It’s May, and that means it is time to celebrate some new kid’s books for Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month! We are excited to check out these new stories, perfect for introducing these cultures and stories to little ones!

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.

Bao’s Doll

Written and illustrated by Bo Lu

This beautiful story is inspired by the childhood of the author, exploring the relationship between mother and child who have trouble connecting and understanding one another. When the young girl named Bao only wants the “perfect” doll, she decides to steal it, leading to a much needed conversation with her mother. In the end, the mother shares her own childhood stories with Bao and they make their own perfect doll. The back of the book includes a note from the author explaining her own experiences that inspired the book.

A Gift for Nai Nai

Written by Kim-Hoa Ung

This beautiful book follows a young girl named Lyn Lyn who wants to surprise her Nai Nai with a lucky hat for her birthday. But Lyn Lyn’s crochet skills are not as good as her grandmother’s. When Lyn Lyn convinces her grandmother to help her create a hat for a “special friend”, she learns that the perfect gift to Nai Nai is the time they spend together. The back of the book includes instructions for crocheting a lucky hat just like Nai Nai’s.

Sari-Sari Summers

Written by Lynnor Bontigao

Every summer, Nora looks forward to visiting her grandmother in the Philippines and helping her run the sari-sari shop. When a heat wave causes business to dwindle, will Nora be able to come up with a plan to save the store? This sweet story celebrates the relationship between grandmother and granddaughter, and includes a recipe for making ice candy like the characters in the story.

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

Amy Wu and the Ribbon Dance

Written by Kat Zhang and illustrated by Charlene Chua

This addition to the Amy Wu series revisits Amy as she learns about Chinese ribbon dancing. She wants to dance like the beautiful ribbon dancers she sees on screen, but she can’t find the right ribbon to use at home. With a little help from her mom, Amy learns that she doesn’t need the perfect ribbon to perform ribbon dancing. The illustrations are bursting with bright colors and adorable cartoon characters, and the back of the book includes ideas for creating homemade dancing ribbons of your own!

Dancing Hands

Written by Joanna Que and Charina Marquez and illustrated by Fran Alvarez and translated by Karen Llagas

A young girl named Sam sees her new neighbors communicating with their hands instead of their words, and she is intrigued. When she befriends the young girl Mal, they have to learn to communicate with one another. Soon Mal is teaching Sam Filipino Sign Language so they can communicate. The back of the book provides more information about Filipino Sign Language and Sign Languages around the world.

Where Wildflowers Grow

Written by Ha Dinh and illustrated by Bao Luu

This book follows a young girl named Ha whose family is living in a refugee camp in the Philippines after leaving Vietnam. But they are heading to America now and Ha isn’t ready to leave the camp and her best friend. Inspired by the real life experiences of the author, the story recognizes how difficult it can be to change homes, and how we can hold love close to us no matter where we live. The back of the book includes an author’s note and photos from the author’s childhood.

Love in the Library

Written by Maggie Tokuda-Hall and illustrated by Yas Imamura

This book, based on the author’s grandparents, shares the story of Tama and George, and how they met in the library of the Minidoka incarceration camp during World War II. Tama deals with the difficulties of life at the camp by escaping into books in the library. George is there every day, with a smile and more books, showing her that hope isn’t lost. The back of the book includes a note from the author sharing more information about her grandparents’ story and the history of the incarceration camps.

Growing Up Under a Red Flag

Written by Ying Chang Compestine and illustrated by Xinmei Liu

This picture book memoir shares the author’s memories of growing up in China under Mao Zedong, and how her father educated her in secret and helped her dream of a free life in America. The story and illustrations highlight some of the frightening scenes from her childhood and the back of the book includes a note from the author sharing more information about the Chinese Cultural Revolution.

Related Post: More Kid’s Books for Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Super Boba Cafe

Written by Nidhi Chanani

This colorful graphic novel follows Aria, a young Indian and Chinese American girl, whose grandmother owns a boba cafe in San Francisco. When Aria discovers that her grandmother is secretly feeding boba to a monster living in the city, will she be able to reason with the monster, or will she be the cause of the next big earthquake? Kids will enjoy following this adventurous tale, and exploring the relationship between grandmother and granddaughter.

The Story of Kamala Harris

Written by Tonya Leslie, PHD

This illustrated biography for new readers introduces kids to Kamala Harris and her accomplishments. The book is broken down into chapters, highlighting important moments throughout Harris’ life. The pages are bursting with brightly colored illustrations, sidebars, and thinking prompts for readers, making it more engaging for young readers. The back of the book includes a quiz, a glossary, and more thinking prompts.

A Spoonful of Time

Written by Flora Ahn

While Maya’s grandmother Halmunee is starting to lose her memory, it doesn’t stop her from cooking delicious foods. But suddenly, one bite of her dishes can transport Maya and her grandmother back through time into Halmunee’s memories. As they eat their way through Halmunee’s past, Maya learns some shocking secrets about her family. The book includes 7 family recipes that readers can try for themselves including Songpyeon, Bindaetteok, and Miyeok-Guk.

Make a Move, Sunny Park!

Written by Jessica Kim

This middle grade novel follows a young Asian American girl named Sunny Park as she navigates friendship troubles in middle school. When her best friend Bailey convinces her to try out for the school dance team as a means to parent-trap Bailey’s divorced parents, Sunny agrees, even though she is afraid of dancing in public. But when Sunny makes the team instead of Bailey, their friendship starts to fracture. This book is infused with lots of K-pop fun, while tackling real world issues that many kids face in the middle school years.

Lia Park and the Missing Jewel

Written by Jenna Yoon

Lia Park is a twelve year old girl who just wants to fit in. After her parents forbid her to go to the party of the year, she breaks the rules and sneaks out. But in the process, she breaks an ancient protection spell, and her parents are soon kidnapped by an evil diviner. With the help of her friend Joon, Lia must solve clues that lead her to her grandmother’s home in Korea, and the undersea kingdom of the Dragon King in order to save her parents.

Lia Park and the Heavenly Heirlooms

Written by Jenna Yoon

In the second story in the Lia Park series, Lia and her friend Joon are heading to International Magic School, in the hopes of discovering their powers and working with the International Magic Agency. Soon they learn about the heavenly heirlooms, which create fire and light, and the dangerous monster who wants to destroy them and plunge the world into darkness. Will Lia and Joon be able to save the heavenly objects while embarking on a journey around Seoul?

Asian American Women in Science

Written by Tina Cho

This anthology shares the stories of 15 inspiring Asian American women who have made a difference in the world of science. Each woman’s background and successes is celebrated through a short essay with a highlighted quote, and a  large full-color illustration. The end of each essay also includes tips for exploring more about the topics discussed, and a fast fact about the woman being recognized. The back of the book includes a glossary of terms used throughout the book, as well as references used by the author.

What are your favorite new kid’s books for Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month? Share in the comments below!

More Posts You May Enjoy: