Children's Book Suggestions | South Asian Heritage Month 2025

A few of our favorite books about Southeast Asian Americans past and present published in 2024. For more book ideas, browse the library catalog or search for the name of a country or ethnic group.

Updated April 17, 2025
LINCC (Libraries in Clackamas County) Oregon City Public Library
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Sister day
Gopal, Jyoti Rajan
Paper Book
Dawn breaks new day hearts light sisters play. In this lyrical and spare picture book with beautiful illustrations from Fanny Liem, author Jyoti Rajan Gopal tells the story of two sisters who are excited to go on a backyard adventure. But...

Picture Book (Age 4-8)

Mauntie and me
LaRocca, Rajani
Paper Book
What grows when you share it? A tender story of extended family, jealousy pangs, and above all love, from the Newbery Honor-winning author of I'll Go and Come Back. Every Saturday, when Priya's aunties and uncles and cousins come over, the other kids run off to play...

Picture Book (Age 4-8)

The mango monster
Mascarenhas, Derek
Paper Book
Someone is stealing from the family's mango tree! Could it be a mango monster? After waiting all year for mango season, Marianne is excited that the mangoes on their tree are ripe and ready to eat. She loves mangoes and plans to eat all of them. But when she and her sidekick cousin Zoe...

Picture Book (Age 4-8)

Between my hands
Perkins, Mitali
Paper Book
In this encouraging, reassuring picture book, National Book Award nominee Mitali Perkins invokes the Indian custom of namaste, meaning "I bow to you," to show how little hands are capable of great love. What's between your hands when you namaste the world?...

Picture Book (Age 4-8)

Ali the Great saves the day
Faruqi, Saadia
Paper Book
Ali Tahir is a Pakistani American second grader who loves his family and friends--and also loves getting attention! Ali's big ideas sometimes lead to a little trouble--but his clever solutions and kind heart always save the day. Whether he's at the South Asian market, the dinosaur museum, a rainy...

Picture Book (Age 4-8)

Help the strong cheetah
Ruths, Mitali Banerjee
Paper Book
The Inside Scouts help a cheetah with a hurt leg feel better in this full-color early reader series! Pick a book. Grow a Reader! This series is part of Scholastic's early reader line, Acorn, aimed at children who are learning to read. With easy-to-read text, a short-story format,...

Early Reader (Level 2)

Sejal Sinha dives for diamonds on Neptune
Prasad, Maya
Paper Book
In the third book in the chapter book series about a young Indian American girl who loves science and has a big imagination, Sejal and the gang soar through outer space--perfect for fans of The Magic School Bus and Over the Moon! Sejal's puppy eats the page in her...

Bridging Fiction (Grades 2-4)

Fairytale puppy picnic
Ruths, Mitali Banerjee
Paper Book
Priya puts together the perfect puppy picnic and raises money to help African wild dogs, in the fourth installment of this full-color early chapter book series! Pick a book. Grow a Reader! This series is part of Scholastic's early chapter book line, Branches, aimed at newly...

Bridging Fiction (Grades 2-4)

The door is open : stories of celebration and community by 11 Desi voices
Khan, Hena
Paper Book
Discover stories of fear, triumph, and spectacular celebration in this warm-hearted novel of interconnected stories that celebrates the diversity of South Asian American experiences in a local community center. Discover stories of fear, triumph, and spectacular...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

Rohan Murthy has a plan
LaRocca, Rajani
Paper Book
Meet the kids in Mrs. Z's wacky and wonderful third-grade class! Rohan Murphy has an ambitious dream to launch his own pet care business, but when he starts small by babysitting the class guinea pig, he makes big mistakes. Rohan Murthy dreams of running a successful...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

Vanya and the Wild Hunt
Mandanna, Sangu
Paper Book
From the bestselling author of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches comes an action-packed, enchanting middle grade fantasy about a neurodivergent heroine, a mysterious school, and a world of magical creatures. Perfect for fans of Rick Riordan and Roshani Chokshi. <...

Children's Fiction (Grades 3-5)

Jupiter Nettle and the Seven Schools of Magic
Mandanna, Sangu
Paper Book
When you've dreamed of getting into the Seven Schools of Magic your whole life, what do you do when it turns out to be the worst thing ever? This heartwarming graphic novel adventure is perfect for fans of Harry Potter, The Okay Witch, and City of Dragons! For all...

Children's Graphic Novel (Grades 3-5)

Wings to soar
Athaide, Tina
Paper Book
A historically relevant middle-grade novel-in-verse about a girl's resiliency when faced with hatred towards refugees. Readers of The Night Diary and Inside Out and Back Again shouldn't miss out. It's 1972 and Viva's Indian family has been expelled from Uganda and...

Young Teen Fiction (Grades 5-7)

Sam(ira)'s worst (best) summer
Hamza, Nina
Paper Book
From the author of Ahmed Aziz's Epic Year comes another wryly humorous tween novel about finding belonging in an unexpected place. A must-read for fans of Hena Khan, Kelly Yang, and Karina Yan Glaser. Samira knows this is going to be the worst summer ever. Her best friend,...

Young Teen Fiction (Grades 5-7)

Lion of the sky
Hemnani, Ritu
Paper Book
An evocative historical novel in verse about a boy and his family who are forced to flee their home and become refugees after the British Partition of India. Perfect for fans of Other Words for Home.  Twelve-year-old Raj is happiest flying kites with his best friend,...

Young Teen Fiction (Grades 5-7)

I'm from here too
Sheth, Kashmira
Paper Book
Kashmira Sheth's eloquent verse novel follows an Indian American Sikh boy through a year of change, challenges, and growth Anoop is many things: a brother, a son, a grandson, a friend, a middle school student, and a budding writer. He is also Indian American and Sikh.

Young Teen Fiction (Grades 5-7)

Any way you look
Siddiqui, Maleeha
Paper Book
What do you do with the wrong kind of attention? Dress Coded meets Amina's Voice in this must-read middle grade novel by Maleeha Siddiqui. Ainy is excited for summer! She plans on working at her mom's clothing store, having adventures with her best friend...

Young Teen Fiction (Grades 5-7)

Once upon a Diwali
Mishra, Anita
Paper Book
Riya loves Diwali for the tasty treats but not the darkness and loud fireworks. Can Riya be brave and find a way to celebrate Diwali with her family without being scared? Presented as a 'Once Upon a Time' bedtime story, children will learn the origin of Diwali and how it came to be a...

Holiday Book (Age 4-8)

A Vaisakhi to remember
Singh, Simran Jeet
A new picture book from Simran Jeet Singh, A Vaisakhi to Remember celebrates community and heritage as a young girl looks for points of connection in a new country through the joyous Sikh spring harvest holiday of Vaisakhi. In our village, the best day of all was...

Holiday Book (Age 4-8)

Navya sings for Navarathri
Thamizhmani, Lakshmi
Paper Book
Celebrate Navarathri, the nine-night Hindu festival honoring the divine feminine, with this empowering picture book by Indian American creators Lakshmi Thamizhmani and Avani Dwivedi! From visiting with family to golu hopping and more, Navya loves everything about Navarathri-...

Holiday Book (Age 4-8)


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