In her own words: Mia Wenjen blogs obsessively on children's books and young adult literature at Pragmatic Mom and creative Asian Americans at JadeLuck Club when she's not chauffering around her three kids.
It was about twenty five years ago when Amy Tan
published The Joy Luck Club and I remember how excited I was to
finally be able to read a book that reflected my culture that I actually purchased
the hard copy which was a splurge for me at the time. I was too young to
realize as a child growing up that I felt marginalized watching the one hour of
TV a day and never seeing an Asian face. It was as if looking Asian was
something slightly embarrassing and certainly not an asset.
Asian American children's books did not exist at all so it's
been very exciting for me, as a children's and YA book blogger at PragmaticMom, to watch it emerge and even,
dare I say it, flourish? !To keep this genre alive and well, we all must read,
read, read these books and others. It's wonderful to read books with my kids
that reflect their experiences, whether that means they balance their cultural
heritage easily or with a struggle like some of these characters in the books
below.
I chose these books, most are published this year, because
they truly tell an authentic and important story of being Asian American. Many
of these authors have won prestigious awards as well for their work as well.
What are your favorite Asian American authors and books?
Please share.
10. Vanished by Sheela Chari
Eleven-year-old Neela dreams of being a famous musician,
performing for admiring crowds on her traditional Indian stringed instrument.
Her particular instrument was a gift from her grandmother—intricately carved
with a mysterious-looking dragon. When this special family heirloom
vanishes from a local church, strange clues surface: a tea kettle ornamented
with a familiar pointy-faced dragon, a threatening note, a connection to a
famous dead musician, and even a legendary curse. The clues point all the way
to India, where it seems that Neela’s instrument has a long history of
vanishing and reappearing. Even if Neela does track it down, will she be
able to stop it from disappearing again?
Sheela Chari’s debut novel is a finely tuned story of
coincidence and fate, trust and deceit, music and mystery.
Sheela Chari's first book is masterful mixing a
multi-cultural experience of growing up Indian American in Boston with a well
paced and difficult-to-put-down mystery. Her character, Neela, is named after
her niece, and gives the reader a realistic and sensitive understanding of what
it's like to grow up as a second generation Indian American with parents who
also try to walk the fine line between embracing their culture and fitting in.
[chapter book for ages 8 and up]
I have a book review plus our Skype author visit here.
9. The Year of Books by Andrea Cheng
In Chinese, peng you means friend. But in any
language, all Anna knows for certain is that friendship is complicated.
When Anna needs company, she turns to her books. Whether
traveling through A Wrinkle in Time, or peering over My Side of the
Mountain, books provide what real life cannot—constant companionship and
insight into her changing world.
Books, however, can’t tell Anna how to find a true friend.
She’ll have to discover that on her own. In the tradition of classics like Maud
Hart Lovelace’s Betsy-Tacy books and Eleanor Estes’ One Hundred Dresses,
this novel subtly explores what it takes to make friends and what it means to
be one.
Anna's strategy when her best friend trades up the social
ladder leaving her friendless is to turn to books and family for company and
solace. It works pretty well but there is a price to pay for social climbing
and her friend feels like she may have made a mistake. Should she take her
back? [easy chapter book for ages 8 and up]
8. Hot, Hot Roti for Dada-ji by F. Zia
Aneel s grandparents have come to stay, all the way from
India. Aneel loves the sweet smell of his grandmother s incense, and his
grandfather, Dada-ji, tells the world s best stories. When he was a boy,
adventurous, energetic Dada-ji had the power of a tiger. Hunh-ji! Yes, sir! He
could shake mangoes off trees and wrangle wild cobras. And what gave him his
power? Fluffy-puffy hot, hot roti, with a bit of tongue-burning mango pickle.
Does Dada-ji still have the power? Aneel wants to find out but first he has to
figure out how to whip up a batch of hot, hot roti Overflowing with family,
food, and a tall stack of fun, Hot, Hot Roti for Dada-ji is sure to warm the
heart and tickle the tummy. Hunh-ji! Yes, sir!
Superheroes need not be young or wear costumes. Sometimes
even one's beloved grandfather can be a superhero too! And it turns out that
eating hot, hot roti is grandfather's version of Popeye's spinach. The good
news is that it also tastes good! [picture book, ages 2 and up]
7. Jojo Eats Dim Sum by James Kye
Jojo Eats Dim Sum is the first in a new and exciting series
of children's books with the aim of introducing children to the joys of various
Asian cuisines. The star of the book is Jojo, a young girl with a sense of
adventure and a daring appetite. In stark contrast is her baby brother, Ollie,
who prefers to eat pea soup at every meal. The story encourages children to be
more open to foods that are unfamiliar, thereby opening doors to other
cultures. In Jojo Eats Dim Sum, Jojo eats her way through some of the most
popular dim sum dishes, culminating in chicken feet, which are unfamiliar to
most Westerners or unappetizing to those who have encountered them. But Jojo
loves chicken feet, as she loves most dim sum dishes. Each story in the Jojo
Eats series leverages a fun narrative to carry the young reader through the
culinary journey, which is interspersed with lessons on how to pronounce foods
in the local language. Jojo Eats Dim Sum is an irresistible book that children
will want to read over and over again. Each beautiful book is in the shape and
size of a menu, adding to the charm of Jojo's culinary adventures.
Asian culture revolves so much around food and family to the
point where the two are almost one and the same. We eat communally and this
strengthens our bonds. In this charming picture book, Jo Jo, who isn't Asian
American, enjoys the unusual delicacies found at Dim Sum. I think the message
here is that Asian food is good (and nothing to be ashamed of even if it looks
weird or smells funny) and kids with well developed palates like it too.
[picture books, ages 2 and up]
6. Money Boy by Paul Yee
Ray Liu knows he should be happy. He lives in a big suburban
house with all the latest electronic gadgets, and even finds plenty of time to
indulge in his love of gaming. He needs the escape. It’s tough getting grades
that will please his army veteran father, when speaking English is still a
struggle. And he can’t quite connect with his gang at high school — immigrants
like himself but who seem to have adjusted to North American life more easily.
Then comes his father accesses Ray’s internet account, and discovers Ray has
been cruising gay websites. Before Ray knows what has hit him, his belongings
have been thrown on the front lawn, and he has been kicked out. Angry, defiant,
Ray heads to downtown Toronto. In short order he is robbed, beaten up and
seduced, and he learns the hard realities of life on the street. Could he
really sell himself for sex? Lots of people use their bodies to make money —
athletes, actors, models, pop singers. If no one gets hurt, why should anyone
care?
A gritty Young Adult novel, Money Boy doesn't pull
any punches about what it's like to grow up Asian in Canada when your father
finds out that his son is gay. Sadly, this is someone's reality. [Young Adult,
ages 15 and up]
5. Clara Lee and the Apple Pie Dream by Jenny Han
Clara Lee likes her best friends, her grandpa, kimchi, candy
necklaces (her signature look!), and the idea of winning the Little Miss Apple
Pie contest.
Clara Lee doesn't like her mom's fish soup, bad dreams (but
Grandpa says they mean good luck!), speaking in public, or when her little
sister is being annoying.
One day, after a bad dream, Clara Lee is thrilled to have a
whole day of luck (Like!). But then, bad luck starts to follow (Dislike!). When
will Clara Lee's luck change again? Will it change in time for the Little Miss
Apple Pie contest?
That Clara Lee is Korean American and living in the mostly
Caucasian mid-west is a subtle point in this story and that's the beauty of
this easy chapter book for ages 6 and up.
4. Dumpling Soup by Jama Kim Rattigan
Marisa gets to help make dumplings this year to celebrate
the New Year. But she worries if anyone will eat her funny-looking dumplings.
Set in the Hawaiian islands, this story celebrates the joyful mix of food,
customs, and languages from many cultures.
Perhaps it's because my kids are all mixed up being of mixed
ancestry including Chinese, Japanese and Korean, but that is increasing
becoming more and more common. Again, it's the food that connects everyone to
each other and to their culture, even if it's a mixed-plate. [picture book,
ages 4 and up]
3. Alvin Ho: Allergic to Camping, Hiking, and Other
Natural Disasters by Lenore Look
Alvin Ho is back, and this time he’s facing his biggest
fear: The Great Outdoors.
Alvin Ho is back and his worst fear has come true: he
has to go camping. What will he do exposed in the wilderness with bears
and darkness and . . . pit toilets? Luckily, he’s got his night-vision goggles
and water purifying tablets and super-duper heavy-duty flashlight to keep him
safe. And he’s got his dad, too.
Lenore Look’s touching, drop-dead-funny chapter book about
an Asian-American second grader—with illustrations by New York
Times bestselling illustrator LeUyen Pham—is perfect for beginning and
reluctant readers alike, and has tons of boy appeal.
Lenore Look's book have wide appeal that break down barriers
of race. Her Alvin Ho series is just plain humorous and if Alvin Ho is a
quintessential geek, that's beside the point. [easy chapter book for ages 7 and
up]
2. Ting and Ling: Not Exactly the Same by Grace Lin
Ling and Ting are twins. They have the same brown eyes. They
have the same pink cheeks. They have the same happy smiles.
Ling and Ting are two adorable identical twins, and they
stick together, whether they are making dumplings, getting their hair cut, or
practicing magic tricks. But looks are deceiving--people can be very different,
even if they look exactly the same.
This is a pitch perfect easy reader for kids who are just
starting to read on their own. It has Asian references like making dumplings
but Ting and Ling have wide appeal to any child of any ethnicity. I think of it
as the heir to the Little Bear series. [easy reader for ages 4 and up]
1. The Great Wall of Lucy Wu by Wendy Shang
In this humorous and heartfelt debut about a split cultural
identity, nothing goes according to plan for sixth-grader Lucy Wu.
Lucy Wu, aspiring basketball star and interior designer, is
on the verge of having the best year of her life. She's ready to rule the
school as a sixth grader and take over the bedroom she has always shared with
her sister. In an instant, though, her plans are shattered when she finds out
that Yi Po, her beloved grandmother's sister, is coming to visit for several
months -- and is staying in Lucy's room. Lucy's vision of a perfect year begins
to crumble, and in its place come an unwelcome roommate, foiled birthday plans,
and Chinese school with the awful Talent Chang.
Wendy Shang is the heir to Amy Tan in children's literature
and The Great Wall of Lucy Wu is a spot on realistic portrait of what
it's like to be third generation Asian American with all the pressures of high
expectations but with the self identification of being just like everyone else.
[chapter book, ages 8 and up]
Additional reading suggestions welcomed! Add them to the Comments below.
