Children's Book Suggestions | Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month 2025

A few of our favorite books about Asian & Pacific Islander Americans past and present published in 2024. For more book ideas, check out our Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month 2024 Picture Book and Chapter Book lists, browse the library catalog, or search for the name of a country or ethnic group.

More great books are honored annually with the Asian/Pacific American Literary Award (APALA).

P.S. Stay tuned for our Southeast Asian Heritage Month book list, coming August 2025!

Updated April 17, 2025
LINCC (Libraries in Clackamas County) Oregon City Public Library
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Ellie Mae dreams big!
McMorris, Kristina
Paper Book
The sister duo of New York Times best-selling novelist Kristina McMorris and award-winning artist Amanda Yoshida makes their collaborative debut with a delightful story of a girl whose big dreams are far from ordinary. "What do you want to be when you grow up?" At the...

Picture Book (Age 4-8)

Gigi and Ojiji
Iwai, Melissa
Paper Book
"Gigi crafts her Japanese American identity in this ­enchanting early reader. The cuteness, inclusivity, and cross-cultural problem-solving represented will have young ­readers coming back again and again. A must-buy." --School Library Journal (starred review) "The text is...

Early Reader (Level 3)

Best friend!
Fang, Vicky
Paper Book
Brand-new first grader Ava Lin is determined to find a best friend--even if she's a bit unclear on how to go about it--in this launch of a funny, super relatable chapter-book series. Ava Lin is six and a half years old, and she loves bubble tea, finding treasures, and animals...

Bridging Fiction (Grades 2-4)

Magnolia Wu unfolds it all
Miller, Chanel
Paper Book
A Newbery Honor book and instant New York Times, USA Today, and indie bestseller! Award-winning author and artist Chanel Miller tells a fun, funny, and poignant story of friendship and community starring Magnolia Wu, a ten-year-old sock detective bent on...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

Summer at Squee
Wang, Andrea
Paper Book
From Newbery Honor-winning author Andrea Wang, a new middle grade novel about a Chinese American tween who attends a Boston-based Chinese cultural overnight camp-and the many ways it transforms her. Phoenny Fang plans to have the best summer ever. She's returning to Summertime...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

Finally heard
Yang, Kelly
Paper Book
From the New York Times bestselling author of Front Desk comes the sequel to Finally Seen "that tackles tweenhood and technology woes head-on" (School Library Journal, starred review) when Lina tries to navigate social media, only to discover not everything online is...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

Unhappy camper
LaMotte, Lily
Paper Book
"Moments of humor captured through playful anime-like facial expressions and gestures propel the plot forward in whimsical fashion." --The Horn Book "With compassion, the story teaches the benefits of embracing one's identity... A worthy addition to any middle or high school...

Children's Graphic Novel (Grades 3-5)

Noodle & Bao
Lu, Shaina
Paper Book
Perfect for fans of Animal Crossing and Measuring Up, this whimsical and empowering middle grade graphic novel follows a girl who helps her friend's humble food cart stand its ground against the gentrification of their Chinatown neighborhood. Momo has lived in Town 99 her...

Children's Graphic Novel (Grades 3-5)

Lily Xiao speaks out
Chen, Nicole
Paper Book
From the author of It's Boba Time for Pearl Li! comes an empowering, heartfelt middle grade novel about a grunge-loving Taiwanese American tween who must use her voice to fight for ESL support at her school. Lily Xiao can't wait to go to Camp Rock Out this summer,...

Young Teen Fiction (Grades 5-7)

Gigi Shin is not a nerd
Lee, Lyla
Paper Book
This first book in a sparkling middle grade series "reminiscent of Ann M. Martin's Baby-Sitters Club books" (Kirkus Reviews) follows a young Korean American girl who starts a business with her best friends to support her artistic dreams. Jiyoung "Gigi" Shin loves to create...

Young Teen Fiction (Grades 5-7)

The spindle of fate
Lim, Aimee
Paper Book
When Evie Mei discovers that her recently passed mother was the head of a guild of magical weavers, she enters the Chinese netherworld to try and bring her back in this middle-grade debut. AN EDGAR AWARD NOMINEE Twelve-year-old Evie Mei Huang...

Young Teen Fiction (Grades 5-7)

The magic paintbrush
Zhang, Kat
Paper Book
In this highly illustrated series launch, Amy, an Asian American girl picks up an ancient paintbrush and unwittingly unleashes the power to make her art real and sometimes dangerous. Perfect for fantasy readers who love Dragons in a Bag and the Dragon Pearl series. ...

Young Teen Fiction (Grades 5-7)

Uprooted a memoir about what happens when your family moves back
Chan, Ruth
Paper Book
Perfect for fans of New Kid and A First Time for Everything, a joyful and tearful debut middle grade graphic memoir about one girl being uprooted when she moves to Hong Kong, a place where her family fits in but, for her, it's nothing like home. Ruth Chan loves...

Young Teen Graphic Novel (Grades 5-7)

The squad
Soontornvat, Christina
Paper Book
Break out your pom poms! The highly anticipated, stand-alone companion to the instant #1 bestseller The Tryout promises even more cheer, higher stakes, and relatable middle-school drama. Perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier. "Raw, candid, moving, and full of heart." -Betty C....

Young Teen Graphic Novel (Grades 5-7)

Alterations
Xu, Ray
Paper Book
For fans of Gene Luen Yang's American Born Chinese and Svetlana Chmakova's Awkward, this funny yet poignant middle-grade coming-of-age story highlights the struggle of feeling invisible while yearning to be seen by all. Kevin Lee is having a really bad week. Although he lives in a crowded Toronto...

Young Teen Graphic Novel (Grades 5-7)

Vietnamese folktales for children : stories of adventure and wonder in Vietnamese and English
Tran, Phuoc Thi Minh
Paper Book
**Creative Child Magazine 2024 Book of the Year! - Bilingual Story Books for Kids** The timeless charm and wisdom of Vietnamese folktales in parallel English and Vietnamese versions! These ten delightful stories bring Vietnam's rich culture and...

Children's Nonfiction (Age 5-13)


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