PBS Names 10 Children’s Books to Celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Month
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, so PBS has released a list of 10 children’s books that capture the Asian-American experience.
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The PBS list includes 10 books that “speak to the nuances of being part of two cultures - being American and living in America, while also respecting and learning about the traditions that come from one’s heritage.”
The books on the list are written by Vietnamese-Americans, Korean-Americans, Filipino-Americans, Chinese-Americans, and others.
The list includes:
When Lola Visits (Michelle Sterling) - A girl is visited by her friend from the Philippines, who sings to her in Tagalog. The book was illustrated by Filipino illustrator Aaron Asis.
Bee-bim Bop! (Linda Sue Park) - A Korean-American girl celebrates making bee-bim-bop with her mother. Illustrated by Ho Baek Lee
Hair Twins (Raakhee Mirchandani) - A Sikh father combs his daughter’s hair and styles it differently every day. Illustrated by Holly Hatam.
I Dream of Popo (Livia Blackburne) - A young girl and her family immigrate to America from Taiwan, leaving behind her beloved grandmother. Illustrated by Julia Kuo.
Eyes That Kiss in the Corners (Joanna Ho) - A young girl notices that she looks different from her peers in this story about embracing one’s culture. Illustrated by Dung Ho.
The Rice in the Pot Goes Round and Round (Wendy Wan-Long Shang) - A twist on “The Wheels on the Bus,” the book celebrates the food and love a family shares at the table. Illustrated by Lorian Tu).
Bear Came Along (Richard T. Morris) - Six animals learn that adventures are better with your friends. Illustrated by LeUyen Pham.
Drawn Together (Minh Le) - A young boy and his grandfather struggle to communicate, but make a connection through drawing. Illustrated by Can Santat.
Mommy Eats Fried Grasshoppers! (Vilayvanh Bender) - A girl learns about cultural differences between America and Laos, where her mother grew up. Illustrated by Nor Sanavongsay.
Apple Pie 4th of July (Janet S. Wong) - A young Chinese-American girl is embarrassed that her family is cooking Chinese food on the 4th of July, but then learns about what it means to embrace your family’s heritage.
More information on the books on the list can be found on PBS’s website.