8 Picture Books To Celebrate AAPI Heritage Month

Amy Wu is one of my favorite characters. Her bright spirit and willingness to try take readers on so many adventures. In this story, Amy is excited to befriend a new student from China, but has a hard time connecting. When she sees him happily chatting with his family in Chinese, she realizes how she can truly make him feel welcome. This is sure to become a favorite in your home, classroom, or library.

Patience, family time, and appreciating the bigger picture are all celebrated in this story about the process of making tofu. Lin struggles to understand why making tofu takes so long, but as her grandmother, NaiNai, walks her through the process, she sees why! As they go through the steps, recognizing how each simple ingredient went through many steps to arrive in their kitchen, Lin and NaiNai spend special time together, making their tofu taste twice as nice.

In this companion to Eyes That Kiss in the Corners, Ho brings us a story from the male perspective. When our protagonist is hurt by a drawing made by his classmate, he turns to his father for comfort. Through conversations with people he loves, the boy is able to revel in the fact that his eyes are like his brother’s, his dad’s, and his agong’s. He is able to celebrate how powerful he is, and be excited for the way he will continue his family’s legacy in both looks and actions. Absolutely gorgeous illustrations emphasize this powerful message.

Bao Phi is a poet, and the craft shines in this simple picture book about a boy and his father fishing in the predawn hours. Pursing fish for food rather than fun, the father shares stories about doing the same thing at a different pond in his native Vietnam. Thi Bui’s background in graphic novels brings this story to life with vivid, careful details and extremely fleshed out illustrations.

Watercress has won so many awards, and it’s easy to see why. Spare text and powerful illustrations tell a story of a young girl embarrassed by her immigrant parents and the way they forage for food and thrift for goods. Her parents are baffled that she doesn’t understand their good fortune to be able to get things they need. A story about miscommunication and perspective, there is so much to dive into beyond the loveliness of the book itself. This is sure to inspire multiple readings!

Returning characters from The Proudest Blue return in this story about school picture day. Faizah is so excited to wear the special red dress that both her mother and sister have worn before her. However, when it’s time for sibling pictures, she’s sad to realize that her and her sister, Asiya, don’t match like the other kids. Drawing on a conversation about kindness and creating the world you want to live in, Faizah’s friends help the sisters take the perfect picture!

This book is nearly wordless, but it matches the plot of the story so perfectly. A young boy is annoyed to be visiting his grandfather. They both speak different languages, and it seems to be useless to try and communicate. However, when a sketchbook and pencil emerge, they find that drawing together can connect them after all.

An amazing true story of perseverance, record breaking, and lifelong commitment to trying new things! After growing up in India with a disability, Fauja Singh immigrated to America. After living a full life, he began running when he was in his 80s! And after 20 years of commitment to his sport, he became the first person over 100 to run a marathon. Inspiring and just plain awesome! Detailed illustrations ground this almost unbelievable story.