Celebrate Asian Pacific Heritage Month with Stories from Picture Books

by Fang

It‘s time to celebrate the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month again! We are happy to see that more and more talented authors and illustrators are creating powerful and inviting stories about self-love and cultural inclusiveness, about their sweet memories of families and homelands, and about their fearless and thrilling immigration experience. Please check them out and share with families and children!

I am golden

Chen, Eva, 1980- author.

jE Chen

This moving ode to the immigrant experience, as well as a manifesto of self-love for Chinese American children, is a jubilant celebration of accepting who you are.

A map into the world

Yang, Kao Kalia, 1980- author.

jE Yang

"Paj Ntaub, a young Hmong American girl, spends a busy year with her family in their new home, and seeks a way to share the beauty of the world with a grieving neighbor."--Provided by publisher.

Sakura's cherry blossoms

Weston, Robert Paul, author.

jE Weston

"Sakura's dad gets a new job in America, so she and her parents make the move from their home in Japan. When she arrives in the States, most of all she misses her grandmother and the cherry blossom trees, under which she and her grandmother used to play and picnic. She wonders how she'll ever feel at home in this new place, with its unfamiliar language and landscape. One day, she meets her neighbor, a boy named Luke, and begins to feel a little more settled. When her grandmother becomes ill, though, her family takes a trip back to Japan. Sakura is sad when she returns to the States and once again reflects on all she misses. Luke does his best to cheer her up -- and tells her about a surprise he knows she'll love, but she'll have to wait till spring. In the meantime, Sakura and Luke's friendship blooms and finally, when spring comes, Luke takes her to see the cherry blossom trees flowering right there in her new neighborhood."--

Eyes that speak to the stars

Ho, Joanna, author.

jE Ho

A young Asian boy notices that his eyes look different from his peers' after seeing his friend's drawing of them. After talking to his father, the boy realizes that his eyes rise to the skies and speak to the stars, shine like sunlit rays, and glimpse trails of light from those who came before--in fact, his eyes are like his father's, his agong's, and his little brother's, and they are visionary. Inspired by the men in his family, he recognizes his own power and strength from within. This extraordinary picture book redefines what it means to be truly you. Eyes That Kiss in the Corners received three starred reviews and was embraced as "breathtaking," "lyrical," and "poignant." This companion volume is sure to be welcomed with equal joy. January/February 2021 Kids' Indie Next List An Amazon January Best Book of the Month

Eyes that kiss in the corners

Ho, Joanna, author.

jE Ho

"A young Asian girl notices that her eyes look different from her peers'. They have big, round eyes and long lashes. She realizes that her eyes are like her mother's, her grandmother's, and her little sister's. They have eyes that kiss in the corners and glow like warm tea, crinkle into crescent moons, and are filled with stories of the past and hope for the future. Drawing from the strength of these powerful women in her life, she recognizes her own beauty and discovers a path to self love and empowerment. This powerful, poetic picture book will resonate with readers of all ages and is a celebration of diversity."--Provided by publisher.

Hundred years of happiness

Lai, Thanhha, author.

ON ORDER BOOK

"An's grandmother Bà sometimes gets trapped in her cloudy memories. An and her grandfather Ông come up with a plan to bring her back to a happy moment: growing ĝác fruits so they can make xôi ĝác, Bà's favorite dish from her wedding in Vietnam many years ago. An and Ông must be patient as the seeds grow, flower, and turn into fruit. When the xôi ĝác is finally ready, An is hopeful that her grandmother will remember her wedding wish with Ông: hundred years of happiness. This stunning picture book ... beautifully showcases the love between grandparents and grandchildren, the challenges of memory loss, and the joy that sweet reminders of a faraway home can bring"--Jacket.

My love for you is always

Sze, Gillian, 1985- author.

jE Sze

As she prepares a traditional Chinese meal for her family, a mother answers her child's question: "What is love?"

Like mother, like daughter

Yim, Natasha, author.

jE Turning

"Captures the joy, humor, and occasional frustration of the mother-daughter relationship from the film"--

Piece by piece

Tan, Susan, author.

jE Tan

A child who loves visiting museums with her grandmother is sad when Nainai returns to China, but her father takes her to see something special where signs of Nainai are in every corner. Includes facts about the Peabody Essex Museum's Yu Yu Tang exhibit.

Friends are friends, forever

Liu, Dane, author.

j394.26951 Liu

Just before Chinese New Year, Dandan discovers that her family is moving to America, far away from her best friend Yueyue; before they leave Yueyue gives her a stack of red paper and a spool of string so she can share the art of paper cutting with Americans--and when Chinese New Year comes around again Dandan remembers Yueyue's gift and introduces her new friend Christina to this ancient art.

Playing at the border : a story of Yo-Yo Ma

Ho, Joanna, author.

jE Ho

". . . tell[s] an inspiring story of Yo-Yo Ma, who challenges conventions, expectations, and beliefs in order to build bridges to unite communities, people, and cultures"--Provided by publisher.

A piece of home

Watts, Jeri Hanel, 1957- author.

jE Watts

Moving with his family from Korea to West Virginia, Hee Jun struggles to adjust to his new home, an unfamiliar language, and the different appearances of his classmates before making friends and bringing a familiar flower home to his grandmother.

From the tops of the trees

Yang, Kao Kalia, 1980- author.

jE Yang

"A powerful true story of a young girl who has never known life outside a refugee camp and a father determined to help her dream beyond the fences that confine them"--

My tree

Lim, Hope, author.

jE Lim

"A boy makes a connection with a plum tree after moving to a new home"--

Thank you, Miyuki

Galliez, Roxane Marie, author.

jE Galliez

"Miyuki and her grandfather return in an enchanting intergenerational story enhanced by Seng Soun Ratanavanh's gorgeous Japanese-inspired illustrations. Miyuki's curiosity is piqued by her grandfather's morning meditation routine, and she is eager to learn this new skill. Her wise and patient grandfather first takes her on a walk in the garden. "When do we start to meditate?" she asks repeatedly. Grandfather enjoys the warm sun and stops to smell a rose, inviting Miyuki to join him. Their walk in the garden, filled with many tender moments, heightens their gratitude for each other and for the world around them. Miyuki comes to understand that in the small acts of mindfulness throughout her day, she learned how to meditate." -- Amazon.com.

When father comes home

Jung, Sarah, author, illustrator.

jE Jung

"June's father is like a goose -- he flies away for long periods of time, which means that June doesn't get to see him very often. So he is happy when Father comes home from his journeys, and happier still when the family plants a tangerine tree together and Father tells June, "Next time I am here, this tree will be bigger, and so will you." Caring for a growing sapling is a great responsibility and June takes it very seriously. When an accident happens and the tree topples over, June worries his family will change forever. But things that have fallen can be replanted, and sometimes facing our biggest fears reveals our greatest strengths"--Amazon

The big bath house

Maclear, Kyo, 1970- author.

jE Maclear

Soon after a young girl arrives in Japan, she, her grandmother, her aunties, and some cousins celebrate cultural traditions together while visiting a bath house.

Gibberish

Vo, Young, author, illustrator.

jE Vo

When Dat starts school in a country where he does not speak the language, everything around him sound like gibberish until a new friend helps him make sense of his new world.

I am the subway

Kim, Hyo-ŭn, author, illustrator.

jE Kim

"A cinematic journey through the Seoul subway that masterfully portrays the many unique lives we travel alongside whenever we take the train. A poetic translation of the bestselling Korean picture book."--Amazon.com.

The merchant and the thief : a folktale from India

Zacharias, Ravi K.

jE Zacharias

In this adaptation of an Indian folktale, as a thief travels with a wealthy jewel merchant he tries and fails several times to uncover and steal his treasures, but in return the merchant offers the thief God's forgiveness and a life in Jesus Christ.

The boy from the dragon palace : a folktale from Japan

MacDonald, Margaret Read, 1940-

jE MacDonald

A magical boy grants a poor flower-seller's every wish until the greedy and ungrateful man grows tired of the boy's unpleasant behavior and sends him away.

Amy Wu and the patchwork dragon

Zhang, Kat, 1991- author.

jE Zhang

"Amy loves craft time at school, but when her teacher asks everyone to make their own dragon, Amy feels stuck. Her first dragon has a long, wingless body, stag-like horns, and eagle claws, but her friends don't think it's a real dragon. Then she makes dragons like theirs, but none of them feels quite right--none of them feels like hers"--Publisher marketing.

Ellie makes a friend

Wu, Mike, author, illustrator.

jE Wu

"A panda has joined the animals, and she's a painter like Ellie! Is there room for two artists at the zoo?"--Page [2] of cover.

Great job, Mom!

Wang, Holman, author, illustrator.

jE Wang

"Being a mom is eleven jobs in one! This unique picture book for very young readers celebrates the many jobs being a parent encompasses: A general who rallies the troops (or unruly kids), a curator of modern art (or finger paintings), an archeologist looking for buried treasures (or socks)... when Mom gets home from her day job as a carpenter, she never knows which job will be waiting for her, but she knows it'll be fun! Each rhyming spread features intimate, familiar, comforting and humorous depictions of family life through a wholly original -- and amazing! -- needle-felted lens"--Provided by publisher.

Great job, Dad!

Wang, Holman, author, illustrator.

jE Wang

"Being a dad is eleven jobs in one! This unique picture book for very young readers celebrates the many jobs being a parent encompasses: A receptionist scheduling important meetings (for playdates), an architect designing buildings (or pillow forts), an inspector (of diapers!).... When Dad gets home from his day job at the office, he never knows which job will be waiting for him, but he knows it'll be fun! Each rhyming spread features intimate, familiar, comforting and humorous depictions of family life through a wholly original -- and amazing! -- needle-felted lens"--Provided by publisher.

Auntie Yang's great soybean picnic

Lo, Ginnie.

jE Lo

"A Chinese American girl's Auntie Yang discovers soybeans-a favorite Chinese food-growing in Illinois, leading her family to a soybean picnic tradition that grows into an annual community event. Includes author's note and glossary"--Provided by publisher.

Tofu takes time

Wu, Helen H., author.

jE Wu

"Lin makes tofu with her grandma and discovers that patience brings a whole universe together in a simple dish made by a modern Chinese American family"--