This bibliography/bookstore page made possible in part by a grant from California Arts Council and friends
Grump by Janet S. Wong, John Wallace (Illustrator). Reading level: Ages Baby-Preschool. School & Library Binding:. Margaret McElderry (March 2001) . Amazon review: " The rhythm and sounds of Janet S. Wong's text are what will appeal to small children; the subject matter is for all the exhausted parents of the world. Wong's tender rhymes reflect the conflicting emotions of the worn-out mom, as she sets her baby in his crib..." Books by Wong added into the bibliography by Katherine Aguas-Aclan. 
. Other books by Janet S. Wong:
Angkat : The Cambodian Cinderella by Jewell Reinhart Coburn, Edmund Flotte (Illustrator). Reading level: Ages 4-8. Hardcover - 32 pages 1st edition (June 1998) Shen's Books. "In the first English language retelling of this ancient Cambodian tale, our heroine goes further, survives more, and has to conquer even her own mortality to regain her rightful place. Cambodia's Cinderella, Angkat-child of ashes-endures gret wrongs as she seeks to rise above distresses caused by her own family. Angkat appeared in an 18th century French essay which was found by Dr. Coburn deep in some dusty archives while researching Khmer culture and folklore. She was drawn to the story immediately, and the rest is now history. Flotte, an internationally-known watercolorist, places the reader in the scene of the story. He broadens the storytelling by effectively employing expressions, gestures, lighting, and ambiance in each illustration. ."
Judge Rabbit and the Tree Spirit : A Folktale from Cambodia/Bilingual in English and Khmer by Cathy Spagnoli, Nancy Hom (Illustrator), Lina Mao Wall, Lina Mao Wall (Designer). Reading level: Ages 4-8. School & Library Binding Eng/Khmer edition (June 1991) Childrens Book Press."
Other Mulan books:
The Whispering Cloth : A Refugee's Story by Pegi Deitz Shea, Anita Riggio (Illustrator), You Yang (Illustrator). Reading level: Ages 4-8. Paperback - 32 pages (October 1996) Boyds Mills Press. "A young girl in a Thai refugee camp in the mid-1970's finds the story within herself to create her own pa'ndau. " The Chinese American Family Album by Helen Chetin, illustrated by Jan Lee. In English and Chinese. "The story of Wai Ching, who immigrated to America with her mother in 1922. They were interned at Angel Island under the American immigration laws of the time. The novel describes the life of Wai Ching and those of thirty other Chinese women as they awaited permission to be allowed into the country." If Amazon isn't carrying the new edition, try Great Western Books which had it for $8.95 last time I looked. First published in 1973. First two editions by new seed publications. third edition by angel island association. Books by Chetin added into the bibliography by Katherine Aguas-Aclan.
In the Heart of Filipino America : Immigrants from the Pacific Isles by Robert Takaki, Rebecca Stefoff, Carol Takaki, Ronald Takaki, Rebecca Steoff. Library Binding (July 1994) Chelsea House Pub (Library) Lives of Notable Asian Americans : Arts, Entertainment, Sports by Geraldine Gan, Ronald Takaki. Reading level: Young Adult. Library Binding (May 1995) Chelsea House Pub.
Lives of Notable Asian Americans : Business, Politics, Science by Angelo Ragaza, Ronald Takaki. Reading level: Young Adult. Library Binding (September 1995) Chelsea House Pub.
Lives of Notable Asian Americans : Literature and Education by Christina Chiu, Ronald Takaki. Reading level: Young Adult. Library Binding (July1995) Chelsea House Pub.
This page grows organically from recommendations. If we don't have a book that you feel should be listed or if you notice that a book is now out-of-print, please let us know, using the form below (don't forget to hit thesubmit button):
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Brother Rabbit : A Cambodian Tale by Minfong Ho, Saphan Ros, Jennifer Hewetson (Illustrator). " Hewitson's bright watercolor-and-ink illustrations cleverly enhance this Cambodian folktale's sense of place and lend suspense and drama to the rabbit's misadventures."
China/Chinese American
The Chinese Siamese Cat by Amy Tan, Gretchen Schields (Illustrator). Reading level: Ages 4-8. school & Library Binding 1 Ed edition (September 1994) Simon & Schuster (Juv). "The naughty white kitten, Sagwa, comes from a long line of royal Chinese cats. Her mischief changes the spirit of the cruel magistrate and future for her ancestors."
Moon Lady by Amy Tan, Gretchen Schields (Illustrator). Reading level: Ages 4-8. School & Library Binding 1 Ed edition (September 1994) Simon & Schuster (Juv). "On a rainy afternoon, three sisters wish for the rain to stoop, wish they could play in the puddles, wish for something, anything, to do. So Ying-Ying, their grandmother, tells them a tale from long ago. On the night of the Moon Festival, when Ying-ying was a little girl, she encountered the Moon Lady, who grants the secret wishes of those who ask, and learned from her that the best wishes are those you can make come true yourself. "
Monkey King Wreaks Havoc in Heaven (Adventures of Monkey King Series, Volume 2) by Debby Chen, Eida De LA Vega (Translator), Wenhai Ma (Illustrator), Eida de La Vega (Translator). Reading level: Ages 4-8. Hardcover, 32 pages (February 2002) Pan Asian Pubns(Juv). A retelling of the Chinese folktale in English and Spanish featuring an all star cast including the Monkey King, the Dragon King, the Jade Emperor and the all-wise Buddha. Other books in the Monkey King series:
Red Means Good Fortune: A Story of San Francisco's Chinatown (Once upon America) by Barbara Diamond Goldin, Wenhai Ma (Illustrator). Reading level: Ages 4-8. Paperback (January 1996) Puffin. Ingram synopsis: "Jin Mun cannot wait for the Chinese New Year and hopes that he will find good fortune in the future, until he meets Wai Hing, a poor slave girl, and must come up with a way to set her free. " Books illustrated by Wenhai Ma added into the bibliography by Katherine Aguas-Aclan. Other books illustrated by Wenhai Ma:
Nim and the War Effort by Milly Lee, Yangsook Choi (Illustrator). Level: Ages 4-8. Paperback: 40 pages. (April 2002) Farrar Straus & Giroux (Juv). Review from Booklist:
"Gr. 2^-5. Based on Lee's experiences growing up in San Francisco's Chinatown during World War II, this quietly told, handsome picture book tells what it was like for a child on the home front trying to help her country win the war. Nim is firmly rooted in her Chinese culture and the traditions of her extended family." Other books by Milly Lee:
This Next New Year by Janet S. Wong, Yangsook Choi (Illustrator). Reading level: Ages 4-8. Hardcover: 32 pages. Frances Foster Books (September 2000). Amazon review: "A spunky young boy makes plans for "this next new year" in Janet S. Wong's festive, truly engaging story of the Chinese Lunar New Year, celebrated annually in late January or early February. " Books by Wong added into the bibliography by Katherine Aguas-Aclan. . Other books by Janet S. Wong:
Chinese Mother Goose Rhymes by Robert Wyndham (Editor), Ed Yong (Illustrator), Ed Young (Illustrator). Reading level: Ages 4-8. Paperback - 48 pages Reissue edition (March 1998) Paper Star. "Children of all lands will welcome this enchanting collection of poems, lullabies, counting rhymes, and songs from the Chinese oral tradition. "These versions retain the mood and graceful tone of the originals."
Count Your Way Through China by Jim Haskins, Dennis Hockerman (Illustrator), Martin Skoro (Illustrator). Reading level: Ages 4-8. Paperback 24 pages Reprint edition (June 1988) Carolrhoda Books. "Presents the numbers one through ten in Chinese, using each number to introduce concepts about China and Chinese culture." 
At the Beach by Huy Voun Lee. Reading level: Ages 4-8. Paperback - 32 pages Reprint edition (April 1998) Henry Holt (Paper). "Distinctive paper-cut collages introduce children to 10 Mandarin Chinese characters. Sketching in the sand at a crowded beach, Xiao Ming's mother literally draws comparisons between the Chinese character and the object it resembles: "See, it looks like a person walking." Other books by Huy Voun Lee.
Maples in the Mist : Poems for Children from the Tang Dynasty by Minfong Ho (Editor), Jean Tseng (Illustrator), Mou-Sien Tseng (Illustrator). Reading level: Ages 4-8. Hardcover - 24 pages (September 1996) Lothrop Lee & Shepard. "The Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.) is often referred to as the Golden Age of China. Poems from that era are widely considered the finest classical poems in China's 2000 year history. Translator Minfong Ho has assembled a collection of simple poems which were traditionally taught to children and will certainly give young readers images to ponder, as in Moon: When I was little/I thought the moon was a white jade plate,/Or maybe a mirror in Heaven/Flying through the blue clouds. Exquisite illustrations by Jean and Mou-sien Tseng not only illuminate the poems but serve as a lovely introduction to another culture's history. For all ages."
The Dragon Prince : A Chinese Beauty & the Beast Tale by Laurence Yep, Kam Mak (Illustrator). Reading level: Ages 4-8. Paperback - 32 pages Reprint edition (February 1999) Harpercollins Juvenile Books.
Cat and Rat : The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac by Ed Young. Reading level: Ages 4-8. Paperback - 32 pages Reprint edition (November 1998) Henry Holt (Paper). "Cat and Rat are best friends until the emperor holds a race to determine which twelve animals will have a year named after them in the Chinese calendar. Rat tricks Cat in order to win and loses his friend."
Other books by Ed Young:
The Legend of the Kite : A Story of China by Jiang Hong Chen, Boris Moissard, Jacqueline Miller (Translator), Chen Jiang Hong (Illustrator). Reading level: Ages 4-8. Paperback - 32 pages (November 1999) Soundprints Corp Audio. "Every spring the Festival of the Kite is celebrated in China. When a boy's kite flies away from him, his grandfather tells him the legend behind the celebration, encouraging the boy to build a new, more beautiful one."
Fa Mulan : The Story of a Woman Warrior by Robert D. San Souci, Jean Tseng (Illustrator), Mou-Sien Tseng (Illustrator). Reading level: Ages 4-8. Paperback - 32 pages (March 2000) Hyperion Press. ""A good swordsman should appear as calm as a fine lady, but he must be capable of quick action like a surprised tiger," says a seasoned warrior to Fa Mulan, unaware that the young soldier is in fact a woman. Award-winning author Robert D. San Souci and Jean and Mou-Sien Tseng have created an elegant, visually stunning retelling of the popular Chinese legend. "
The Song of Mu Lan by Robert D. San Souci, Jean Tseng (Illustrator), Mou-Sien Tseng (Illustrator). Reading level: Ages 4-8. Hardcover (September 1995) Front Street Press. "Although originating between A.D. 420 and 589, this Chinese folk poem is more than a historical treasure--it is topical enough to prompt some rather interesting discussions about sex roles and women in the military among children older than the usual picture book set. Because he has no sons to send, the father of a young woman, Mu Lan, is drafted into the emperor's army. Courageously, Mu Lan disguises herself as a boy and takes her father's place. Over 12 years she proves a formidable soldier who earns "twelve medals of honor and a thousand strings of gold." "
India/Indian American
Chachaji's Cup by Uma Krishaswami, illustrated by Soumya Sitaraman. Ages 4-8. Hardcover - 31 pages (March 2003) Children's Book Press. From School Library Journal: "Neel's great-uncle often tells stories from India-sometimes of gods such as Hanuman the monkey-but one day he relates his experiences as a child in 1947, "-when India was split in two.-`The country was broken.'" His family walked miles with millions of other refugees to cross the border into India, his mother carrying with her the flowered china cup from which the old man now drinks his tea. When Neel accidentally breaks it, and Chachaji is coincidentally hospitalized, the child tries to cheer his uncle to no avail. After a dream about his great-grandmother and her frightened little boy making their journey, he glues the cup together as best he can, presenting it to a grateful Chachaji. "It wasn't much good for holding tea anymore. But I figured you don't have to be shiny new to hold memories." Neel's voice lends immediacy and a warm family feeling to this graceful story. The simple explanation of the Partition is understandable to young children. The emphasis on the concrete reality of what it means to be a refugee-to have to leave one's home and travel to a new place-will also speak to them."
Japan/Japanese American
Baseball Saved Us by Ken Mochizuki, Dom Lee (Illustrator). Reading level: Ages 4-8. School Binding (March 1995) Lee & Low Books. A young boy's family is suddenly removed to a WWII internment camp. "his dad hopes to counter" their grim surroundings "by building a baseball diamond. Materials are improvised (uniforms are made from mattress ticking), but the game soon thrives." (Picture book. 6-10) -- 
Other Books by Ken Mochizuki, Dom Lee (Illustrator) for ages 4-8 :
Journey to Topaz by Yoshiko Uchida, Donald Carrick (Illustrator). Reading level: Ages 4-8. Paperback - 160 pages Reissue edition (April 1988) Creative Arts Book Co.
The Dancing Kettle by Yoshiko Uchida, Richard C. Jones (Illustrator). Reading level: Ages 4-8. Paperback - - 184 pages (October 1, 1986) Creative Arts Book Co. Fourteen authentic folk stories, retold with humor and charm.
Other Books by Yoshiko Uchida for ages 4-8 (see ages 9-12 for other books as well):
Korea/Korean American
Halmoni and the Picnic by Sook Nyul Choi, Karen M. Dugan (Illustrator). Reading level: Ages 4-8. School & Library Binding - 31 pages (September 1993) Houghton Mifflin . When Yunmi's class plans a picnic in Central Park, her Korean grandmother, Halmoni, agrees to chaperone. But Yunmi worries that the other children will make fun of Halmoni's traditional Korean dress and unfamiliar food. . Other books by Sook Nyul Choi:
Dear Juno by Soyung Pak, Susan Kathleen Hartung (Illustrator). Reading level: Ages 4-8. School & Library Binding - 32 pages (October 1999) Viking Childrens Books. When Juno's parents are too busy to read him a letter from his grandmother in Korea, Juno opens the letter himself. He cannot read the Korean words, but he learns about his grandmother from the dried flower and a photograph of herself with her cat she included. These tell JunoGrandmother has a new cat and she's planting a flower garden. Writing back, Juno draws his family and includes a leaf from his swinging tree. So begins a tale of communicating across language barriers. .
The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi. Reading level: Ages 4-8. Hardcover - 32 pages (July 10, 2001) Knopf. Review from From School Library Journal: "On the way to her first day of school, Unhei is teased by the children on the bus for her Korean name. When she reaches her classroom and is asked her name, she tells her classmates that she has not yet decided on one. To be helpful the children put their suggestions into a "name jar." Eventually the girl decides to keep her own name as one of her classmates takes pride in the new Korean nickname he has chosen, Chinku, meaning "friend."...." . Other books by written or illustrated by Yangsook Choi:
Older Brother, Younger Brother: A Korean Folk Tale by Nina Jaffe, Wenhai Ma (Illustrator). Reading level: Ages 4-8. Paperback - 32 pages (July 1997) Puffin. From Ingram: "After being turned out by his greedy older brother, Hungbu and his family manage to prosper when his kindness to an injured sparrow is richly rewarded. "
Laos/Laotian American
Hmong People of Laos by Blia Xiong, Nancy Hom (Illustrator), Cathy Spagnoli (Contributor). Reading level: Ages 4-8. Paperback Reprint edition (April 1993) Childrens Book Press. Also in hardcover. "When the great god Shao promises Tiger nine cubs each year, Bird comes up with a clever trick to prevent the land from being overrun by tigers. "
Dia's Story Cloth by Dia Cha, Chiie Thao Cha (Illustrator), Nhia Thao Cha, Chue Cha (Illustrator). Reading level: Ages 4-8. Paperback - 24 pages Reprint edition (April 1998) Lee & Low Books. Also in hardcover. "A Laos woman recounts her family's wartime displacement, during which she was forced to flee to a refugee camp in Thailand and remain away from her home for four years, in a story that is illustrated by a lavish Vietnamese story cloth. "
Jouanah : A Hmong Cinderella by Jewell Reinhart Coburn, Anne Sibley O'Brien (Illustrator), Tzexa C. Lee (Contributor). Reading level: Ages 4-8. Hardcover - 32 pages (September 1996) Shen's Books. "Jouanah's shocking introduction to her newly-translated mother is the unforeseen crisis point where her young life takes a sudden and decisive turn. Her story takes readers to the remote mountains of Southeast Asia, to the traditional home of the Laotian Hmong. All essential Cinderella elements are here to enthrall readers of all ages. Gorgeous artwork remains faithful in the depiction of the Hmong lifestyle and the high mountain villages. Now in its 4th printing, this book has been a classic addition to children's literature everywhere. "
Thai/Thai American
Hush! : A Thai Lullaby by Minfong Ho, Holly Meade (Illustrator). Reading level: Ages 4-8. Hardcover (March 1996) Orchard Books. "A mother goes to each animal, from lizard to water buffalo to elephant, trying to quiet noises that might wake her child. When the animals are silenced and the mother finally falls asleep, the baby lies awake, with wide eyes and a smile. "
The Girl Who Wore Too Much : A Folktale from Thailand by Margaret Read MacDonald, Supaporn Vathanaprida, Yvonne Davis (Illustrator). Reading level: Ages 4-8. Hardcover - 32 pages (May 1998) August House Little Folk. "Like most young girls, Aree likes fine clothing and jewelry. So when word comes of a dance to be held in the next village, Aree can't make up her mind on which dress to wear. Racked by indecision, she decides to wear them all until she learns that excess can be a burden and that impressing her friends is not the same as keeping them. "
Vietnam/Vietnamese American
The Little Weaver of Thai-Yen Village/Co Be Th-Det Lang Thai-Yen by Khanh Tuyet Tran, Nancy Hom (Illustrator). Reading level: Ages 4-8. School & Library Binding - 24 pages Bilingual edition (February 1987) Childrens Book Press. "A young Vietnamese girl maintains her own cultural identity while struggling to adjust to the United States."
Ages 9-12
China/Chinese American
Japan/Japanese American
Korea/Korean American
Phillipines/Filipino American
Thai/Thai American
China/Chinese American
Night Garden: Poems from the World of Dreams by Janet S. Wong, Julie Paschkis (Illustrator). Reading level: Ages 9-12. School & Library Binding. Margaret McElderry (March 2000). Booklist review: " Wong, an accomplished and versatile poet, finds dream images that children will know: dreaming about flight ("Flying") or being afraid of things on TV ("Nightmare"). Sometimes, friends who have almost been forgotten appear ("Old Friend"). The illustrations are magnificent: gouaches that are equal parts William Morris pattern and Magritte/Bosch surrealism..." Books by Wong added into the bibliography by Katherine Aguas-Aclan. . Other books by Janet S. Wong:
Little Tiger in the Chinese Night : An Autobiography in Art by Song Nan Zhang (Illustrator). Reading level: Ages 9-12. Hardcover - 48 pages (September 1993) Tundra Books. A Chinese artist recounts his life through illustrations, from fleeing Japanese invaders as a boy in Shanghai in 1944, through working in construction camps, mines, and farms under the harsh Communist regime, to sympathizing with the Tiananmen demonstrators in 1989. He finally escaped to Canada in 1989
Elaine and the Flying Frog by Heidi Chang. Reading level: Ages 4-8. Paperback. (January 1995) D C Heath & Co. Review from Horn Boook: "When Chinese-American Elaine moves from San Francisco to a small town in Iowa, she makes new friends and impresses her class with an innovative science project incorporating her Chinese heritage." Books by Chang added into the bibliography by Katherine Aguas-Aclan. Other books illustrated by Heidi Chang for ages 9-12:
The Chinese American Family Album by Dorothy Hoobler, Thomas Hoobler, Bette Bao Lord (Introduction). Reading level: Ages 9-12. Paperback - 128 pages (May 1998) Oxford Univ Press Childrens Books. From the Booklist: "The Hooblers have succeeded in producing a book that has the look of a combination photo album and family chronicle. The text is excerpted from the letters, journals, oral histories, and newspaper accounts of Chinese Americans who describe life in China, their travels to North America, the difficulties and prejudices encountered, the inevitable clashes between old and new cultures, and the jobs immigrants undertook to earn their keep and send money back to their families in China. The Hooblers describe the setting or introduce the writer but deliberately remain unobtrusive, allowing the immigrants to speak for themselves. Fascinating stories emerge about the gold rush, the building of the transcontinental railroad, the Chinese laundry businesses, and the need for a kindred society and mutual protection that led to the formation of Chinatowns and tongs throughout the U.S. To be copiously illustrated with vintage photographs not available for review, this is a most auspicious beginning for the American Family Album series focusing on various immigrant experiences. Sheilamae O'Hara"
The Amah (Novel) by Laurence Yep. Reading level: Ages 9-12. Hardcover - 181 pages (June 1999) Putnam Pub Group Juv. Amy feels conflicted when her mother becomes an amah (a nanny) for the perfect Miss Stephanie. While her mother's at work, Amy has to watch her younger brothers and sisters, which means missing ballet practices. Amy wants to be a good daughter, but she also wants to keep her role in the upcoming dance production. Other books by Laurence Yep for ages 9-12:
Tales from Gold Mountain : Stories of the Chinese in the New World by Paul Yee, Simon Ng (Illustrator). Reading level: Ages 9-12 Hardcover - 64 pages (June 1999) Groundwood Books. "Eight original stories give readers a sense of the hardships faced by the first Chinese-Americans."
Fifth Chinese Daughter by Jade Snow Wong, Kathryn Uhl (Illustrator). Reading level: Ages 9-12. Paperback - 246 pages (June 1989) University of Washington Press.
The Ch'I-Lin Purse : A Collection of Ancient Chinese Stories by Linda Fang, Jeanne M. Lee (Illustrator). Reading level: Ages 9-12. Paperback - 160 pages Reprint edition (September 1997) Farrar Straus & Giroux (Juv) "This collection of ancient Chinese stories presents nine retold tales which are based on varied sources; from Ming novels to classic Chinese legends"
Made in China : Ideas and Inventions from Ancient China by Suzanne Williams, Andrea Fong (Illustrator). Reading level: Ages 9-12. Hardcover (January 1997) Pacific View Press. "Suzanne Williams helps young readers better understand the mind set that discovery necessitates. >From the special Chinese method of casting bronze, the improvement of irrigation systems, the standardization of roads, measurements and writing, to astronomical research on comets and eclipses, Williams places Chinese scientific ideas and discovery within the political, social, religious, and cultural context of the times."
mpress of China Wu Ze Tian by De Yuan Xu Cheng An Chiang. Reading level: Ages 9-12. Paperback 32 pages (November 15, 1998) Victory Press. "A beautiful young nun with skin as smooth as silk and a face as lovely as a spring flower silently cooked and cleaned all day at Gan Ye Buddhist Temple. Every evening she joined the other nuns in chanting sutras.
Who would believe that this delicate young nun was destined to become Emperor of China - the only female emperor in more than 5,000 years of Chinese history.
Wu Ze Tian held power for almost half a century during the Tang Dynasty (618- 907 AD), a period of prospertiy and cultural achievement in China. ."
House of Sixty Fathers by Meindert De Jong, Maurice Sendak (Illustrator). Reading level: Ages 9-12. Paperback Reissue edition (August 1987) HarperTrophy. "Suzanne Williams helps young readers better understand the mind set that discovery necessitates. >From the special Chinese method of casting bronze, the improvement of irrigation systems, the standardization of roads, measurements and writing, to astronomical research on comets and eclipses, Williams places Chinese scientific ideas and discovery within the political, social, religious, and cultural context of the times."
The Beggar's Magic : A Chinese Tale by Margaret Chang, Raymond Chang, David Johnson (Illustrator), Raymond Change (Contributor). Reading level: Ages 9-12. School & Library Binding - 32 pages 1 Ed edition (September 1997) Margaret McElderry. "A cautionary tale from ancient China--full of contemporary appeal. A greedy, selfish farmer gets up comeuppance at the August Moon Festival, when the kindly beggar priest whom he has slighted performs a magic trick that makes the farmer a laughingstock of the village. Full color. "
Yang the Youngest and His Terrible Ear by Lensey Namioka, Kees Dekiefte (Illustrator). Reading level: 9-12 Paperback - 144 pages Reprint edition (February 1994) Yearling Books. Everyone in the Yang family is a talented musician except for nine-year-old Yingtao, the youngest Yang. Even after years of violin lessons from his father, Yingtao cannot make beautiful music.
Now that his family has moved from China to Seattle, Yingtao wants to learn English and make new friends at school. Still, he must make time to practice his violin for an important family recital to help his father get more students. Yingtao is afraid his screeching violin will ruin the recital. But he's even more afraid to tell his family that he has found something he likes better than music.Other age 9-12 by Lensey Namioka:
Japan/Japanese American
Journey Home by Yoshiko Uchida, Charles Robinson (Illustrator). Reading level: Ages 9-12. Paperback -131 pages Reprint edition (October 1992) Aladdin Paperbacks.
Other Books by Yoshiko Uchida:
The Journal of Ben Uchida : Citizen 13559 Mirror Lake Internment Camp by Barry Denenberg. Reading level: Ages 9-12. Hardcover - 157 pages 1 Ed edition (September 1999) Scholastic Paperbacks
Korea/Korean American
Tae's Sonata by Haemi Balgassi. Reading level: Ages 9-12. Hardcover - 122 pages Reprint edition (September 1997) Clarion Books. Review from Horn Book: " A typical teen romance (shy, sensitive girl gets handsome popular boy) is given added dimension--Tae's vivid memories of life in Korea provide an undercurrent of yearning and alienation in her efforts to adjust to life in middle America. Tae's realization that she has been living her new life the same way she plays the piano--correctly but without feeling--could have been more fully explored. ". Books by Balgassi added into the bibliography by Katherine Aguas-Aclan. Other books by Haemi Balgassi
If It Hadn't Been for Yoon Jun by Marie G. Lee. Paperback - 128 pages (June 1995) Avon. "Alice, Korean by birth but adopted as a baby, is a fully assimilated, typical teenager; she made the cheerleading squad and is gaining the attention of one of her school's cutest boys. Her pastor father, who frequently suggests that she take more interest in her background, asks her to meet and be kind to a new Korean boy. But Yoon Jun speaks little English and is pudgy ...". Other books by Marie G. Lee:
Year of Impossible Goodbyes by Sook Nyul Choi. Reading level: Ages 9-12. Paperback - 169 pages Reprint edition (February 1993) Yearling Books. From Kirkus Reviews: " A moving fictionalized account of Choi's last months as a child in Pyongyang under the brutal Japanese rule that oppressed Korea for more than 30 years before 1945, and her harrowing escape with her seven-year-old brother south across the 38th parallel. ". Other books by Sook Nyul Choi
Phillipines/Filipino American
Thai/Thai American
Breath of the Dragon by Gail Giles (Editor), June Otani (Illustrator), June Ctani. Reading level: Ages 9-12. Paperback (November 10, 1998) Bantam Books.
Asia for Younger Readers: Thailand by Jennifer Sharples. Paperback - 96 pages (February 1, 1997) Success Media Co Ltd. "This book presents interesting and unique information on Thai customs, history and rich culture. It provides an insight into the people, architecture and festivals, in a simple written style that can be easily understood. Discover Thailand and immerse yourself in the exotic nature and mysteries of the Kingdome of Thailand, the Land of Smiles. Full color, illustrated by pictures drawn by students. A great book for children (and adults) all around the world who want to get to know this exotic country, Thailand. Contents are well illustrated by pictures. "
The Clay Marble by Minfong Ho. From Kirkus reviews: "Drawing on her experience with a relief organization on the Thai border, Ho tells the story of a Cambodian family, fleeing the rival factions of the 80's while hoping to gather resources to return to farming in their homeland. Narrator Dara, 12, and the remnants of her family have arrived at a refugee camp.... Touching, authentic, carefully wrought..."
Young Adults
China/Chinese American
Japan/Japanese American
Korean/KoreanAmerican
YELL-Oh Girls! Emerging Voices Explore Culture, Identity, and Growing Up Asian American, by Vickie Nam (Editor). Paperback: 336 pages; (August 2001). In this collection of personal writings, young Asian American girls come together in dynamic conversations about the unique challenges they face in their lives. Promoted by a variety of pressing questions from editor Vickie Nam and culled from hundreds of submission from all over the country, these revelatory essays, poems, and stories tackle such complex issues as dual identities, culture clashes, family matters, body image, and the need to find one's voice.
The Lost Garden by Laurence Yep. Reading level: Young Adult Paperback. Reprint edition (September 1996) William Morrow & Co Paper.
Behind the Wheel: Poems About Driving by Janet S. Wong. Reading level: Ages Young Adult . School & Library Binding. Margaret McElderry (October 1999). Booklist review: "As in her previous poetry collections, Wong uses simple, personal free verse to explore the spaces between family and self, this time through distilled moments in the car and on the road. " Books by Wong added into the bibliography by Katherine Aguas-Aclan. . Other books by Janet S. Wong:
American Dragons : Twenty-Five Asian American Voices by Laurence Yep. Reading level: Young Adult Paperback Reprint edition (September 1995) HarperTrophy. 
American Eyes : New Asian-American Short Stories for Young Adults by Lori M. Carlson (Editor), Cynthia Kadohata (Introduction). Reading level: Young Adult. Mass Market Paperback Reprint edition (February 1996) Fawcett Books.
China/Chinese American
Red Scarf Girl : A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution by Ji-Li Jiang, David Henry Hwang. Reading level: Young Adult . Paperback - 285 pages (October 1998) HarperTrophy. "When China's Communist Party detained Ji-li's father, the 12-year-old was faced with the most difficult choice of her life. She could denounce her father and break with her family--or she could refuse to testify and sacrifice her future in her beloved Communist Party. " A "Publishers Weekly" Best Book of 1997.
About the Author Ji-Li Jiang was born in Shanghai, China, in 1954. She graduated from Shanghai Teachers' College and Shanghai University and was a science teacher before she came to the United States in 1984.
Chinese Cinderella : The True Story of an Unwanted Daughter by Adeline Yen Mah. Reading level: Young Adult. Hardcover (September 7, 1999) Delacorte Press.
Dragon's Gate by Laurence Yep, Wayne McLaughlin (Illustrator). Reading level: Young Adult. Paperback - 336 pages (May 1995) HarperTrophy. Other young adult books by Laurence Yep:
Ties That Bind, Ties That Break by Lensey Namioka. Reading level: Young Adult. Paperback - 160 pages Reprint edition (December 2000) Laureleaf. It's 1911, and China is slowly beginning to accept modern ideas--but the changes may not happen fast enough for young Ailin. Her grandmother has decided it's time she has her feet bound, to make her more attractive to a future husband. Luckily, Ailin's progressive father allows her to keep her feet unfettered, even though it means breaking off her prearranged marriage into a more traditional family. He also sends her to a public school to learn English. But by the time Ailin is in her teens, her father has died, leaving her less tolerant Big Uncle to be the head of the family. Powerfully told in flashback, Ties that Bind, Ties that Break is a thoughtful exploration of the ways culturalOther young adult books by Lensey Namioka:
Japan/Japanese American
Farewell to Manzanar: A True Story of Japanese Amerian Experience During and After the World War II Internment by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston, James D. Houston. Reading level: Young Adult. Paperback - 203 pages (April 1983) Bantam Starfire.
Korematsu V. United States : Japanese-America Internment Camps Karen Alonso. Reading level: Young Adult. Library Binding - 128 pages (April 1998) Enslow Publishers. "Part of the Landmark Supreme Court Cases series, this work examines the history of the Japanese American internments during World War II--causes, conditions, lasting effects--by focusing on one man and his legal case. Fred Korematsu, an American citizen, challenged the government's right to remove him from his home and imprison him as a potential threat to national security simply because he was Japanese American. The writing is clear and direct, and the book design is spacious, with lots of subheads and black-and-white photographs throughout. Students will be interested not so much in the closely detailed legal arguments of the defense and prosecution as in the historical background of what happened and why and the issues of compensation and apology."
Shizuko's Daughter by Kyoko Mori. Reading level: Young Adult. Mass Market Paperback Reissue edition (December 1995) Juniper. "A jewel of a book . . . a work of art" (The New York Times Book Review). A young Japanese girl must deal with the suicide of her mother--and the hostility of her father and stepmother. A New York Times Notable Book of the Year. A Publishers Weekly Editor's Choice Best Book of 1993.
Other books by Kyoko Mori:
My Brother, My Sister and I Yoko Kawashima Watkins. Reading level: Young Adult. Paperback Reprint edition (April 1996) Aladdin Paperbacks. Review from Kirkus: "A continuation of Far from the Bamboo Grove (1986), which described the author's harrowing escape from Korea at the end of WW II. It is 1947 and Yoko, now 13, is still hoping her father will return to Japan; her mother has died, a fact she must conceal from the school her older sister Ko and brother Hideyo insist she attend. The three are refugees in their own country...From its gripping first pages, where the hungry trio is plunged into danger, the immediacy and translucent simplicity of Watkins's narrative are compelling. The authentic portrayal of postwar Japan is fascinating; the lively reconstructed dialogue deftly reveals character, ". other books by Yoko Kawashima Watkins
Obasan by Joy Kogawa. Reading level: Young Adult. Paperback (January 1994) Anchor. From the Publisher: "Based on the author's own experiences, this award-winning novel was the first to tell the story of the evacuation, relocation, and dispersal of Canadian citizens of Japanese ancestry during the Second World War." "This quiet first novel burns in your hand. Rage mellows into sorrow; sorrow illumines love. It is the love you come away with, finally, in OBASAN." (Washington Post). Obasan by Kogawa added into the bibliography by Katherine Aguas-Aclan.
Korean/Korean American
Gathering of Pearls by Sook Nyul Choi. Reading level: Young Adult.. Hardcover - 163 pages (September 1994) Houghton Mifflin Co. From Ingram: "In the conclusion of the story that began with Year of Impossible Goodbyes and Echoes of the White Giraffe, Sookan, a young Korean girl, travels to the terrifying new world of New York City to attend college."
. Other books by Sook Nyul Choi
Saying Goodbye by Marie G. Lee. Reading level: Young Adult. Hardcover - 219 pages (April 1994) Houghton Mifflin Co. n this sequel to Finding My Voice, Ellen Sung arrives at Harvard for her freshman year. There she begins to explore her independence by taking a creative writing course in addition to her pre-med classes, finding a new boyfriend, a Korean-Amer-ican, and becoming close friends with her African-American roommate. ". Other books by Marie G. Lee:
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