List

Celebrate Asian American and Pacific Island Heritage (Kindergarten-Grade 2)

By Skokie Staff Youth Services

Great stories by and about our Asian American and Pacific Islander community.

  • Laxmi's Mooch

    2021 by Anand, Shelly

    After Laxmi's friend Zoe points out the hairs on her lip, Laxmi is very self-conscious until her East Indian parents help her to accept and celebrate her appearance.

    Get this item
  • The Ocean Calls: A Haenyeo Mermaid Story

    2020 by Cho, Tina M.

    Wanting to follow in the footsteps of her free-diving Haenyeo grandmother, a young Korean girl dutifully consumes her grandmother's strength-building abalone porridge and practices her breath control before suiting up and overcoming fears to make remarkable discoveries.

    Get this item
  • Jasmine Toguchi, Mochi Queen

    2017 by Florence, Debbi Michiko

    Eager to do something her big sister has not done first, eight-year-old Jasmine Toguchi decides to pound mochi with the men and boys when her family gets together for New Year's.

    Get this item
  • Ho'onani: Hula Warrior

    2019 by Gale, Heather

    An empowering celebration of identity, acceptance, and Hawaiian culture based on the true story of a young girl in Hawaii who dreams of leading the boys-only hula troupe at her school.

    Get this item
  • Meet Yasmin

    2019 by Faruqi, Saadia

    Pakistani American second-grader Yasmin learns to cope with the small problems of school and home, while gaining confidence in her own skills and creative abilities.

    Get this item
  • Juna's Jar

    2015 by Bahk, Jane

    Juna and her best friend, Hector, love to go on adventures in the park, collecting things to put in Juna’s empty kimchi jars. But then one day Hector unexpectedly moves away, and Juna is left wondering who will play with her. With the help of her special jar, Juna searches for her friend the world over. What Juna finds is that adventure—and new friends—can be found in the most unexpected places.

    Get this item
  • Drawn Together

    2018 by Lê, Minh

    A boy and his grandfather cross a language and cultural barrier using their shared love of art, storytelling, and fantasy.

    Get this item
  • Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things

    2008 by Look, Lenore

    A young boy who loves superheroes and comes from a long line of brave Chinese farmer-warriors wants to make friends, but first he must overcome his fear of...everything.

    Get this item
  • A Different Pond

    2017 by Phi, Bao

    As a young boy, Bao Phi awoke early, hours before his father's long workday began, to fish on the shores of a small pond in Minneapolis. Unlike many other anglers, Bao and his father fished for food, not recreation. Between hope-filled casts, Bao's father tells him about a different pond in their homeland of Vietnam.

    Get this item
  • How to Solve a Problem: The Rise (and Falls) of a Rock-Climbing Champion

    2020 by Shiraishi, Ashima

    Reflections on the rise and falls (and mistakes) of champion rock-climber Ashima Shiraishi, in her own words.

    Get this item
  • Suki's Kimono

    2003 by Uegaki, Chieri

    First-grader Suki prefers facing scorn from her classmates to giving up wearing her beloved kimono, a gift from her grandmother.

    Get this item
  • Hot, Hot Roti for Dada-ji

    2011 by Zia, F.

    Aneel and his grandfather, Dada-ji, tell stories, use their imaginations, and make delicious roti, a traditional Indian flatbread.

    Get this item