Happy Tuesday, kidlit friends! I’m reeling a bit today from recent Tennessee legislation (where I live) allowing teachers to bring guns to school. Meanwhile, teachers don’t have the final say in books included in class libraries. How does it make sense?! (It does not, I know. It’s not supposed to.)
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Anyway, today I review four fantastic middle grade books to read for AAPI Heritage Month, plus two phenomenal new releases also by AAPI authors.
Bookish Goods
More Books Please Print by MeenalPatelStudio
I love this adorable print by the children’s book author and illustrator of Priya Dreams of Marigolds & Masala. $32+
New Releases
Pedro’s Yo-Yos by Rob Peñas, illustrated by Carl Angel
I’m always here for picture book biographies that introduce me to new, fascinating people. This one is about the man who popularized the yo-yo in America, Filipino immigrant Pedro Flores. Pedro was born on an island in the Philippines in 1896 when Spain ruled his country, though Spain sold the country to the United States when he was a child. After school, Pedro and his friends played with a curved disc like the contemporary yo-yo. At 15, he immigrated to the United States. He traveled on steamships, went back to school, and worked as a bellhop. When he made a yo-yo from his childhood to play with a boy he was staying with, he came up with an idea to find success in the United States. He opened a yo-yo factory, taught people yo-yo tricks, and became a successful businessman. Back matter includes more history of the Phillippines, the yo-yo, and of Pedro Flores.
Priya’s Kitchen Adventures: A Cookbook for Kids by Priya Krishna
Priya Krishna is the author of the adult cookbooks Indian-Ish and Cooking at Home. Her latest is a delightful children’s cookbook full of recipes from around the world and anecdotes from Krishna’s travels. She includes recipes from China, Greece, Peru, Mexico, Morocco, England, Italy, Japan, France, Egypt, Trinidad and Tobago, and India. Recipes include difficulty levels and photographs of the steps. Most of these recipes will require some adult oversight, depending on the child’s age. It’s a super fun cookbook to read and explore with kids.
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. There are so many excellent new children’s books by AAPI authors, many of which I’ve already reviewed in this newsletter. Here are four amazing middle grade books by AAPI authors I haven’t reviewed here yet. I’ll do another list of picture books later in May!
Made in Asian America: A History for Young People by Erika Lee & Christina Soontornvat
This is an amazing middle grade nonfiction adaptation of The Making of Asian America. Lee and Soontornvat cover a broad array of Asian American history. Much of it looks at the racism and civil rights struggles Asian Americans have experienced, starting with the 13th-century fascination with the “Orient,” and including the model minority myth and COVID-19 hate crimes. It’s an accessible and fascinating nonfiction.
Fighting to Belong! by Amy Chu & Alexander Chang, illustrated by Louie Chin
This slim graphic nonfiction is the first volume in a new series uncovering Asian American and Pacific Islander history. It follows four middle schoolers and a museum guide as they prepare for a school project about AAPI history by going to a history museum with a special AAPI exhibit. They learn about the arrival of the “Manilamen” in New Orleans, the Gold Rush in California, Chinese railroad workers, and more. The second and third volumes will be released later this year and early next year. Back matter includes a curriculum guide. It’s an excellent book to use in middle school classrooms or to read at home!
Exclusion and the Chinese American Story by Sarah-SoonLing Blackburn
This middle grade nonfiction focuses specifically on Chinese American experiences. It covers a broad array of experiences and gives mini-biographies, historical anecdotes, and discussions of larger major events. Blackburn begins in 499 CE, describes the Exclusion Act, delves into major laws, and more. She includes questions for further thinking. It’s a really great addition to this nonfiction series.
Monkey King and the World of Myths: The Monster and the Maze by Maple Lam
Now for something completely different! This is a super fun middle grade graphic novel that combines Chinese and Greek mythology. It stars the Monkey King — Sun Wukong — on his quest to become a god. After much mischief in the world of Beasts, Sun Wukong travels to the world of the Gods, where beasts aren’t allowed. After making a ruckus, God Venus says that Sun Wukong can earn his godship by working with the Gods. He agrees. The first stop is Crete, where a minotaur is causing some trouble. I’m hoping there will be more books in this series!
I mentioned recently how my daughter loves Kitten Ninja. She also loves Bad Kitty, and wrote and illustrated a book starring the both of them!
If you’d like to read more of my kidlit reviews, I’m on Instagram @BabyLibrarians, Twitter @AReaderlyMom, Bluesky @AReaderlyMom.bsky.social, and blog irregularly at Baby Librarians. You can also read my Book Riot posts. If you’d like to drop me a line, my email is kingsbury.margaret@gmail.com.
All the best,
Margaret Kingsbury