May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and we are excited to share some new books featuring Asian American stories! This list of new children’s books for AAPI Heritage Month is full of beautiful stories, perfect for your home library!

Standard Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I may receive a commission from purchases you make through the links in this post. I received copies of these books in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Night Market Rescue

Written by Charlotte Cheng and illustrated by Amber Ren

In this beautiful story, a dog named GoGo wanders around a Taiwanese night market, exploring all the sights, sounds, and tastes. When he meets a lost young girl, he helps her to find her way back to her parents, and may just find a new family in the process. The lush illustrations are full of bright, sparkling colors, highlighting the magic of the night market and all the things to explore there.

Danbi’s Favorite Day

Written by Anna Kim

This story follows a young girl named Danbi who is eager to invite her friends to celebrate Children’s Day, just as she did in Korea. When her plans go awry, she decides to get creative in order to share the magic of her special day with her friends. The soft, beautiful illustrations are full of fun details, and show how Danbi and her friends work together to save the day.

Related Post: More Kid’s Books for AAPI Heritage Month

Luli and the Language of Tea

Written by Andrea Wang and illustrated by Hyewon Yum

Tea is something that holds a special place in many different cultures. In this sweet story, a young girl named Luli finds a way to bring children of different cultures together. None of the children in the playroom play together because they all speak different languages, but when Luli brings out a tea set, they all recognize the familiar comfort and come together. The back of the book includes a note from the author and information about the children and languages in the story.

How We Say I Love You

Written by Nicole Chen and illustrated by Lenny Wen

Hana’s family finds all kinds of ways to share their love for one another. Throughout the book, the family members all show their love through their actions, both big and small. The warm illustrations show how she feels her family’s love whether they are together or apart. The back of the book includes a glossary translating words in the book from Mandarin Chinese to English and Taiwanese Hokkien to English.

Related Post: Chinese New Year Books & Activities

Ramen for Everyone

Written by Patricia Tanumihardja and illustrated by Shiho Pate

Hiro is a young boy who has studied his father’s technique for making perfect ramen for years. He decides that he is finally ready to make the perfect bowl of ramen on his own. But nothing goes according to plan and he worries that he will never be able to make the perfect ramen. In the end, he learns that his ramen may not be like his father’s but he is capable of making the perfect ramen for his family. The back of the book includes a recipe for Easy Miso Ramen, as well as more information about ramen and kitchen rules for kids. The brightly colored illustrations highlight the emotions of the main character and are done in sumi ink, pencil, and digital media.

Everyone Loves Lunchtime but Zia

Written by Jenny Liao and illustrated by Dream Chen

In this heartwarming story, a young girl named Zia is shy about eating her favorite Cantonese dishes in school. While she loves all the delicious flavors at home, she is nervous about eating these different flavors in front of her peers at the lunch table. For one week, her parents pack her a different Cantonese meal every day, each with it’s own special meaning. In the end, Zia learns to celebrate the beautiful meals, and the special meanings they hold. In the back of the book, there is an author’s note, a recipe for Zia’s Lucky Yi Mein, and explanations of the dishes featured in the book.

Related Post: Children’s Books for Chinese New Year

Mommy’s Hometown

Written by Hope Lim and illustrated by Jaime Kim

As a young boy listens to his mother’s stories about her childhood growing up in Korea, he dreams of experiencing it for himself. But when they finally get a chance to visit, it is completely different from what he imagined. As he starts to experience some of the things his mother used to, he realizes that he can find the same joys that she did, even if her hometown has changed. The sweet story and lovely illustrations highlight the relationship between the mother and son and celebrate the connection between the past and the present.

A is for Asian American

Written by Virginia Loh-Hagan and illustrated by Tracy Nishimura Bishop

This spin on the alphabet pairs each letter with a concept starting with that letter. The main text introduces the concept with a simple rhyming text, while the sidebars are stuffed with more information. The book touches on everything from family and community to pop culture icons. The adorable illustrations are full of fun details, while the beginning and ending of the book include more information about Asian American history including important milestones on a timeline, and activities for further learning.

What are your favorite new children’s books for AAPI Heritage Month? Share in the comments below!

More Posts You May Enjoy: