Great Classroom Additions for Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month

By Ariel Birdoff, MyLibraryNYC
May 3, 2021

Representation matters. It is especially important when it comes to education. According to Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop, children should have easy access to books that are "windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors”—books where children from all kinds of backgrounds and cultures can recognize themselves and their communities.  With the recent rise in discrimination and harrassment against Asian Americans, it is crucial to provide access to books written by and featuring Asian Americans. 

Below are a few great titles in our collection that would be perfect additions to your classrooms. If you are a member of the MyLibraryNYC program, you can order some of these books in our Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and Great Books Teacher Sets.

For many more recommendations for kids, teens and adults, see NYPL's Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Reading List which you can filter by age and genre.

Below you can also find a list of related information, resources, and upcoming events. And please visit our AAPI Heritage Month page for information on research resources, storytimes, our dial-a-story service (with stories in Chinese and Japanese), and more!

book cover

Drawn Together by Minh Lê, illustrated by Dan Santat

When a young boy visits his grandfather, their lack of a common language leads to confusion, frustration, and silence. But as they sit down to draw together, something magical happens—with a shared love of art and storytelling, the two form a bond that goes beyond words. With spare, direct text by Minh Lê and luminous illustrations by Caldecott Medalist Dan Santat, this stirring picture book about reaching across barriers will be cherished for years to come.

Drawn Together is also available in these Teacher Sets:

Eyes That Kiss In The Corners

Eyes That Kiss in the Corners by Joanna Ho, illustrated by Dung Ho

A young Asian girl notices that her eyes look different from her peers'. They have big, round eyes and long lashes. She realizes that her eyes are like her mother’s, her grandmother's, and her little sister's. They have eyes that kiss in the corners and glow like warm tea, crinkle into crescent moons, and are filled with stories of the past and hope for the future. Drawing from the strength of these powerful women in her life, she recognizes her own beauty and discovers a path to self-love and empowerment. This powerful, poetic picture book will resonate with readers of all ages.

This Is Just a Test

This Is Just a Test by Madelyn Rosenberg and Wendy Wan-Long Shang

In 1983 seventh-grader David Da-Wei Horowitz has a lot to worry about—his bar mitzvah is coming soon, his Jewish and Chinese grandmothers argue about everything, his teammates for the upcoming trivia contest, Scott and Hector, do not like each other, he is beginning to notice girls, and Scott has persuaded him to begin digging a fallout shelter just in case the Cold War heats up.

This Is Just a Test is also available in this teacher set:

Superman Smashes the Clan

Superman Smashes the Klan: The Graphic Novel by Gene Luen Yang; art by Gurihiru; lettering by Janice Chiang

When Dr. Lee moves his family to Metropolis, his son Tommy adjusts to the new neighborhood while daughter Roberta feels out of place, so when the evil Klan of the Fiery Cross begins a string of terrorist attacks on the city, Superman fights them, and Roberta and Superman soon learn to embrace their own unique features that set them apart.

Starfish

Starfish by Akemi Dawn Bowman

Kiko Himura yearns to escape the toxic relationship with her mother by getting into her dream art school, but when things do not work out as she hoped Kiko jumps at the opportunity to tour art schools with her childhood friend, learning life-changing truths about herself and her past along the way.

Starfish is also available in this Teacher Set:

The Epic Crush of Genie Lo

The Epic Crush of Genie Lo by F. C. Yee

Genie Lo is one among droves of Ivy-hopeful overachievers in her sleepy Bay Area suburb. You know, the type who wins. When she’s not crushing it at volleyball or hitting the books, Genie is typically working on how to crack the elusive Harvard entry code. But when her hometown comes under siege from Hellspawn straight out of Chinese folklore, her priorities are dramatically rearranged.

The Epic Crush of Genie Lo is also available in these Teacher Sets:

Here are some upcoming AAPI Heritage Month events. You can also find a compilation of these events on this page along with short descriptions.

For more reading recommendations and research resources: