Our Asian Heritage:
Children's Books on the Asian American Experience

The books listed are a sampling of the titles available. Ask your Children's Librarian for further suggestions and tell us which are your favorites.

Folktales

• Nine-in-One, Grr! Grr!: A Folktale from the Hmong People of Laos. Blia Xiong and Cathy Spagnoli; Illus. by Nancy Hom. Children's Book Press, 1989.
  (j398 Blia) Ages 5-10
  A eu bird tricks tiger to preserve the balance of nature. Paired with art in the style of a story cloth.
• Judge Rabbit and the Tree Spirit: A Folktale from Cambodia. Spagnoli, Cathy and Lina Mao Wall; Illus. by Nancy Hom. Children's Book Press, 1991.
  (j398 Spag) Ages 5-10
  A wise rabbit helps a young husband banish the imposter who has been posing as his double. (bilingual Khmer-English).
• Children of the Dragon: Selected Tales from Vietnam. Garland, Sherry; Illus. by Trina Schart Hyman. Harcourt, 2001.
  (j398.2095 GarL) Ages 8-11
  Six folktales are accompanied by source notes and explanations of Vietnamese history and culture.
• The Magical Monkey King: Mischief in Heaven. Jiang, Ji-Li; Illus. by Hui Hui Su-Kennedy. HarperCollins, 2002.
  (j398.2095 Jian) Ages 8-10
  The author of the autobiographical Red Scarf Girl retells stories about the trickster monkey of Chinese legend.
• Filipino Children's Favorite Stories. Romulo, Liana; Illus. by Joanne de Leon. Periplus Editions, 2000.
  (j398.2095 Romu) Ages 7-11
  Thirteen classic tales with diverse motifs, many familiar to American children.
• The Gift of the Crocodile. Sierra, Judy; Illus. by Reynold Ruffins. Simon & Schuster, 2000.
  (j398.2095 Sier) Ages 6-9
  An Indonesian variant of the Cinderella story. Other Asian variants include: Abadeha (Philippine); Angkat (Cambodian); Jouanah (Hmong); The Korean Cinderella; Tam Cam (Vietnamese); and Yeh-Shen (Chinese).
• The Foolish Men of Agra and Other Tales of Mogul India. Singh, Rina; Illus. by Farida Zaman. Key Porter Kids, 1998.
  (j398.2095 Sing) Ages 6-10
  Ten humorous legends about the great Muslim emperor Akbar and his clever Hindu advisor, Birbal.
• Rama and the Demon King. Souhami, Jessica; DK Ink, 1997.
  (j398.2095 Souh) Ages 5-8
  The monkey king helps an Indian prince rescue his wife from a ten-headed demon in this ancient Hindu tale.
• Asian Tales and Tellers. Spagnoli, Cathy; August House, 1998.
  (j398.2095 Spag) Ages 10+
  Forty-nine stories from 16 Asian countries, with notes for storytellers.
• Thai Tales. Vathanaprida, Supaporn; Edited by Margaret Read MacDonald. Illus. by Boonsong Rohitasuke. Libraries Unlimited, 1994.
  (j398.2095 Vath) Ages 10+
  A varied collection of 28 Thai tales, with information about Buddhism in Thai life.
• Jojofu. Waite, Michael P; Illus. by Yoriko Ito. Lothrop, 1996.
  (j398.2095 Wait) Ages 6-9
  A brave hunting dog saves her owner from forest dangers. Based on a Japanese folktale.
• The Khan's Daughter: A Mongolian Folktale. Yep, Laurence; Illus. by Jean and Mou-sien Tseng. Scholastic, 1997.
  (j398.2095 Yep) Ages 6-9
  A determined shepherd must perform three seemingly impossible tasks in order to marry the Khan's daughter.

Picture Stories

• Halmoni's Day. Bercaw, Edna Coe; Illus. by Robert Hunt. Dial, 2000.
  (jPS Berc) Ages 5-8
  Although she speaks no English, Jennifer's Korean grandmother tells a memorable story from her childhood on Grandparents' Day.
• All the Way to Lhasa: A Tale from Tibet. Berger, Barbara Helen; Philomel, 2002.
  (jPS Berg) Ages 4-9
  The holy city of Lhasa is very far away ' across snowy passes and rushing rivers. Can a boy and his yak get there before nightfall?
• Ruby's Wish. Bridges, Shirin Yim; Illus. by Sophie Blackall. Chronicle, 2002.
  (jPS Brid) Ages 5-8
  Ruby wants a university education, not just a husband. Her grandfather, who returned to China from Gold Mountain, carefully considers the unusual request.
• Sam and the Lucky Money. Chinn, Karen; Illus. by Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu. Lee & Low, 1995.
  (jPS Chin) Ages 4-7
  It's New Year's Day, and Sam decides to share his leisee money with a homeless man in Chinatown.
• Nadia's Hands. English, Karen; Illus. by Jonathan Weiner. Boyds Mills, 1999.
  (jPS EngL) Ages 5-8
  Henna is used to decorate the hands of a Pakistani American girl for her aunt's traditional wedding. How will her classmates react when she returns to school?
• Willie Wins. Gilles, Almira Astudillo; Illus. by Carl Angel. Lee & Low, 2001.
  (jPS GiLL) Ages 5-8
  Willie is embarrassed by the alkansiya, a Philippine coconut-shell bank, given to him by his father for a school money-saving project.
• A Gift for Gita. Gilmore, Rachna; Illus. by Alice Priestley. Second Story, 1998.
  (jPS GiLm) Ages 4-9
  Finally feeling at home in Canada, Gita doesn't want to move back to India when Papa is offered a job promotion there. Third in a series.
• Hush!: A Thai Lullaby. Ho, Minfong; Illus. by Holly Meade. Orchard, 1996.
  (jPS Ho) Ages 2-5
  Mother asks many animals to quiet down while Baby is supposed to be napping. The art tells a different story.
• The Drums of Noto Hanto. James, J. Alison; Illus. by Tsukushi. DK Ink, 1999.
  (jPS Jame) Ages 5-9
  Can drums and scary masks save the villagers from invading samurai warriors? An original tale set in ancient Japan.
• I Love You Like Crazy Cakes. Lewis, Rose A; Illus. by Jane Dyer. Little, Brown, 2000.
  (jPS Lewi) Ages 3-6
  A single mom explains how she adopted her daughter in China and brought her home to America. Based on the author's own experiences.
• Henry's First-Moon Birthday. Look, Lenore; Illus. by Yumi Heo. Atheneum, 2001.
  (jPS Look) Ages 3-5
  A girl takes charge of arrangements for her new brother's traditional Chinese one-month birthday celebration. Of course, their grandmother helps out.
• My Chinatown: One Year in Poems. Mak, Kam; HarperCollins, 2002.
  (jPS Mak) Ages 5-8
  Poetry chronicles a boy's adjustment to life in the United States, far from home in Hong Kong.
• My Freedom Trip. Park, Frances and Ginger Park; Illus. by Debra Reid Jenkins. Boyds Mills, 1998.
  (jPS Park) Ages 6-9
  Just before the Korean War, a girl's family attempts a dangerous escape from North to South.
• Grandfather's Journey. Say, Allen; Houghton Mifflin, 1993.
  (jPS Say) Ages 8+
  A young Japanese man's sojourn in America leaves him torn between two different countries for the rest of his life. The 1994 Caldecott Award winner.
• The Squiggle. Schaefer, Carole Lexa; Illus. by Pierr Morgan. Crown, 1996.
  (jPS Scha) Ages 3-6
  On a class walk, an imaginative little girl turns a piece of red string into a playful celebration of Chinese sounds and images.

Non-Fiction

• Cat and Rat: The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac. Young, Ed; Holt, 1995.
  (j133.5 Youn) Ages 5-9
  Explains why there is no year named for Cat and why "to this very day" Cat and Rat are enemies.
• The Japanese American Family Album. Hoobler, Dorothy and Thomas; Oxford University Press, 1996.
  (j306.8089 Hoob) Ages 11+
  A history of the immigrant experience told from many points of view. Also: The Chinese American Family Album.
• Hoang Anh: A Vietnamese-American Boy. Hoyt-Goldsmith, Diane; Photos. by Lawrence Migdale. Holiday House, 1992.
  (j325.259 Hoyt) Ages 8-11
  A photo essay about growing up Vietnamese in America.
• Moonbeams, Dumplings & Dragon Boats. Simonds, Nina, Leslie Swartz and The Children's Museum, Boston; Illus. by Meilo So. Harcourt, 2002.
  (j394.26 Simo) Ages 9-12
  Five major Chinese festivals are highlighted through tales, recipes and activities.
• Floating Lanterns and Golden Shrines: Celebrating Japanese Festivals. Krasno, Rena; Illus. by Toru Sugita. Pacific View Press, 2000.
  (j394.2695 Kras) Ages 8-12
  Overview of Japanese and Japanese American cultural life. From the same publisher: Kneeling Carabao and Dancing Giants: Celebrating Filipino Festivals; Exploring Chinatown: A Children's Guide to Chinese Culture; Made in China: Ideas and Inventions from Ancient China; and A Thousand Peaks: Poems from China.
• Celebrate! in Southeast Asia. Viesti, Joseph F. and Diane Hall; Lothrop, 1996.
  (j394.2695 Vies) Ages 8-11
  Holidays of Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos and the Philippines in lively color photos. Also: Celebrate! in South Asia.
• To Swim in Our Own Pond. Tran, Ngoc-Dung; Illus. by Xuan-Quang Dang. Shen's Books, 1998.
  (j398.9959 To) Ages 8-12
  Twenty-two Vietnamese proverbs with English-language equivalents. (bilingual Vietnamese-English).
• Cooking the Vietnamese Way. Nguyen, Chi; Lerner, 2002. Popular recipes from Vietnam.
  (j641.5959 Nguy) Ages 9+
  Also in the Easy Menu Ethnic Cookbook series: China, India, Japan, Korea and Thailand.
• In Search of the Spirit: The Living National Treasures of Japan. Hamanaka, Sheila and Ayano Ohmi; Morrow, 1999.
  (j700.952 Hama) Ages 9+
  Describes the training, dedication and creativity of six masters in performing arts and traditional crafts.
• A Suitcase of Seaweed, and Other Poems. Wong, Janet S; McElderry, 1996.
  (j811.54 Wong) Ages 8-12
  Thirty-six short free verse poems reflect the author's multicultural heritage: Korean, Chinese and American.
• The Song of Mu Lan. Lee, Jeanne M; Front Street, 1995.
  (j895.1142 Song) Ages 5-9
  An elegant and authentic retelling of an ancient Chinese folk poem. (bilingual English-Chinese).
• Cool Melons - Turn to Frogs! Gollub, Matthew; Illus. by Kazuko G. Stone. Lee & Low, 1998.
  (j895.6143 GoLL) Ages 8-11
  Presents Issa, the 18^th century Japanese poet, with many examples of his haiku.
• Myanmar. Yin, Saw Myat; Benchmark, 2002. Introduces Myanmar, formerly Burma.
  (j959.1 Yin) Ages 9+
  Many other Asian nations are included in the attractive Cultures of the World series.
• Children of the Philippines. Kinkade, Sheila; Photos. by Elaine Little. Carolrhoda, 1996.
  (j959.9 Kink) Ages 8-11
  A glimpse at life in the Philippines featuring children from many islands. Also in The World's Children series: China and India.
• Konnichiwa!: I Am a Japanese-American Girl. Brown, Tricia; Photos. by Kazuyoshi Arai. Holt, 1995.
  (j973.0495 Brow) Ages 7-10
  Two sisters prepare to celebrate the Cherry Blossom Festival in San Francisco's Japantown.
• Dia's Story Cloth: The Hmong People's Journey of Freedom. Cha, Dia; Stitchery by Chue and Nhia Thao Cha. Lee & Low, 1996.
  (j973.0495 Cha) Ages 8-11
  Along with Hmong history, Cha recounts the story of her family's journey from Laos to America. Based on art by her aunt and uncle.
• The Dalai Lama. Demi; Holt, 1998.
  (jB Bsta) Ages 7-11
  A respectful biography about the Buddhist religious and political leader of Tibet who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989.
• Confucius: The Golden Rule. Freedman, Russell; Illus. by Frederic Clement. Scholastic/Levine, 2002.
  (jB Conf) Ages 9-12
  Carefully chronicles the life, times and surprisingly modern ideas of the Chinese philosopher who lived more than 2,500 years ago.
• Gandhi: Great Soul. Severance, John B; Clarion, 1997.
  (jB Gand) Ages 11+
  Inspirational life story of the Indian political leader who advocated non-violence in the struggle for independence from British rule.
• The Invisible Thread. Uchida, Yoshiko; Messner, 1991.
  (jB Uchi) Ages 9+
  The author's moving account of how she came to terms with her Japanese American heritage. Also: Journey to Topaz; The Bracelet; A Jar of Dreams and The Dancing Kettle.

Fiction

• Breath of the Dragon. Giles, Gail; Illus. by June Otani. Clarion, 1997.
  (jF GiLe) Ages 9-12.
  After her father dies for his thievery and her mother moves on to America, Malila re-learns sanouk, the joy of living, from her grandmother in a small Thai village.
• Water Buffalo Days. Huynh, Quang Nhuong; Illus. by Jean and Mou-sien Tseng. HarperCollins, 1997.
  (jF Huyn) Ages 9-12
  The author of The Land I Lost recalls his childhood in the highlands of Vietnam and his love for the family water buffalo.
• F is for Fabuloso. Lee, Marie G; Avon, 1999.
  (jF Lee) Ages 9-12
  A seventh grade Korean immigrant faces many challenges' interpreting English for her mother, an unsympathetic math teacher, and prejudice from her classmates.
• Nim and the War Effort. Lee, Milly; Illus. by Yangsook Choi. Farrar/Foster, 1997.
  (jF Lee) Ages 7-10
  A girl living in San Francisco's Chinatown during World War II collects the most newspapers for a school contest and proves her patriotism.
• Baseball Saved Us. Mochizuki, Ken; Illus. by Dom Lee. Lee & Low, 1993.
  (jF Moch) Ages 8-10
  One Japanese American boy tells how baseball helped those interned in a concentration camp during World War II to survive. (also available in Japanese, Spanish).
• When My Name Was Keoko. Park, Linda Sue; Clarion, 2002.
  (jF Park) Ages 10+
  A brother and sister struggle to retain their own heritage during the Japanese occupation of Korea. By the author of the 2002 Newbery Award winner, A Single Shard.
• Shabanu: Daughter of the Wind. Staples, Suzanne Fisher; Knopf, 1989.
  (jF Stap) Ages 11+
  When the father of an 11-year-old girl arranges her marriage to an older man, she must make a difficult decision. Set in the Cholistan Desert of present-day Pakistan.
• Dragonwings. Yep, Laurence; HarperCollins, 1975.
  (jF Yep) Ages 9+
  A Chinese boy sails to San Francisco, lives through the 1906 earthquake, meets his father for the first time and helps him build a flying machine. (also available in Chinese).
• Ribbons. Yep, Laurence; Putnam, 1996.
  (jF Yep) Ages 9+
  So her family can bring Paw Paw from Hong Kong to San Francisco, Robin must give up ballet lessons. She feels sorry for herself until she finds out about Grandmother's bound feet.
• Coolies. Yin; Illus. by Chris K. Soentpiet. Philomel, 2001.
  (jF Yin) Ages 6-10
  A boy recalls the story he heard from his grandmother about her great-grandfather and his brother, Chinese laborers who helped build the transcontinental railroad.