Asian Authors

Selected titles, for adults and teens, written by Asian-Canadian and Asian authors

Updated April 22, 2025
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Winnipeg Public Library
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1

What strange paradise
El Akkad, Omar
Paper Book
WINNER OF THE 2021 SCOTIABANK GILLER PRIZE LONGLISTED FOR THE 2023 DUBLIN LITERARY AWARD NATIONAL BESTSELLER   From the widely acclaimed author of American War: a new novel--beautifully written, unrelentingly dramatic, and profoundly moving--that...

Also available in eBook, eAudiobook and Large Print formats.

Canadian author.

2

Satellite Love: A Novel
Ferguson, Genki
Paper Book
A beautifully unconventional debut novel about a girl, a boy, and a satellite--and a bittersweet meditation on loneliness, alienation, and what it means to be human. Longlisted for Canada Reads, shortlisted for the Kobo Emerging Writer Prize for Literary Fiction and for Speculative Fiction. Named...

Canadian author.

3

Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century
Fu, Kim
Paper Book
WINNER OF THE 26TH ANNUAL DANUTA GLEED LITERARY AWARD SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2022 SCOTIABANK GILLER PRIZE KIRKUS REVIEWS BEST BOOKS OF 2022 THE GLOBE 100: THE BEST BOOKS OF 2022 CBC BOOKS: THE BEST CANADIAN FICTION OF 2022 Featured...

Also available in eBook and eAudiobook formats.

Canadian author.

4

The waiting
Gendry-Kim, Keum Suk
Paper Book
The story begins with a mother's confession...sisters permanently separated by a border during the Korean War Keum Suk Gendry-Kim was an adult when her mother revealed a family secret: She had been separated from her sister during the Korean War. It's not an uncommon story--the...

5

Serena Singh flips the script
Lalli, Sonya
Paper Book
Serena is smart, confident, and just got a kick-ass new job at a top advertising firm. When her younger sister gets married in a big, traditional wedding, Serena knows she does not need a husband or children to make her own dreams come true, despite what her constantly nagging mother thinks. But...

Canadian author

6

Rebel of fire and flight
Marufu, Aneesa
Paper Book
This is the story of sixteen-year-old Khadija, who flees her home in a stolen hot air balloon to escape life in an arranged marriage. A deeply relevant, commercial fantasy adventure by an enthralling new talent, exploring prejudice, the deep roots of hatred, and the reality of the world that this...

Also available in eBook format.

7

Kamila knows best
Heron, Farah
Paper Book
This slow burn romance featuring a hilarious puppy prom and delightful matchmaking schemes is "a fun, lighthearted binge from page one." (USA Today)   Kamila's life might not be perfect, but, whew, it's close. She lives a life of comfort, filled with her elaborate Bollywood...

Also available in eBook format.

Canadian author.

8

Sunshine nails
Nguyen, Mai
Paper Book
A tender and funny debut about a Vietnamese Canadian family who will do whatever it takes to keep their no-frills nail salon afloat after a multimillion-dollar chain opens across the street. Vietnamese refugees Debbie and Phil Tran have made a good life for themselves in Toronto,...

Also available in eBook and eAudiobook formats.

Canadian author.

9

Much Ado about Nada: A Novel
Jalaluddin, Uzma
Paper Book
A sparkling second-chance romance inspired by Jane Austen's Persuasion Nada Syed is stuck. On the cusp of thirty, she's still living at home with her brothers and parents in the Golden Crescent neighbourhood of Toronto, resolutely ignoring her mother's unsubtle pleas to get married already...

Also available in eBook format.

Canadian author.

10

Cold
Tamaki, Mariko
Paper Book
A boy, a murder, a girl, a secret. From award-winning author Mariko Tamaki comes Cold, a haunting YA novel about a shocking crime, told by a boy who died--and a girl who wants to know why. Who was Todd Mayer, and why don't any of his fellow students at...

Canadian author.

11

How to pronounce knife : stories
Thammavongsa, Souvankham
Paper Book
WINNER OF THE 2020 SCOTIABANK GILLER PRIZE WINNER OF THE 2021 TRILLIUM BOOK AWARD FINALIST FOR THE 2021 NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD, the PEN AMERICA OPEN BOOK AWARD, and the DANUTA GLEED AWARD #1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER Named one of Time's Must-Read Books...

Also available in eBook and eAudiobook formats.

Canadian author.

12

Le k ne se prononce pas
Thammavongsa, Souvankham.
Paper Book

Un jeune homme peint des clous au salon de coiffure du quartier. Une femme plume des poules dans une usine de transformation alimentaire. Un pere emballe des meubles destines a des maisons qu'il n'aura jamais les moyens d'habiter. Une femme au foyer apprend l'anglais en ecoutant des teleromans. Souvankham Thammavongsa donne voix a des personnages qui luttent pour gagner leur vie, fait resonner leurs espoirs, leurs deceptions, leurs amours, leurs actes de resistance et surtout leur quete d'appartenance.

Uniquement disponible en format numerique.

Auteur canadien.

13

Em
Thuy, Kim
Paper Book

Em, c'est le fil qui relie les ouvriers des plantations de caoutchouc et les femmes des salons de manucure aux orphelins de l'operation Babylift, qui a evacue des enfants de Saigon en 1975. Em, c'est celle qui aime.

Aussi disponible en formats numeriques.

Auteure canadienne.

14

Em
Thúy, Kim
Paper Book
LONGLISTED FOR THE 2021 SCOTIABANK GILLER PRIZE   Kim Thúy's Em is a virtuosic novel of profound power and sen­sitivity, and an enduring affirmation of the greatest act of resistance: love. In the midst of war, an ordinary miracle: an abandoned baby...

Also available in eBook and eAudiobook formats.

Canadian author.

15

We two alone : a novella and stories
Wang, Jack
Paper Book
Winner, 2020 Danuta Gleed Award Longlisted for Canada Reads 2022 A masterful collection of stories that dramatizes the Chinese diaspora across the globe over the past hundred years, We Two Alone is Jack Wang's astonishing debut work of fiction. Set on five continents and...

Also available in eBook format.

Canadian author.

16

Celia, Misoka, I
Xue, Yiwei
Paper Book
A meditation on the meaning of life in an increasingly global world, from acclaimed Chinese-Canadian author Xue Yiwei. Set in modern-day Montreal, Celia, Misoka, I is the story of a middle-aged Chinese man who has been living in the city for fifteen years....

17

The Foghorn Echoes
Ramadan, Danny
Paper Book
*WINNER OF A 2022 LAMBDA LITERARY AWARD* *SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2023 BC AND YUKON ETHEL WILSON PRIZE* *SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2023 VANCOUVER BOOK AWARD* "A sweeping and mesmerizing story that spans time and mortal space so expertly and elegantly." --Alan...

Also available in eBook and eAudiobook formats.

Canadian author.

18

Iron widow
Zhao, Xiran Jay
Paper Book
An instant #1 New York Times bestseller! A USA Today bestseller! Pacific Rim meets The Handmaid's Tale in this blend of Chinese history and mecha science fiction for YA readers. The boys of Huaxia dream of pairing up with girls to...

Also available in eBook and eAudiobook formats.

Canadian author.

19

We have always been here : a queer Muslim memoir
Habib, Samra
Paper Book
Samra Habib has spent most of her life searching for the safety to be herself. The men in her life wanted to police her, the women had only shown her the example of pious obedience, and her body was a problem to be solved. A triumphant memoir of forgiveness and family, both chosen and not, We Have...

Also available in eBook and eAudiobook formats.

Canadian author.

20

Crying in H Mart : a memoir
Zauner, Michelle
Paper Book
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * From the indie rock sensation known as Japanese Breakfast, an unforgettable memoir about family, food, grief, love, and growing up Korean American--"in losing her mother and cooking to bring her back to life, Zauner became herself" (NPR). * CELEBRATING...

Also available in eBook, and eAudiobook formats, and as a Book Club Kit.

21

Home body
Kaur, Rupi.
Paper Book
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of milk and honey and the sun and her flowers comes her greatly anticipated third collection of poetry. rupi kaur constantly embraces growth, and in home body, she walks readers through a reflective and...

Also available in eBook and eAudiobook formats.

Canadian author.

22

Corps refuge
Rupi Kaur
Paper Book

Voici le troisieme recueil de poesie de l'auteure de Lait et miel et Le soleil et ses fleurs.

Auteure canadienne.

23

Sigh, gone : a misfit's memoir of great books, punk rock, and the fight to fit in
Tran, Phuc
Paper Book
For anyone who has ever felt like they don't belong, Sigh, Gone shares an irreverent, funny, and moving tale of displacement and assimilation woven together with poignant themes from beloved works of classic literature. In 1975, during the fall of Saigon, Phuc Tran...
Also available in eBook and eAudiobook formats.

24

Rien de beau sur la guerre
Nguyen, Mai.

Canadian author.

25

People change
Shraya, Vivek
Paper Book
*FINALIST FOR THE CITY OF CALGARY W.O. MITCHELL BOOK PRIZE* "A deeply generous and honest gift to the world." --Elliot Page The author of I'm Afraid of Men lets readers in on the secrets to a life of reinvention. Vivek Shraya...

Also available in eBook and eAudiobook formats.

Canadian author.

26

Tout le Monde Change
Shraya, Vivek.

L'auteure de J'ai peur des hommes revele aux lecteur-ices le secret d'une vie axee sur la reinvention. Vivek Shraya est certaine d'une chose : tout le monde change. Dans ce court essai, elle reflechit aux origines de ses pulsions de changement, les liant aux influences de son enfance, de l'hindouisme a Madonna. Ce qui en emerge est une meditation sur le changement en soi. Pourquoi nous fait-il peur ? Pourquoi nous attire-t-il ? Qu'est-ce qui nous motive a changer, et qu'est-ce qui nous prend au piege ?

Uniquement disponible en format numerique.

Auteure canadienne.

27

Superfan : how pop culture broke my heart : a memoir
Lee, Jen Sookfong
Paper Book
For most of Jen Sookfong Lee's life, pop culture was an escape from family tragedy and a means of fitting in with the larger culture around her. Anne of Green Gables assured her that, despite losing her father at the age of twelve, one day she might still have the loving family of her dreams, and...

Also available in eBook and eAudiobook formats.

Canadian author.

28

Welcome Home: A Guide to Building a Home for Your Soul
Zebian, Najwa
Paper Book
A powerful blueprint for healing by building a home within yourself "A master class in self-actualization and compassion." --Mari Andrew, New York Times bestselling author of Am I There Yet? In her debut book of inspiration, poet Najwa Zebian shares her...

Canadian author.

29

We were dreamers : an immigrant superhero origin story
Liu, Simu
Paper Book
#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER  "Like your favourite superhero, within the first few pages, this book made me feel like I could do anything." --Shifter Magazine   "This real-life hero's journey is a knockout." --Publishers...

Also available in eBook and eAudiobook formats.

Canadian author.

30

My Mother, My Translator
Singh, Jaspreet
Paper Book
In 2008, Jaspreet Singh made a pact with his mother. He would gladly give her the go-ahead to publish her significantly altered translation of a story from his collection, Seventeen Tomatoes, if she promised to write her memoirs. After she died in 2012, he decided to take up the...

Canadian author.

31

Le Secret des Vietnamiennes
Thúy, Kim
Paper Book

Auteure canadienne.

32

Secrets from my Vietnamese kitchen : simple recipes from my many mothers
Th©ðy, Kim
Paper Book
Acclaimed novelist Kim Thuy combines her beautiful storytelling style with simple and wonderful recipes that are full of flavour: surprising yet comforting, and easy enough for every day. Welcoming us into her close-knit circle, she introduces us to her mother and five aunts, each with her story,...

Also available in eBook format.

Canadian author.

33

My name is Saajin Singh
Brar, Kuljinder Kaur
Paper Book
A debut picture book that explores the importance of pronouncing names properly and celebrates cultural identity. Saajin loves his name--he loves it so much that he sees it spelled out in the world around him in his snacks, in the sky and sometimes he even sings it aloud. On his...

Also available in eBook format.

Canadian author.

34

No Place Like Home
Nguyen, Linh
Paper Book
Sweeping in scope and timeless in tone, No Place like Home is a middle-grade portal fantasy unlike any other Lan, a teenager who recently came to Canada from Vietnam, spends every day searching for a sense of belonging. Books are the only things that make her feel at ease. But it comes as...

Also available in eBook format.

Canadian author.

35

Chiru Sakura -- Falling Cherry Blossoms: A Mother & Daughter's Journey Through Racism, Internment and Oppression
Thomson, Grace Eiko
Paper Book
At eight years old, Grace Eiko Nishikihama was forcibly removed from her Vancouver home and interned with her parents and siblings in the BC Interior. Chiru Sakura--Falling Cherry Blossoms is a moving and politically outspoken memoir written by Grace, now a grandmother, with passages from a journal...

Canadian author.

36

Kai's Tea Eggs
Zhou, Karina
Paper Book
Multicultural Day is coming up at school, and Kai is nervous about sharing her family's Chinese food with her classmates. Kai's mother is excited about making special dishes, but Kai doesn't like feeling different from everyone else. Upset, she runs off on her own and meets Ming the dragon, who...

Also available in eBook format.

Canadian author.

37

The Longest Shot : How Larry Kwong Changed the Face of Hockey
Chiang, George/ Soon, Chad/ Qi, Amy (ILT)
Paper Book
Larry Kwong became the first player of Asian descent in the NHL when he played one shift with the New York Rangers in 1948. Even though Larry's achievement happened more than 70 years ago, his contribution to hockey is only now being recognized. He broke hockey's color barrier and fought...

Also available in eBook format.

Canadian author.

38

Queen of physics : how Wu Chien Shiung helped unlock the secrets of the atom
Robeson, Teresa
Paper Book
Meet Wu Chien Shiung, famous physicist who overcame prejudice to prove that she could be anything she wanted. "Wu Chien Shiung's story is remarkable--and so is the way this book does it justice." --Booklist (Starred review)

39

A song for China : how my father wrote Yellow River cantata
Zhang, Ange
Paper Book
Published in celebration of the famous Yellow River Cantata's 80th anniversary, this is the riveting history of how a young Chinese author and passionate militant fought using art to create a socially just China during the period of the struggle against the Japanese and during World War II...

Canadian author.

40

Johnny Delivers
Ng, Wayne
Paper Book
Eighteen-year-old Johnny Wong's dead-end life consists of delivering Chinese food and holding his chaotic family together in Toronto. When his sweet but treacherous Auntie, the mahjong queen, calls in their family debt, he fears the family will lose the Red Pagoda restaurant and break apart. ...

Canadian author.

41

The space between here & now
Suk, Sarah
Paper Book
Perfect for fans of They Both Die at the End and You've Reached Sam, this gripping, atmospheric YA novel follows a teen with a mysterious condition that transports her to the past when she smells certain scents linked to specific memories. Seventeen-year-old Aimee Roh has...

Also available in eBook and eAudiobook formats.

Canadian author.

42

Sunshine and spice
Palit, Aurora
Paper Book
Naomi Kelly will do anything to make her new brand consulting business a success. When she lands a career saving contract to rebrand the Mukherjee family's failing local bazaar, she knows there can be no mistakes. But as the 'oops' baby of a free-spirited Bengali mother, Naomi's lack of connection...

Also available in eBook format.

Canadian author.

43

Made in Korea
Suk, Sarah
Paper Book
Frankly in Love meets Shark Tank in this feel-good romantic comedy about two entrepreneurial Korean American teens who butt heads--and maybe fall in love--while running competing Korean beauty businesses at their high school. There's nothing Valerie Kwon loves more...

Canadian author.

44

Ahimsa roman
Chen, Ying, 1961-

Canadian author.

45

Imagine a garden : stories of courage changing the world
Singh, Rina
Paper Book
Illustrated with stunning cut paper art, these seven poetic vignettes capture true stories of courage, hope, and resilience from around the world. In Imagine A Garden, award-winning children's author Rina Singh shares seven real-life stories of ordinary people doing...

Canadian author.

46

Kimiko Murakami: A Japanese-Canadian Pioneer
Healey, Haley
Paper Book
The inspiring and true life story of Kimiko Murakami, a Japanese-Canadian pioneer and internment camp survivor, beautifully illustrated for a young audience.

Canadian author.

47

The blue bowl
Leung, Flo
Paper Book
A young boy realizes, thanks to his family, that he can enjoy both his Chinese and North American cultures through his favorite dishes Max loves his family's Cantonese meals, like steamed rice and gai lan greens with oyster sauce, homemade dumplings, and scallion bread. But sometimes he...

Canadian author.

48

100 chapatis
Mascarenhas, Derek
Paper Book
A boy makes one hundred chapatis with his grandfather while they wait for news of his new baby sibling's arrival Simon doesn't want the baby to come. He was happy with just his mom, dad, and Pappa. Now, Mom and Dad are at the hospital, and Simon and Pappa are waiting for news at home. ...

Canadian author.

49

The words we share
Wong, Jack
Paper Book
"A must-buy." --School Library Journal A young girl helps her dad navigate life in a new country where she understands the language more than he does, in an unforgettable story about communication and community by Boston Globe-Horn Book Award-winner Jack Wong. Angie is used to...

Also available in eBook format.

Canadian author.

50

Obaasan's boots
Bridger, Janis
Paper Book
Cousins Lou and Charlotte don't know a lot about their grandmother's life. When their Obaasan invites them to spend the day in her garden, she also invites them into their family's secrets. Grandma shares her experience as a Japanese Canadian during WWII, revealing the painful story of Japanese...

Canadian author.

51

Mehndi boy
Bandali, Zain
Paper Book
"Delightful . . . the world needs more 'mehndi boys!'" --Vivek Shraya, author of The Boy & the Bindi and God Loves Hair "I was totally charmed by it." --Ali Sethi, musician and author An artistic, fashion-loving boy unlocks a new talent--and learns to stand up for it--in this...

Canadian author.

52

Everyone is welcome
Truong, Phuong
Paper Book
A little girl hears that her grandma's friend, Mrs. Lee, was pushed on her way to the Asian market. Then she learns that Asian students at her brother's school are afraid to walk to class, and she realizes something very wrong is happening to her community. How can life be so unfair? With her mom...

Canadian author.

53

Est-ce que tu as faim? une recette d'amour
Ly, Grace.
Paper Book

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