Children's Book Suggestions | Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Celebrate Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month with these chapter books for readers in Grades 2-7!

Updated February 15, 2024
LINCC (Libraries in Clackamas County) Oregon City Public Library
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The tryout
Soontornvat, Christina
Paper Book
Could anything be more mortifying than trying out for cheerleader in front of your whole grade? This hilarious, highly relatable story will make you laugh, cry, and cheer! Perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier. An Instant #1 Bestseller! "A captivating middle...

Based on a true story from the author's childhood, this novel about trying out for the middle school cheerleading squad is a perfect fit for friends of Smile and Real Friends. (Young Teen Graphic Novel Grades 5-7)

Front desk
Yang, Kelly
Paper Book
Four starred reviews and over ten best-of-year lists!* "Many readers will recognize themselves or their neighbors in these pages." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review Front Desk joins the Scholastic Gold line, which features award-winning and beloved novels. Includes exclusive...

Mia, an aspiring writer and recent immigrant from China, helps her parents run an Anaheim motel in 1990s LA. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

Generation misfits
Bowman, Akemi Dawn
Paper Book
Generation Misfits by Akemi Dawn Bowman is a heartwarming, fish-out-of-water own voices story about an eleven-year-old Japanese-American girl who finds her true friends--through the power of J-Pop! Millie is attending a real school for the first time, and she...

A homeschooled girl makes friends with the power of J-Pop! (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

Keep it together, Keiko Carter
Florence, Debbi Michiko
Paper Book
Fans of Wendy Mass and Lisa Greenwald are sure to fall head-over-heels for this sweet story about first crushes, friendship drama, and finding the courage to stand up for yourself.Seventh grade is supposed to be a game changer. And Keiko thinks she's got it covered, especially with Audrey and Jenna...

Keiko finds herself stuck in the middle between two best friends, one who throws herself headlong into makeup and dating and one who doesn't. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

Pahua and the soul stealer
Lee, Lori M.
Paper Book
"I love the adventures Pahua has in this book. I also love the sense of humor, the clever plotting, and the fantastic cast of characters. But most of all I love Pahua- her courage, her kindness, and her love for family."--NYT best-selling author Rick Riordan Winner...

A Hmong teen discovers she's a legendary shaman warrior when she rescues her brother's spirit from the underworld in this Rick Riordan Presents fantasy adventure. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

That thing about Bollywood
Kelkar, Supriya
Paper Book
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...
An Indian American middle schooler refuses to acknowledge her difficult feelings around her parents' divorce until she begins spontaneously breaking out in Bollywood-style song and dance routines to express her feelings. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)
Living with Viola
Fung, Rosena
Paper Book
"Unforgettable . . . will shake middle grade readers to the core."--School Library Journal, starred review "Beautifully illustrated, relatable, and genuine." --Molly Brooks, creator of Sanity & Tallulah "Everyone needs to buy this book now.  Seriously. Buy it, read it,...

A graphic novel that explores anxiety and mental illness from the perspective of a Chinese Canadian middle schooler. (Young Teen Graphic Novel Grades 5-7)

More to the story
Khan, Hena
Paper Book
From the critically acclaimed author of Amina's Voice comes a new story inspired by Louisa May Alcott's beloved classic, Little Women, featuring four sisters from a modern American Muslim family living in Georgia. When Jameela Mirza is picked to be feature editor of...

A retelling of Little Women starring a Pakistani Muslim American family living in modern-day Georgia. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

Inside out & back again
Lại, Thanhhà
Paper Book
Inside Out and Back Again is a #1 New York Times bestseller, a Newbery Honor Book, and a winner of the National Book Award! Inspired by the author's childhood experience as a refugee--fleeing Vietnam after the Fall of Saigon and immigrating to Alabama--this coming-of-age debut novel told...

A novel in verse inspired by the author's childhood, when her family settled in Alabama in 1975 following the Vietnam War. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)


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