Asian Pacific American Heritage Books for Kids
This list was created by Seattle Public Library Children's Services Librarians, in celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. (Updated April 2021)
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Shapes of Australia
From boulders to bee hives, from mountains to coral, Bronwyn Bancroft explores the shapes that form the Australian landscape. In Shapes of Australia we are introduced to ways of thinking about how shapes are represented in nature.
Format: Book
Availability: Available
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Ten Cents A Pound
A young girl is torn by her desire to stay home with her family and the familiarity of their village, and her desire to go to school and discover the world beyond the mountains that surround them. Every time the girl insists that she will stay, her mother repeats that she must go—that there is more to life than labor in the coffee fields. Their loving exchange reveals the struggles and sacrifices that they will both have to make for the sake of the young girl’s future. The sweet, simple text captures a mother’s love and her wish for a life of opportunity for her daughter.
Format: Book
Availability: Available
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Thank You, Miyuki
Miyuki's curiosity is piqued by her grandfather's morning meditation routine, and she is eager to learn this new skill. Her wise and patient grandfather first takes her on a walk in the garden. When do we start to meditate? she asks repeatedly. Grandfather enjoys the warm sun and stops to smell a rose, inviting Miyuki to join him. Their walk in the garden, filled with many tender moments, heightens their gratitude for each other and for the world around them. Miyuki comes to understand that in the small acts of mindfulness throughout her day, she learned how to meditate.
Format: Book
Availability: Available
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Tūtū Makes A Lei
Tutu Makes a Lei is an adorable story about a sweet old lady with a flourishing garden. She wakes up in the morning to make a special lei for her dear friend with the flowers and plants she has grown. Her bird friends descend from the sky to help Tutu make her lei. When its completed, the birds deliver the lei to Tutu’s friend to celebrate her birthday. Tutu Makes a Lei shows us that the best gifts are the ones that come from the heart. Even a beautifully simple lei can be a touching present and a wonderful way to express your Aloha. Children will love the easy-to-follow rhyming scheme and beautiful artwork with bright and vibrant colors.
Format: Book
Availability: Available
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The Two-hearted Numbat
Numbat has two hearts—one made of stone and one made of feather. His stone heart makes him strong and powerful, while his feather heart makes him soft and gentle. When having more than one heart becomes troublesome for him, Numbat feels he must choose which one to keep. After evaluating the pros and cons of each heart, Numbat discovers that the best option is to keep both hearts so that he will be both kind and strong.
Format: Book
Availability: Available
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Wandihnu and the Old Dugong
Wandihnu has lived her whole life in the city. One day her mother tells her that she is going on a holiday to visit her aka (grandmother) on Badu Island in the Torres Strait. It is time for Wandihnu to learn about her family who come from this faraway island off the north coast of Australia. That night, as Wandihnu slowly drifts off to sleep, she begins to dream about her journey, about her aka, and about a very special friend.
Format: Book
Availability: Available
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Welcome to Country
Welcome to the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri People. We are part of this land and the land is part of us. This is where we come from. Wominjeka Wurundjeri balluk yearmenn koondee bik. Welcome to Country.
Format: Book
Availability: Available
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When the Sea Turned to Silver
Pinmei's gentle, loving grandmother always has the most thrilling tales for her granddaughter and the other villagers. However, the peace is shattered one night when soldiers of the Emperor arrive and kidnap the storyteller. Everyone knows that the Emperor wants something called the Luminous Stone That Lights the Night. Determined to have her grandmother returned, Pinmei embarks on a journey to find the Luminous Stone alongside her friend Yishan, a mysterious boy who seems to have his own secrets to hide. Together, the two must face obstacles usually found only in legends to find the Luminous Stone and save Pinmei's grandmother--before it's too late. A fast-paced adventure that is extraordinarily written and beautifully illustrated, When the Sea Turned to Silver is a masterpiece companion novel to Where the Mountain Meets the Moon and Starry River of the Sky.
Format: Book
Availability: All copies in use
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When You Trap A Tiger
When Lily and her family move in with her sick grandmother, a magical tiger straight out of her halmoni's Korean folktales arrives, prompting Lily to unravel a secret family history. Long, long ago, Halmoni stole something from the tigers. Now, the tigers want it back. And when one of those tigers offers Lily a deal--return what Halmoni stole in exchange for Halmoni's health--Lily is tempted to accept. But deals with tigers are never what they seem! With the help of her sister and her new friend Ricky, Lily must find her voice... and the courage to face a tiger. TAE KELLER was born and raised in Honolulu, where she grew up on purple rice, Spam musubi, and her halmoni’s tiger stories. She is the Newbery Medal-winning author of When You Trap a Tiger. She lives in Seattle
Format: Book
Availability: Available
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