Must-Read Books for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

Gentle and poetic, this picture book celebrates Asian features through gorgeous illustrations and affirming language. Ideal for opening up conversation with little ones, this book is great for family reading time. 

Told from the perspective of a young girl as her family makes the difficult, often dangerous journey from Vietnam, this book features evocative illustrations. Each moment in the move has a wish, to make the journey easier. This book is full of big emotions and questions and asks readers of all ages to pay attention. 

This one is for fans of The Great British Baking Show. Liza has never shied away from a challenge, but when her mom signs her up for a baking competition, Liza thinks it’s her chance to get out of her sister’s shadow. The competition, it turns out, is more of a Liza’s-mom-trying-to-set-her-up-with-a-nice-Asian-boy thing than a baking competition. Will Liza earn her parent’s approval and the competition, or will she end up heartbroken? 

Twisty and ethereal, this sci-fi novel explores the bonds of sisterhood and the uncertainty of the future. Told from the perspectives of Cee, alone on an island and desperate to return home, and Kasey, a STEM prodigy living in isolation in an eco-city, The Ones We’re Meant to Find is an immersive, emotional thriller. 

Some might call Logan dangerous, a stalker even, but he’s just observant. He knows Delilah better than anyone else. He watches her every move, he knows her every step. When Logan witnesses something unforgettable, he can’t let it go, even if Delilah can. This thriller builds on itself in a delightfully eerie way.

Pulitzer Prize-winning Playwright Akhtar bares his soul in this novel inspired by his own experiences in post 9/11 America. While fictionalized, Homeland Elegies expresses the reality of Muslim Americans while contemplating  art, religion, capitalism, and family. Timely and highly original, Homeland Elegies is a book of reflections.

This collection of short stories examines the particular lives of Native Hawaiians and residents on land that is haunted by the past. Using Hawaiian Pidgin and spiritual references, Pak highlights issues facing Native Hawaiians today. 

Jordan Baker, the dazzling, mysterious socialite of The Great Gatsby, gets her own story in Vo’s debut novel. Adopted into a white family, Jordan’s life is full of secrets and privilege, yet on the fringes of society. Complexly layered with magic and summer heat, The Chosen and the Beautiful is a dreamlike novel that explores history, race, sexuality, and gender.

In this self-reflective book of essays, Ortile examines his own biases against being a queer Asian immigrant. Candid and wry, Ortile discusses sex, colonialism, and identity. There are moments of triumph among moments of heartbreak. This book is a treasure.

Inspired by conversations with her son, Good Talk is a graphic memoir of all the funny, sad, humiliating, and hopeful things about growing up Indian in America. Jacob writes in memories and possibilities, with warmth and humor, even about the challenges.