AANHPI Voices for Teens

To recognize Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month this May, we've collected fiction and nonfiction stories that amplify these community voices.

Updated May 4, 2026
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Everything we never had
Ribay, Randy
Paper Book
Winner of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature Longlisted for the National Book Award Winner of the Boston Globe-Horn Book Fiction Award From the author of the National Book Award finalist Patron Saints of Nothing comes an emotionally charged, moving...
I'd rather burn than bloom
Rogers, Shannon C. F.
Paper Book
Packed with voice, Shannon C.F. Rogers' I'd Rather Burn than Bloom is a powerful YA novel about a Filipina-American teen who tries to figure out who she really is in the wake of her mother's death. Some girls call their mother their best friend. Marisol Martin? She...
Smithsonian Asian Pacific American history, art, and culture in 101 objects
Gonzalves, Theodore S.
Paper Book
A rich and compelling introduction to the history of Asian Pacific American communities as told through 101 objects, from a fortune cookie baking mold to the debut Ms. Marvel comic featuring Kamala Khan A Booklist Top 10 Reference Book of 2024 ...
108 Asian cookies : not-too-sweet treats from a third-culture kitchen
Lieu, Kat
Paper Book
From the IACP award winner and bestselling cookbook author comes a first-of-its-kind collection of irresistible cookie recipes inspired by Asian flavors and techniques to excite home bakers. Growing up as a Canadian-born Vietnamese Chinese American, Kat Lieu sought...
This is not a personal statement
Badua, Tracy
Paper Book
Admission meets American Panda in this propulsive, poignant YA contemporary novel about a teen who, after getting rejected from her dream college, forges her own acceptance and commits to living a lie. Perfect for fans of Mary H.K. Choi!  At sixteen, Perla is the youngest graduating...
Fierce as the wind
Redd, Tara Wilson
Paper Book
Heartbreak pushes one Hawaiian girl to find her strongest self in this authentic and emotional story of personal transformation that's perfect for fans of The Running Dream. When Miho's boyfriend breaks up with her without warning, all she can see is red--the color of...
Kindling
Chee, Traci
Paper Book
From bestselling and award-winning author Traci Chee comes a stand-alone fantasy set against a war-ravaged world where kindling warfare--the use of elite, magic-wielding teenage soldiers--has been outlawed. In this rich and evocative novel, seven kindlings search for purpose and identity as they...
Home has no borders
Ahmed, Samira
Paper Book
From New York Times bestselling author Samira Ahmed and Sona Charaipotra comes this uplifting contemporary teen anthology celebrating South Asian stories and writers. From first crushes to first heartbreaks, complicated family dynamics to community relationships, this...
On again, awkward again
Kelly, Erin Entrada
Paper Book
The laugh-out-loud YA romance by two award-winning and bestselling authors, Erin Entrada Kelly and Kwame Mbalia, that's perfect for fans of To All the Boys I've Loved Before or When Dimple Met Rishi When Pacy Mercado and Cecil Holloway spot each other...
Made in Asian America : a history for young people
Lee, Erika
Paper Book
"Powerful. . . . Made in Asian America isn't just about the past. It's about the history being made right now by young people, inspired by the Asian Americans who came before them to ensure that our stories are not only heard, but also remembered." --Paula Yoo, The New York Times...
What's eating Jackie Oh?
Park, Patricia (Fiction writer)
Paper Book
A Korean American teen tries to balance her dream to become a chef with the cultural expectations of her family when she enters the competitive world of a TV cooking show. A hilarious and heartfelt YA novel from the award-winning author of Imposter Syndrome and Other Confessions of Alejandra...
The Choi of cooking : flavor-packed, rule-breaking recipes for a delicious life
Choi, Roy
Paper Book
NATIONAL BESTSELLER . Culinary icon, founder of the Kogi food truck, New York Times bestselling author of L.A. Son, and star of Netflix's The Chef Show shares 100 flavor-packed recipes that empower you to eat healthy-or, at least, healthier-without ditching your go-to...
Eighteen roses
Rogers, Shannon C. F.
Paper Book
From the author of I'd Rather Burn Than Bloom, winner of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Youth Literature, comes a sharply observed YA novel about friendship, family, and self-discovery, amid a backdrop of a Filipino debut. Lucia Cruz may be turning eighteen this...
Days of infamy : how a century of bigotry led to Japanese American internment
Goldstone, Lawrence
Paper Book
In another unrelenting look at the iniquities of the American justice system, Lawrence Goldstone, acclaimed author of Unpunished Murder, Stolen Justice, and Separate No More, examines the history of racism against Japanese Americans, exploring the territory of citizenship and...
All the way around the sun
Tian, XiXi (Young adult author)
Paper Book
From the acclaimed author of This Place Is Still Beautiful comes an evocative, achingly romantic road-trip story about grief, diasporic identities, and the deep-buried secrets that haunt us, perfect for fans of Past Lives and The Farewell. Stella Chen's life ground...
Auntie Kristina's Guide to Asian American Activism
Wong, Kristina
Paper Book
Activism is more than just screaming with signs--it's also about discovering who we are, building spaces, and documenting our community. Vibrant and witty, Auntie Kristina's Guide to Asian American Activism shows young readers how to love their bodies, fight for social justice, and...
The golden screen : the movies that made Asian America
Yang, Jeff
Paper Book
From a New York Times bestselling author, this groundbreaking book celebrates and examines the history of Asian Americans on the big screen, exploring how iconic films have shaped Hollywood, representation, and American culture. In 2018, the...
ASAP
Oh, Axie
Paper Book
New York Times bestselling author Axie Oh's ASAP is the much anticipated companion novel to beloved romance XOXO, following fan favorites Sori, the wealthy daughter of a K-pop company owner, and Nathaniel, her K-pop star ex-boyfriend, in a swoon-worthy second chance love...
Giant Robot : thirty years of defining Asian American pop culture
Nakamura, Eric
Paper Book
Celebrating the pop culture phenomenon that redefined what it meant to be Asian-American with tributes from Margaret Cho, Randall Park, Jia Tolentino, and more. Los Angeles, 1994. Two Asian-American punk rockers staple together the zine of their dreams featuring Sumo,...
Patron saints of nothing
Ribay, Randy
Paper Book
A NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST * A powerful coming-of-age story about grief, guilt, and the risks a Filipino-American teenager takes to uncover the truth about his cousin's murder. A Kirkus Reviews Best Young Adult Book of the Century "Brilliant, honest, and...

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