This month and every month, we hope you’ll join us in honoring and celebrating Asian creators with stories both old and new.
Picture Books
By Emeline Lee
Illustrated by Alina Chau
“In a fresh perspective on events which changed the universe, Bonnie’s Rocket reveals to readers that STEM is at its most powerful when it is personal.” —Andrea Beaty, New York Times bestselling author of Rosie Revere, Engineer
By F. Zia
Illustrated by Ken Min
“A natural for reading aloud, laced with great tastes, infectious sound effects and happy feelings.” —Kirkus Reviews
By Sylvia Liu
Illustrated by Christina Forshay
“This selection stands out from other yoga picture books for its introduction to tai chi and will circulate well in collections where there is an interest in movement, health, and fitness activities.” —School Library Journal
Seven Golden Rings: A Tale of Music and Math
By Rajani LaRocca
Illustrated by Archana Sreenivasan
⭐ “Charming. . . This succeeds both as an entertaining read-aloud and as a teasing introduction to the binary system.” —Booklist, starred review
By Ying-Hwa Hu
“An immersive bilingual counting tale.” —Publishers Weekly
Biographies
Shining Star: The Anna May Wong Story
By Paula Yoo
Illustrated by Lin Wang
“A fascinating account of the life of a determined actress.” —Publishers Weekly
The Story of Movie Star Anna May Wong
By Paula Yoo
Illustrated by Lin Wang
⭐ “Excellent chapter book biography for elementary schoolers.” —School Library Journal, starred review
Sixteen years in Sixteen Seconds: The Sammy Lee Story
By Paula Yoo
Illustrated by Dom Lee
⭐ “This hero’s inspirational story demonstrates determination and dedication by a man who never gave up and is still an active athlete today.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
The Story of Olympic Diver Sammy Lee
By Paula Yoo
Illustrated by Dom Lee
“These well-crafted, insightful biographies provide a useful historical context for each person’s story.” —Booklist
Wat Takes His Shot: The Life & Legacy of Basketball Hero Wataru Misaka
By Cheryl Kim
Illustrated by Nat Iwata
⭐ “A multilayered picture book that, like the hero at its center, offers so much strength, personality, and invaluable life lessons in a very dense package. . . Readers of all ages, especially those who love basketball, will rejoice over “Wat’s” triumphs.” —School Library Journal, starred review
Books for Older Readers
By Sonia Patel
“[Patel] writes with fierce simplicity throughout, allowing the gritty beauty of her story to shine.” —Publishers Weekly
The Magnolia Sword: A Ballad of Mulan
By Sherry Thomas
⭐ “Rich cultural references, intricate political machinations, and thrilling Wuxia elements distinguish this deftly woven Mulan.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
By Doan Phuong Nguyen
“Heart-wrenching, hopeful, and heartwarming. Extraordinarily deep and lovely. Please read Mèo and Bé and fall in love like I did.” —Jennifer Niven, #1 New York Times bestselling author of All the Bright Places
By Axie Oh
⭐ “This action-packed sci-fi novel, with deeper explorations of empathy, humanity, and the capacity to love, is a great choice for most collections.” —School Library Journal, starred review
Strong As Fire, Fierce As Flame
By Supriya Kelkar
⭐ “Readers will empathize with this heartbreakingly charming debut about the universal struggle of overcoming fears and biases in order to make the world a better place.” —Booklist, starred review
By Doan Phuong Nguyen
“Doan Phuong Nguyen weaves a lyrical tale across decades and generations that is equal parts heartbreaking and heartwarming. . . This book is required reading.” —George Jreije, author of the Shad Hadid series
More Books & Resources
Download a book list highlighting Asian American stories.
Check out Pacific Islanders in Publishing for books highlighting cultures and peoples across Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia.