As book publishers expand their lists of children's books, they are diversifying characters, settings, and storylines to reflect the real world. May spotlights Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage. This month helps raise awareness of our diverse population and is the perfect time for educators and families to review their library collections for inclusivity. A broad palette of cultures and humanity diversifies children's concept of similarity and difference. It also allows children to see both someone like themselves and someone unlike themselves in the pages of a book. Research shows that reading fiction, in particular, fosters “empathy, theory of mind, and critical thinking.” When reviewing titles in your children’s collections, try to balance fiction and nonfiction titles for the greatest benefits.

As always, before sharing a book with children, read through the text to ensure the content matches your children’s emotional and cognitive developmental level. Not every book will be right for every child. If you’re looking for additional book suggestions, ask the children’s librarian at your public library or check free online reviews with reputable publications like School Library Journal or Kirkus. In addition, use this guide to assess potential bias in a book.

Picture Books

• I Dream of Popo by Livia Blackburne, Illustrated by Julia Kuo
• I Am Golden by Eva Chen, Illustrated by Sophie Diao
• Nana, Nenek & Nina written and illustrated by Liza Ferneyhough
• American Desi by Jyoti Rajan Gopal, Illustrated by Supriya Kelkar
• Eyes That Speak to the Stars by Joanna Ho, Illustrated by Dung Ho
• Let’s Do Everything and Nothing written and illustrated by Julia Kuo
• Hundred Years of Happiness by Thanhhà Lai, Illustrated by Phung Nguyen Quang and Huynh Kim Lien
• The Blur by Minh Lê, Illustrated by Dan Santat
• Holding On by Sophia N. Lee, Illustrated by Isabel Roxas
• Mommy’s Home Town by Hope Lim, Illustrated by Jaime Kim
• Rosa’s Song by Helena Ku Rhee, Illustrated by Pascal Campion
• Punky Aloha written and illustrated by Shar Tuiasoa
• My Bindi by Gita Varadarajan, Illustrated by Archana Sreenivasan
• I Am Able to Shine by Korey Watari, Illustrated by Mike Wu
• Tofu Takes Time by Helen H. Wu, Illustrated by Julie Jarema
• From the Tops of the Trees by Kao Kalia Yang, Illustrated by Rachel Wada
• Amy Wu and the Warm Welcome by Kat Zhang, Illustrated by Charlene Chua

Elementary

• The Pearl Hunter by Miya T. Beck
• Troublemaker by John Cho and Sarah Suk
• We Are Here: 30 Inspiring Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Who Have Shaped the United States by Naomi Hirahara, Illustrated by Illi Ferandez
• Jennifer Chan Is Not Alone by Tae Keller
• She Persisted: Patsy Mink by Tae Keller
• Amina’s Song by Hena Khan
• When Clouds Touch Us by Thanhhà Lai
• She Persisted: Maya Lin by Grace Lin
• Finding Junie Kim by Ellen Oh
• Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park
• The Secret Battle of Evan Pao by Wendy Wan-Long Shang
• The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat
• Momo Arashima Steals the Sword of the Wind by Misa Sugiura
• Yes We Will: Asian Americans Who Shaped This Country by Kelly Yang
• New from Here by Kelly Yang
• Maizy Chen’s Last Chance by Lisa Yee

Teen

• Himawari House by Harmony Becker
• Yolk by Mary H.K. Choi
• Three Kisses, One Midnight by Roshani Chokshi, Evelyn Skye, and Sandhya Menon
• Throwback by Maurene Goo
• Strike the Zither by Joan He
• Meet Me in Mumbai by Sabina Khan
• In Limbo by Deb JJ Lee
• Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove by Rati Mehrotra
• The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh
• Made in Korea by Sarah Suk
• Well, That Was Unexpected by Jesse Q. Sutanto
• All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir
• The Lies We Tell by Katie Zhao

About the Author

V. Kulikow is a former Montessori teacher and youth services librarian. She currently works as a UX designer and enjoys content creation both with words and images. On weekends you can find her gardening, taking nature photos, and working on her garden design certification through the Native Plant Trust.

Interested in writing a guest post for our blog? Let us know!

The opinions expressed in Montessori Life are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the position of AMS.