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
This is your list in printable form. Simply print this page using your browser's print command.

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!

Drag items up and down to your preferred order then select the "Save Order" button.
Slippery, spicy, tingly : a kimchi mystery
Choi, Yangsook
Paper Book
Keo loves kimchi! And he loves Halmoni, his grandmother! But when Halmoni unexpectedly comes to visit and digs a big hole in the backyard, he's not sure what's going on. Could Halmoni be planning to bury a secret treasure?! Yangsook Choi, author and illustrator of the beloved picture book...

Picture Book (Age 4-8)

The most perfect persimmon
Chung, Hannah
Paper Book
In this charming author-illustrator debut, a Korean American girl harvests a perfectly ripe persimmon that she can't wait to share with Grandma. When Joo Hong harvests a beautiful persimmon from her mom's garden, she can't wait to give it to her grandma who is visiting from far...

Picture Book (Age 4-8)

Eyes that weave the world's wonders
Ho, Joanna
Paper Book
"Ho now creates a beautiful book about family: what makes individuals and what connects us to one another. This book is a perfect addition to any children's shelf, whether aimed at families, adoption, multicultural stories, or topics of love and ­acceptance." --School Library...

Picture Book (Age 4-8)

Noodles on a bicycle
Maclear, Kyo
Paper Book
A vibrant historical picture book about Tokyo's bicycle food deliverers, or demae, who balanced towering trays of steaming hot noodles on their shoulders while navigating crowded city streets. A CALDECOTT HONOR BOOK . A Charlotte Zolotow Honor Book . A BOOKPAGE, KIRKUS REVIEWS,<...

Picture Book (Age 4-8)

Home in a lunchbox
Mo, Cherry
Paper Book
**WINNER OF THE CALDECOTT HONOR** Cherry Mo's stunning debut is about a young girl who immigrates to America and finds home in an unexpected place. When Jun moves from Hong Kong to America, the only words she knows are hello, thank you, I don't know,...

Picture Book (Age 4-8)

The rock in my throat
Yang, Kao Kalia
Paper Book
Praise for The Rock in My Throat by Kao Kalia Yang, illustrated by Jiemei Lin: Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature Picture Book Honor Booklist Editor's Choice The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books Blue Ribbon Award Heartland...

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)

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)

Gracie under the waves
Park, Linda Sue
Paper Book
An empowering story from #1 New York Times bestseller and Newbery medalist Linda Sue Park starring a young snorkeling enthusiast who draws inspiration for fighting climate change from interacting with her pesty little brother. A Green Earth Book Award Honor Book Inspired...

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)

Winston Chu vs. the wingmeisters
Lee, Stacey
Paper Book
Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents best-selling YA author Stacey Lee's final book in her debut middle grade duology: a whimsical, mile-a-minute adventure inspired by Chinese mythology. Twelve-year-old Winston Chu has already rescued his sister, saved the moon's qi,...

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)

May the best player win
Zhao, Kyla
Paper Book
The game is on in this fun-filled middle grade debut about chess, girl power, and performance anxiety in sports, perfect for fans of Kelly Yang and Celia C. Pérez! The clock is ticking for May Li, whose middle-school chess team just earned a victory at the state championship--and...

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...

Young Teen Graphic Novel (Grades 5-7)

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...

Children's Nonfiction (Age 10-14)

My lost freedom : a Japanese American WWII story
Takei, George
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER . A CALIBA GOLDEN POPPY AWARD WINNER . A moving, beautifully illustrated true story for children ages 6 to 9 about growing up in Japanese American incarceration camps during World War II-from the iconic Star Trek actor, activist, and author of the New...

Children's Nonfiction (Age 6-9)

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)

Find this list online

https://librarian.syndetics.com/syndeticsunbound/lp/2377.2981/list/5595

Library staff! You can create and contribute to lists. Contact your catalog administrator or log in here.