Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Voices: Books for Teens

Updated May 1, 2026
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An Expanse of Blue
Adams, Kauakanilehua Mahoe
Paper Book
Fans of The Poet X will fall for this powerful, romantic debut novel-in-verse about a Native Hawaiian girl's fight to find belonging in a fracturing family, sharing a message of love with resounding emotional truth. Aouli Elizabeth Smith is adrift: unheard at...
The Celestial Seas
Chan, T a
Paper Book
A tale of identity, love, and the hunt for vengeance in the darkest corners of space-perfect for fans of Iron Widow and Aurora Rising! Ishara Ming is the sole survivor of a spacefaring whaler destroyed by the Ballena, a legendary sentient spacecraft that haunts the...
When you wish upon a lantern
Chao, Gloria
Paper Book
Acclaimed author Gloria Chao creates real-world magic in this luminous romance about teens who devote themselves to granting other people's wishes but are too afraid to let themselves have their own hearts' desires--each other. Liya and Kai had been best friends since they were...
A thousand steps into night
Chee, Traci
Paper Book
Longlisted for the National Book Award From bestselling and award-winning author Traci Chee comes a fantasy perfect for fans of Studio Ghibli. When a girl who's never longed for adventure is hit with a curse that begins to transform her into a demon, she embarks on a quest to reverse the...
Prodigal Tiger
Chong, Samantha
Paper Book
An action-packed YA contemporary fantasy debut that brings vibrant Malaysian folklore to life. For five years, Caroline Chua has lived in exile from her home and family in Malaysia at a magical academy in New York City--far enough away that she can't hurt the people she loves....
Messy roots : a graphic memoir of a Wuhanese American
Gao, Laura
Paper Book
"Messy Roots is a laugh-out-loud, heartfelt, and deeply engaging story of their journey to find themself--as an American, as the daughter of Chinese immigrants, as a queer person, and as a Wuhanese American in the middle of a pandemic."--Malaka Gharib, author of I Was Their American...
Throwback
Goo, Maurene
Paper Book
A REESE'S YA BOOK CLUB PICK! "No one can blend family, humor, satire, and love into a single perfect story like Maurene Goo can." --Marie Lu, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Skyhunter "Funny and big-hearted, romantic, and...
Almost American girl : an illustrated memoir
Ha, Robin
Paper Book
Harvey Award Nominee, Best Children or Young Adult Book  A powerful and moving teen graphic novel memoir about immigration, belonging, and how arts can save a life--perfect for fans of American Born Chinese and Hey, Kiddo.  For as long as she can remember...
Displacement
Hughes, Kiku
Paper Book
A teenager is pulled back in time to witness her grandmother's experiences in World War II-era Japanese internment camps in Displacement, a historical graphic novel perfect for fans of They Called Us Enemy and The Devil's Arithmetic. Kiku is on vacation in San...
Behind Five Willows
Hur, June
Paper Book
From the New York Times-bestselling author of A Crane Among Wolves comes a warm and romantic homage to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice set in historical Korea, about a reader and a writer who secretly fight against government book banning and find themselves irresistibly...
The red palace
Hur, June
Paper Book
June Hur, critically acclaimed author of The Silence of Bones and The Forest of Stolen Girls, returns with The Red Palace--a third evocative, atmospheric historical mystery perfect for fans of Courtney Summers and Kerri Maniscalco. To enter the palace...
Tokyo ever after
Jean, Emiko
Paper Book
Emiko Jean's New York Times bestseller and Reese Book Club Pick Tokyo Ever After is the "refreshing, spot-on" (Booklist, starred review) story of an ordinary Japanese American girl who discovers that her father is the Crown Prince of Japan! Izumi Tanaka...
That Which Feeds Us: A Hawaiian Gothic
Kendall, Keala
Paper Book
A native Hawaiian teen travels to a luxury island resort in search of her missing twin and uncovers the dark side of paradise, in this riveting supernatural thriller. "This astounding book is both a finger pointed directly at the rotting heart of colonial greed and a truly...
Just between us
Kon, Adeline
Paper Book
NATIONAL BESTSELLER . In this gorgeous debut graphic novel, a teenage girl tries to fall back in love with figure skating without falling for her competition. Lydia Chen knows how good she is on the ice. Technically perfect, she's been the one to beat since her debut years ago....
Butterfly yellow
Lai, Thanhha
Paper Book
Winner of the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction! Perfect for fans of Elizabeth Acevedo, Ibi Zoboi, and Erika L. Sánchez, this gorgeously written and deeply moving novel is the YA debut from the award-winning author of Inside Out & Back Again. 4 starred reviews! In the...
The downstairs girl
Lee, Stacey
Paper Book
A Reese's Book Club YA Pick and New York Times Bestseller   From the critically acclaimed author of Luck of the Titanic, Under a Painted Sky, and Outrun the Moon comes a powerful novel about identity, betrayal, and the meaning of family.
Kill her twice
Lee, Stacey
Paper Book
A YA murder mystery noir set in 1930s Los Angeles's Chinatown, from the New York Times bestselling author of The Downstairs Girl. "A captivating and crackling noir full of suspenseful twists. Readers will fall in love with the Chow sisters and their quest for the...
I hope this doesn't find you
Liang, Ann (Young adult author)
Paper Book
An instant New York Times bestseller! Snarky and romantic, I Hope This Doesn't Find You is Never Have I Ever meets To All the Boys I've Loved Before if Lara Jean wrote hate emails instead of love letters. Sadie Wen is perfect on paper: school captain, valedictorian,...
This time it's real
Liang, Ann (Young adult author)
Paper Book
Get ready to fall in love in this hilarious romcom about a girl who begins a fake relationship with the famous actor in her class, perfect for fans of Meg Cabot and Jenny Han, by New York Times bestselling author Ann Liang. When seventeen-year-old Eliza Lin's essay about meeting the...
Six crimson cranes
Lim, Elizabeth
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * A princess in exile, a shapeshifting dragon, six enchanted cranes, and an unspeakable curse... Drawing from fairy tales and East Asian folklore, this original fantasy from the author of Spin the Dawn is perfect for fans of Shadow and Bone....
A magic steeped in poison
Lin, Judy I.
Paper Book
A #1 New York Times Bestseller! Judy I. Lin's sweeping debut A Magic Steeped in Poison, first in a duology, is sure to enchant fans of Adrienne Young and Leigh Bardugo. I used to look at my hands with pride. Now all I can think is, "These are the...
Last night at the Telegraph Club
Lo, Malinda
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * WINNER OF THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD AND STONEWALL BOOK AWARD * From acclaimed author Malinda Lo comes a gripping, tender coming-of-age novel exploring identity, queerness, and historical upheaval set in San Francisco's Chinatown during the 1950s. ...
Dragonfruit
Lucier, Makiia
Paper Book
From acclaimed author Makiia Lucier, a dazzling, romantic fantasy inspired by Pacific Island mythology. In the old tales, it is written that the egg of a seadragon, dragonfruit, holds within it the power to undo a person's greatest sorrow. But as with all things that offer...
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...
Ambrosia Lee Drops the MIC
Park, Patricia
Paper Book
A Korean American former child actress decides to branch out and stand out in order to pursue her newfound love -- stand-up comedy. Here's another hilarious novel from the author of Imposter Syndrome and Other Confessions of Alejandra Kim and What's Eating Jackie Oh? ...
Family Style: Memories of an American from Vietnam
Pham, Thien
Paper Book
YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction Finalist Eisner Award Winner for Best Graphic MemoirAn NPR Best Books of 2023 A moving young adult graphic memoir about a Vietnamese immigrant boy's search for belonging in America, perfect for fans of American...
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...
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...
Tall Water: A Graphic Novel
Sindu, SJ
Paper Book
THE ASIAN/PACIFIC AMERICAN AWARD YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE HONOR BOOK! From Stonewall Honor-winning writer SJ Sindu, author of Shakti, and celebrated illustrator Dion MBD comes a powerful coming-of-age teen graphic novel that follows one girl's journey to Sri Lanka to...
She is a haunting
Tran, Trang Thanh
Paper Book
William C. Morris Debut Award Finalist Instant New York Times and Indie Bestseller This house eats and is eaten . . . "A riveting debut from a remarkable new voice! Trang Thanh Tran weaves an impressive gothic mystery in which...
The magic fish
Trung, Le Nguyen
Paper Book
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR by New York Public Library . Kirkus Reviews . Booklist . Publishers Weekly In this gorgeous debut graphic novel, fairy tales are the only way one boy can communicate with his Vietnamese immigrant parents. But how will he find the...
Dragon hoops
Yang, Gene Luen
Paper Book
In his latest graphic novel, Dragon Hoops, New York Times bestselling author Gene Luen Yang turns the spotlight on his life, his family, and the high school where he teaches. Gene understands stories--comic book stories, in particular. Big action. Bigger thrills....
Lunar New Year Love Story
Yang, Gene Luen
Paper Book
An NPR Best Book of the YearA Kirkus Best Book of the YearA School Library Journal Best Book of the Year A Booklist Best Book of the Year A Shelf Awareness Best Book of the Year A Horn Book Best Book of the Year...
Super fake love song
Yoon, David
Paper Book
An NPR Book Concierge Pick of the Year "The fun of this engrossing read is that underneath the slapstick lies a finely nuanced meditation on how we perform as ourselves." --New York Times Book Review   From the New York Times bestselling author of...

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