenges. This is a story of poverty, loss, and grief. This book is written in an appropriate manner that describes the difficult scenarios in simple words. I highly recommend this book.
5. Erin Entrada Kelly
- Blackbird Fly
I just finished reading Blackbird Fly, and I can say it is the best book by the author. Apple Yengko is a Filipino girl who immigrated to America with her mother when she was very young after her father died. Apple is a big fan of the Beatles and can play any song on the guitar. But there is a problem. Apple does not have a guitar, and mom doesn’t want to buy it. She has conflicts with her mother at home and challenges at school. School drama including a dog log which is a list of the ugliest girls in school, and racist comments about her appearance make her life very difficult. With the help of her two friends, Apple becomes stronger to face all the challenges. The reason behind the title ‘Blackbird Fly’ is very interesting. ‘Blackbird Fly’ is Apple’s favorite song by the Beatles, and the words in the song are against racism, and highlights voices that have been oppressed. As Apple gets bullied at school this title appears more relevant. I recommend this book to everyone.
- The Land of Forgotten Girls
Two Filipino sisters, Sol and Ming, immigrate to Louisiana from the Philippines while their father abandons them with their mean stepmother, Vea. Their Stepmother physically, and mentally abuses them. Ming and Sol had recently lost their mother, and sister, and had to manage to be in a tough situation living in America. What happens next? Read this book to find out.
6. Supriya Kelkar
- American as a Paneer Pie
This book is about an eleven-year-old Indian American girl named Lekha who lives in the suburbs of Detroit. She faces bullying, and racism from her classmates. She is the only Indian in her neighborhood and school. She struggles between her home life and school as it is completely different. Lekha is a very kind, confident, strong girl, and an awesome swimmer but avoids confronting the bullies. Lekha is in a swimming team and gets ridiculed by her team members for having a birthmark on the forehead that looks like permanent ‘Bindi’. They ask annoying questions such as “Can I eat meat in front of you?,” “Do you speak Hindu?,” and “If I showed you a cow, would you bow to it?” Lekha gets annoyed by her teammates, and sometimes the other way round. Her parents want Lekha to make more friends but Lekha’s only friends are her neighbor Noah, and her friends from the temple, Maya and Tanvi. When Avantika (another Indian girl) moves into her neighborhood from India with her family Lekha is happy. Will Lekha have the courage to stand up for herself and her new friend? But what happens when Avantika isn’t really what Lekha had thought? Read to find out.
Strong As Fire, Fierce as Flame
Meet Meera, a twelve-year-old girl who is turning thirteen in a few days, which means things will be different soon. Meera was married to a boy when she was a little girl. On the eve of her birthday, she will move in with her husband, Krishna. Krishna was like any other boy, who was mean, and very arrogant. Before Meera’s move to her husband’s house, she receives devastating news. Krishna was killed in a tragic accident, which meant that Meera won’t have to go to her husband’s house but she was now a widow. Meera didn’t know how to feel or react. She was now a child widow, and her father suggests she has to commit sati just like other widows. Meera remembers how her aunt had to be a sati after the death of her husband. But Meera doesn’t want to end her life just because her husband died. Meera then does something that no wife or a daughter should ever do. She runs away from home. While escaping, she meets Bhavani, a girl on her way to a British neighborhood. Bhavani was looking for her sister, Chhaya, who worked as an ‘ayah’ for the British children. An ayah is just like a nanny who lives with the child and helps raise them. When the girls head there, they work for the British masters. There they secretly joined the revolutionaries who were fighting for freedom from British rule. During this stay, Meera makes new friends and turns into a courageous girl. What will happen to Meera? How is she going to help the freedom fighters? Will Meera get caught? Will she be forced to become Sati? Well, to learn more about Meera, and her life, please read this book.
- Ahimsa
This is a historical fiction based in India during British rule. Anjali’s mother was a freedom fighter during that time. When her mother quits her job working for the captain, to become a secret freedom fighter, Anjali is determined to help the freedom fight to get independence from the British. She joins Gandhi’s ‘Quit India movement and fights just like her mother. But, when her mother gets caught and is imprisoned, Anjali must do her duty as a brave girl, and fight for her rights following Gandhi’s philosophy of ‘Ahimsa’ or nonviolence. What will happen next? Read this book to find out.
- Bindus Bindis
Bindu loves the bindis her Nani (Grandmother) sends her from India every month. One day, her Nani comes to America and brings different types of Bindis for her. The diverse colors and shapes of bindi are symbolic. But, many people had been saying racist things which made Bindu want to take off her Bindi and go home. Bindu almost gives up everything but during the talent show, Bindu just feels unsure and doesn’t want to put on her bindi, but when Bindu and her Nani perform, Bindu realizes how powerful her Bindi can be.
7. Sadia Farqui, and Laura Shovan
- A Place at the Table
A Place at the Table is about two girls Sara, and Elizabeth who are in sixth grade. Sara is a Pakistani American girl whose parents are a little behind on bills which means she has to move to a public school from a private Islamic school. Sara struggles to fit in the new school as she faces racism. Her mother, Mrs. Hameed, runs the after-school South Asian cooking class for the middle school. Not many children seem to be interested in that class except for a girl named Elizabeth. Elizabeth, a Jewish English girl, is always interested in learning new cuisine. But Elizabeth has her own problems. She is overwhelmed because of the challenges at home. Her Nan (grandma) has just passed away in England, and her mother has been suffering from depression since then. Elizabeth must take responsibilities, and take care of her brothers as her mom is unable to take care of things at home, and her dad is always traveling for work. Her mom is a Christian from England, and her dad is Jewish from America. Her mom misses her family in the UK. When Elizabeth joins the Asian cooking club, she discovers her passion for cooking. However, her best friend Maddy wants to join the cupcake club instead and says mean racial comments about the class, and the ingredients used in the club. Although Sara and Elizabeth have differences, the cooking class brings them together. The girls also help their immigrant mothers to study for their US citizenship tests. While the friendship grows there is a cooking competition for which Sara and Elizabeth have a plan. They want to make a special recipe which is a fusion of Asian, and American dishes. They name it “Halwa Cuppa Tea” with a special south Asian pudding called “Halwa”, and a special type of ice cream called Earl Grey Ice Cream. Will they win the contest? What will happen to their friendship? Will the moms pass the US citizenship test? To find more about this journey, read this book.
8. Geeta Vardarajan, and Sarah Weeks
- Save Me a Seat
“Save Me a Seat” is by Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan. It is about two 5th grade boys, and their perspectives about the school, and life. Ravi is a new student at Albert Einstein School in New Jersey. He had moved to New Jersey from Bangalore India, he has trouble making friends and gets made fun of for his accent. Things get worse when he is the only Indian at school and has to get special help for his English.
Joe, a boy with APD (Auditory Processing Disorder), a sensory disorder who also attends the same school, has trouble making friends. He is always made fun of for his appearance, and his Mom being a lunch monitor. Joe is also bullied by the mean kid Dillon Sumreen. This story is about friendship, family, immigration, cultural acceptance, bullying, empathy, and kindness.
Read this book to learn more about the journey of Ravi, and Joe.
9. Rajani Larocca
- Red White, and Whole
Red, White, and Whole, is a wonderful book by Indian American author, Rajani Larocca. Rajani Larocca is a medical doctor as well as an author. This is a middle-grade fiction novel based on the life experience of the author as an immigrant kid.
Everyone has a world to live in. But Reha has 2 lives, her Indian life, and her American life. She’s the only Indian girl at school but has her best friend Rachel, and her supportive friend, Pete. It is 1983, and Reha is a 13 years old Indian American girl. Her life is well but she has internal conflicts about her two different lives. She has an American life on weekdays as she is at school with non-Indian kids, and Indian life on the weekends with her parents, and Indian family friends. Her mother works in a hospital lab whereas her father is an engineer. Her parents are very loving but overprotective. They want Reha to remember her Indian values, and also wish that she gets more than average scores, and excels at school. When Reha goes to the middle school dance performance, she receives news that her mother is not well. Doctors tell her that she has too many white blood cells and a couple of abnormal blood cells. Her mother knows what illness she has, as she works in the lab. It was the worst situation it could possibly have gotten. Her mom is diagnosed with leukemia (blood cancer) and is admitted to the hospital. Reha’s life is split between the hospital and home. Reha is afraid of the sight of blood but ironically, wants to be a doctor. Reha tries to come up with plans to make her mother feel better. Her father is too busy to stay at home and look after Reha. So her friends, Sunny AKA Sunita (Indian friend), Pete, and Rachel’s families take her in on afternoons. When it’s time for her mother’s bone marrow transplant, her aunt Prema (mom’s sister) comes to help out from India. With the challenges of mom getting sick, what will happen next? Will Reha find a balance between the two worlds? Read this book to find out.
10. Aisha Saeed
- Amal Unbound
Amal is a twelve-year-old Pakistani girl, who loves school, and is known as the teacher’s pet. She is the oldest daughter in the family, which means she has lots of responsibilities. Her mother has just given birth to her 5th daughter and is suffering from postpartum depression as she was disappointed that her baby wasn’t a boy. After Amal accidentally disrespects the landlord’s son, she is forced to work as a servant and works for Nasreen Baji, the landlord’s wife. What will happen to Amal next? Read this book to find out.
11. Hena Khan
- Amina’s Voice
Amina is a 12-year-old Pakistani-American girl who lives in Wisconsin with her family. It includes her brother, and parents, while the rest of her family including her Thaya Jaan (dad’s brother), lives in Pakistan. Amina loves to sing, but she’s too shy to show her voice. Amina’s best friend Soojin has been thinking about changing her name to something American after getting her citizenship. But things get a little worse, Soojin then becomes closer with Emily, the mean girl who made fun of them and always made fun of Soojin, and Amina’s food they brought. Things get worse when her Thaya Jaan (Uncle) comes to Milwaukee from Pakistan. He isn’t the uncle that Amina thought he would be. He was strictly religious and pretty strict. When the Quran competition comes around the corner, Amina doesn’t know what to do. But things get to the worst point when the Islamic center becomes vandalized. To learn more about Amina’s life, read this book.
- Amina’s Song
This book is the sequel of Amina’s Voice. The book starts with Amina’s vacation in Pakistan where she is enjoying time with her family, especially her 16-year-old cousin, and her uncle (Thaya Jaan). Amina was not close with her uncle before this trip. When Amina comes back to Milwaukee, nobody at school wants to hear about her trip to Pakistan. With her Thaya Jaan getting sick, Amina is very worried. When a history project requires writing about a famous person, Amina chooses Pakistani hero Malala, who fought for girls’ education and was shot by the Taliban. As her classmates hear her story, they just talk about how girls were mistreated in Pakistan instead of the proud story of a Pakistani girl. You may be wondering, “Why is the book called Amina’s Song?” Well, what do you think? Will Amina be able to share the beauty of Pakistan, and her rich heritage with her friends? Read this book to find out.
- More to the Story
In More to the Story, Jameela is a Pakistani American seventh-grade girl, who has a loving family, and a good head on her shoulders. But that doesn’t mean life is simple. Her father goes to The Middle East for a couple of months. A boy her age, and family friend, moves to their town from Britain with troubles of his own. While she’s becoming good friends with him, her ambitions to become a great reporter for the school paper have her chasing him for an exclusive, and that might not go as planned. The real trouble starts when her sister gets diagnosed with lymphoma. This book is inspired by ‘Little Women’.
12. Christina Soontornvat
- Wish in the Dark
Pong, a nine-year-old orphan, has lived his whole life in the Namwon Prison as his mother had been living in the Namwon Prison until she died due to complications of childbirth. He has a friend named Somkit. He’s tired of being in prison and has the chance to escape. When he escapes, he finds more about life. A Buddhist monk allows him to stay in the monastery as a monk. But things get worse when the Prison Warden’s daughter, Nok, recognizes him and wants to send him back to the prison. What happens next? Read this Newberry honor book to find out.
- All Thirteen
This is a Newbery award-winning book about a thirteen Thai boy’s soccer team trapped in the cave of Thailand in 2018. I remember watching the news on CNN during my summer break of 2018. When I heard about this book I got excited to learn more about the story. I am still reading this book. I recently finished reading this book, and learned so much, and got all my questions answered like “How did they escape” or “How did they get help, and survive two weeks in the cave”. This book should be used in social studies, and science classes to get a better understanding of caves, and how the boys escaped the cave.
13. Thanhha Lai
- Inside Out, and Back Again
Inside Out, and Back Again is a story about a young girl named Kim Hà, and her family. She lives in Vietnam with her mother and three brothers. The Vietnam War forces them to move to the United States since their home was no longer safe. This book highlights the challenges of refugees, and their struggle to start a new life. In this book, the girl gets bullied but she learns to stand for herself at the end.
14. Veera Hiranandani
- The Night Diary
It is 1947, and Nisha has a happy life with her family that includes her Grandmother (Dadi), Father, Amil (her twin brother with difficulties with reading, possibly dyslexia), and family cook Kazi. But someone is missing, a part of the family nobody talks about, her mother. Her mother had died because of the complications of childbirth and was a Muslim. Nisha’s father was a Hindu. The marriage between Hindu, and Muslims, was a problem in those days. Every day Nisha writes a letter to her mother in a diary. She writes about things happening in her life every day, and how much she misses her. In August 1947, India got freedom from British rule but the country was divided into Pakistan for Muslims, and India for Hindus. As India, and Pakistan were getting separated in 1947, Nisha had to leave her hometown, Mirpur Khas, which was now a part of Pakistan. As Hindus, they had to move to the new India. Nisha talks about the challenges during the partition and wishes that people would treat her family normally, and stop harassing them for being Hindu. When Nisha leaves Mirpur Khas, she has to leave everything back including her home, her best friend, and Kazi. Kazi had always treated her as a daughter. What will happen to Nisha, and her family next? Read this book to find out more about the trauma of leaving everything behind to start a life in a new place. This book has won the Newbery award, and I think this is well deserved.
15. Nidhi Chanani
- Pashmina
A graphic novel, Pashmina is by Nidhi Chanani. It is about a girl named Priyanka who wants to go to India. Her mom used to live before moving to the USA. Her mother refuses to talk about India and her past life. Her mom had abandoned everything and had moved to the USA. Priyanka wonders who her dad is. One day a suitcase falls off her closet. It was a suitcase from India. She found a pashmina that she puts on. It magically takes her to India where she meets an elephant and a peacock. Finally, she goes to India and learns about her mother’s past and the truth about her dad. In the end, Priyanka finds her root. I learned that it is important to value your roots. If you don’t know where you are coming from, you don’t know where you are going.
16. Jen Wang
- Stargazing
Stargazing is a graphic novel about two American Chinese girls named Christine, and Moon. This story is about friendship despite differences in personality between two girls.
Christine is a Chinese- Christian girl who wants everything to be perfect, and tries to impress her parents, and loves to play the violin. She has close friends that she sits next to and cares about her.
Moon is a Buddhist- Vegetarian Chinese who loves K Pop and was homeless before she moved next to Christine. Moon is the one who gets angry and beats up people that insult her. When Moon begins to start seeing stars and has vision issues, the doctors discover that Moon has a Brain Tumor that gives Moon seizures that nobody knew even happened.
I really enjoyed this book as 2 girls learn more about life and friendship. Although they were different did not mean they could not be friends. This book was very heartwarming and shows that it’s ok to be weird, and different, and to be proud of your differences.
Of note, the author of this book had a brain tumor at the age of 6 similar to what the character Moon has in this story.
17. Linda Sue Park
- A Long Walk to Water
This book is based on a true story from Sudan during the war. It is about two children. A boy named Salva is separated from his family and is forced to move from one country to another as a refugee. Another character, Nya, is a girl who has to walk eight hours a day to get water for her family, and cannot go to school because of this responsibility.
I learned that water is the purest and most important thing on earth. Many countries have a scarcity of water, and people face different challenges related to it. Salva Dut moved to America after many years of going from one refugee camp to another camp. To this day Salva works with organizations to provide water pumps in Sudan. At the end of the book, Salva goes to Sudan where he meets Nya. She thanks him for the water pumps in her villages, and for sponsoring girls’ education.
Learn more about the journey of Salva, and Nya by reading this book.
- Prairie Lotus
After the death of her Chinese mother, Hanna, and her white father seeks a new start in the Dakota territory. It’s 1880, and the family faces challenges in their new start in life. This book reminded me of the Little House books by Laura Ingallis Wilder. Please read this book to learn more about Hanna’s new life.
18. Adeline Yen Mah
- Chinese Cinderella
Adeline is a Chinese girl known as bad luck in her family. Her mother had died while giving birth to Adeline because of complications of childbirth, and all her siblings hate her. Her father remarries Niang, a Eurasian lady, and they have two children together. But the person she is the closest to is her Aunt Baba, and Ye Ye (Grandpa). Nobody cares about Adeline’s excellence at school and is mostly known as a forgotten person. Adeline has many friends, but they don’t understand the pain that she goes through as an unwanted child. What happens next? Read this book to find out.
19. Tae Keller
- When You Trap a Tiger
This Newberry award-winning and heartwarming book uses Korean folklore as a way to share the secret story of a family. Lily is a shy girl who moves in with her sick grandma in Washington and discovers the power of grandma’s stories. Lily comes across the magical tiger from Korean folklore. The tiger has a deal that could save her grandmother. Should she trust the Tiger? Will she be able to save her grandma? Read to find out.
20. Kashmira Sheth
- My Dadima wears a sari
This picture book brings me a lot of memories. I read this book when I was six years old, and it reminds me of my grandmother who wears Sari. There are some similarities with the book Bindu’s Bindis although it is a little different. Rupa’s dadima (Grandma) always wears a sari. Each one is very colorful and bright. Dadima prefers a sari over normal skirts and blouses. Her Dadima teaches her about her culture, and how powerful a sari can be. What happens next? Read this book to find out.
21. Ellen Oh
- Finding Junie Kim
I just got my copy of this book, and have started reading it. As it is AAPI heritage month, I want to share some information about this newly published book.
-Junie Kim, a Korean American middle school student is faced with lots of Racism in her middle school and is too embarrassed to talk about her culture as an Asian/Korean. But with the help of her grandparents who are Korean War survivors, she learns about who she really is, and finds her inner strength to stand up for herself. I am already enjoying the story and will be writing a book review soon.
22. Jasmine Warga
The book Other Words for Home, written by Jasmine Warga., has won the 2020 Newbery Honor. The story is about a family of Syrian refugees. Jude moves to Ohio with her mom and stays with her uncle’s family. The book talks about Jude’s struggle to fit into American life and finding a home away from home. We can learn about Jude’s life in an American school, where she tries out for her very first play. It is difficult for Jude as she misses her home in Syria, and not being next to her brother Isa, and her father. I highly recommend reading this book.
In the end, I’m sure that now you have some books from the list for this summer break reading. I can guarantee that you will enjoy reading these books and learn a lot about diverse cultures. However, I feel that this list is incomplete. As a Nepali American, I wish I had a book written by a Nepali American author to add to this list. But, I’m hopeful that I will find one or write one myself.
HAPPY AAPI HERITAGE MONTH!
List of AAPI countries:
AAPI: Asian American and Pacific Islander. This term generally includes all people of Asian, Asian American, or Pacific Islander descents.
Asian: A person having origins in the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent.
East Asian: A person of Chinese, Taiwanese, Japanese, Korean, and Mongolian descent.
South Asian: A person of Indian, Afganistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Sri Lankan, Nepal, and Pakistani backgrounds.
Southeast Asian: A person of Filipino, Cambodian, Vietnamese, Lao, Indonesian, Thai, or Singaporean descent.
Central Asian: A person with origins in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
Pacific Islander: A person with origins in Polynesia, Micronesia, and Melanesia.
West Asian: A person with origins in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Cyprus, Georgia, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen
HAPPY 1 YEAR OF BLOGGING TO ME!