Asian American Award for Literature—Picture Book

Many Things at Once by Veera Hiranandani. illus. by Nadia Alam. Random House Studio. Jan. 2025. 40p. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9780593643907.
K-Gr 1–The unnamed American narrator has a Jewish mother and a Hindu father. Her parents tell her the stories of her grandparents who survived persecution in Poland and Partition in India. While she loves both of her backgrounds, sometimes she feels that she is neither Jewish enough nor Hindu enough. However, as she observes the other interracial and interfaith families around her, she comes to embrace her unique heritage.-Reviewed by Amy Lilien-Harper

Asian American Award for Literature—Picture Book Honor

Every Peach Is a Story by David Mas Masumoto & Nikiko Masumoto. illus. by Lauren Tamaki. Abrams. Mar. 2025. 40p. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9781949480290.
K-Gr 4–A young girl named Midori asks her grandfather, or Jichan, if a peach is ripe, and what unfolds an extended metaphor about family, history, and agriculture. Midori learns not only patience, but also where she belongs in her community. When Jichan dies, she applies the lessons he taught her and grasps that her own life, too, is part of a larger story. Strong themes of family and reverence for the earth are prevalent throughout. The tale touches briefly upon the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. It emphasizes the importance of being patient, yet also persistent and focused. The artwork blends focal points with backgrounds, memories, and emotions, resulting in an exciting interplay throughout the text. The sometimes transparent characters are colored and enlivened by the objects and settings that shine through them. The peaches and peach trees are gorgeous. An author’s note covers the experience of Japanese Americans in more detail, tracing the origins and effects of anti-Asian racism in the U.S. Again, the emphasis is on the power of family, patience, and agriculture to overcome and survive hardship. VERDICT A strong celebration of the Japanese American experience, this story will appeal to children who value family relationships and could be used in classroom units covering agricultural lifestyles across various cultures.-Reviewed by Benjamin Ludwig 

A Vaisakhi to Remember by Simran Jeet Singh. illus. by Japneet Kaur. Penguin/Kokila. Mar. 2025. 40p. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9780593859087.
Gr 1-3–A girl describes the Vaisakhi celebration of her home, from the sights and sounds to the tastes and memories filled with loved ones. When the girl moves, she is upset, but her parents show her how even if things change, traditions and celebrations can carry on. Singh has created an excellent story showcasing holiday not often represented in picture books. The text is easy to see and read, bringing life to the Vaisakhi festival; while there is a good amount of Punjabi vocabulary used to tell the story, the meaning of the words can be identified through context clues, and even if not fully understood, do not detract from the overall message. Kaur’s gorgeous illustrations also bring the holiday to life and help provide a window into Vaisakhi, as well as some more context for Punjabi words. Readers will find themselves discovering something new every time they read. Singh and Kaur have created a wonderful story that shares how traditions and celebrations are portable, no matter where we are. VERDICT An excellent window into Sikh culture and a great lesson on how traditions can carry on even if you move.-Reviewed by Margaret Kennelly

Pasifika Award for Literature—Picture Book

 Kaho‘olawe: The True Story of an Island and Her People by Kamalani Hurley. illus. by Harinani Orme. Lerner/Millbrook. Feb. 2025. 32p. Tr $19.99. ISBN 9798765605011.
Gr 2-3–There is a big story about a little island in the Pacific named Kaho‘olawe: it grew from volcanoes and turned into something like a paradise. More than a thousand years ago, Polynesian voyagers left their homes for the abundance of Kaho‘olawe, to live and worship there. More recently, the events of World War II, beginning with the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, would change the island for decades. The U.S. military used Kaho‘olawe as target practice for years. The island has since been war-torn, military-torn, and polluted, while vermin that arrived on ships have eaten the eggs of creatures indigenous to Kaho‘olawe. Now Kaho‘olawe is slowly recovering, due to the activism and industry of the Indigenous people who still live there. Hurley’s text about Kaho‘olawe is poetic, while the illustrations are like mighty murals depicting the history of the island, with a palette that glows in color and recedes as the years unfold. As a natural history, as a story of endurance, as a newer perspective on the war in the Pacific, this book works for group sharing as well as in the classroom. Back matter includes a time line, resources, notes from the author and illustrator, and a glossary. VERDICT As one of the few stories of Indigenous life that in the full sweep of history has a positive outcome, this standout title deserves a place on every shelf.-Reviewed by Kimberly Olson Fakih 
 

Pasifika Award for Literature—Picture Book Honor

Filo’s Butterflies by Litea Fuata. illus. by Myo Yim. Hardie Grant. Apr. 2025. 24p. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9781761214974.

White Sunday by Litea Fuata. illus. by Myo Yim. Hardie Grant. 32p. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9781760509873.

Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature—Children's Literature

 Hungry Bones by Louise Hung. Scholastic. Oct. 2024. 336p. Tr $19.99. ISBN 9781338832587.
Gr 5 Up–Thirteen-year-old Molly Teng is fuming when her mother suddenly moves her from Maine to Texas. But Molly’s mom Dot can’t settle down and is thrilled to explore their new town. Immediately, Molly knows something is off in the house they’re renting when she touches a doorknob and experiences “the zaps,” a brief but frightening Sixth Sense–style encounter she has experienced her entire life, wherein she communicates with the dead. Jade, a young ghost who has inhabited the house for 120 years with sparse interactions with the living, is delighted to have company who not only can see her but looks like her. Jade is a hungry ghost, eating scraps of food to satiate her inner monster—a take on the traditional Buddhist hungry ghost whose hunger has an emotional drive. This novel is taut and heart-rending, touching on a loving but complex mother-daughter relationship, family estrangement, and Jade’s precarious balance between innocent ghost and ravenous monster. Hung’s prose is humorous yet handles its themes seriously and sensitively, particularly the historic and present treatment of Chinese people in the United States. The scare level is on par with most middle grade horror and draws from the inextricable tie Jade’s ghost has to the trauma she and her predecessors experienced. This would be a great recommendation for those who enjoyed Ellen Oh’s Spirit Hunters or Katherine Arden’s “Small Spaces” series. VERDICT A terrific book that uses horror to discuss the importance of family, remembrance, and the matrix of support needed to thrive in this world and beyond.-Reviewed by Sarah Maciejewski 

Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature—Children's Literature Honor

The Queen Bees of Tybee County by Kyle Casey Chu. HarperCollins/Quill Tree Books. Apr. 2025. 320p. Tr $19.99. ISBN 9780063326958.
Gr 6 Up–It’s the “Summer of Yes” for seventh grade Chinese American Derrick Chan. As a strong basketball point guard with a best friend in fellow player JJ and basketball camp on the horizon for summer, everything seems to be aligning for Derrick. Unfortunately, Dad can’t swing the tuition, and the trajectory of Derrick’s summer takes a drastic turn. Sent to spend the summer with estranged Grandma Claudia in small town Heritage, GA, he’s certain that summer will be dull. But then Derrick meets Ro and Giles, two friends with whom he feels like he can really be himself, even painting his toenails and enjoying make up. Grandma Claudia’s organization of the town’s pageant allows Derrick to sub in for some of the absent dancers and explore some of the beautiful dresses Claudia creates for the girls. Throughout the summer, Derrick learns more about his mom, prior to her death from breast cancer, and what it means to be a drag queen. Characters are well developed, and readers will find the relationship challenges teens often face to be relatable. Learning the importance of true friendship and risking it all to be true to oneself are major themes of this engaging novel. VERDICT An important book for middle school shelves, and for any reader seeking a positive role model demonstrating courage and strength in the face of challenging situations—even when it’s family who might pose the biggest obstacle.-Reviewed by Tracy Cronce 

 Fresh Start by Gale Galligan. illus. by author. published by Scholastic/Graphix. Jan. 2025. 288p. Tr $24.99. ISBN 9781338045864.
Gr 3-8–Seventh grader Ollie is used to starting over thanks to her diplomat father’s job—she’s always moving to a new school, or a new country. But when her Thai mother and white American father decide to settle permanently in Chestnut Falls, VA, Ollie faces higher stakes. She can’t just ignore what people think anymore, as she has to face the reality of staying put. Determined not to hide her love for manga or pretend play just to fit in, Ollie discovers a group of students who share her interests. Now she must navigate the challenge of building and maintaining lasting friendships. Galligan’s characters are vivid and relatable. Ollie’s younger sister Cat becomes obsessed with popularity, disappointing her parents and making her the perfect foil to Ollie’s more independent nature. Their mother works hard to connect her daughters to their Thai heritage, even when it means making Ollie wear traditionally feminine clothes that don’t feel right. Meanwhile, Ollie’s friend Nina struggles with her Thai identity, as others assume she’s white. This graphic novel beautifully tackles complex friendships, sibling dynamics, racial identity, and gender expression. The manga-inspired art is filled with exaggerated expressions, adding humor and energy to the story. VERDICT This graphic novel about friendship and identity is a must-have for libraries serving elementary and middle school readers.-Reviewed by Amy Ribakove

Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature—Young Adult

The Red Car to Hollywood by Jennie Liu. Lerner/Carolrhoda Lab. Mar. 2025. 256p. Tr $19.99. ISBN 9781728493213.
Gr 9 Up–The historical background of this book draws on early days of Chinese people in America when the Immigration Act of 1924 established quotas to limit immigration from China. Yet the center of this book is an American-born Chinese teen who tries to escape her parents’ arranged marriage plan and build a life she wants. It’s the spring of 1924 when Ruby’s father becomes the proprietor of an antique store and moves the family from San Francisco to Los Angeles’s Chinatown. Ruby, 16, attends Polytech, a mostly white school where she secretly develops a relationship with a white boy, Russell Blythe. The relationship would not be acceptable to her very traditional Chinese parents and the Los Angeles Chinatown community. Her parents hire a matchmaker to look for a husband to prevent her from bringing shame to the family. Not ready to accept an arranged marriage, Ruby seeks independence by working at a department store while her father travels to China for business with the added intention of finding a Chinese husband for Ruby. Meanwhile, Ruby meets 19-year-old Anna May Wong, a rising Hollywood actor. The girls quickly establish a friendship; Ruby also develops a relationship with Anna’s brother, James. In addition to young love, friendships, and relationships, this book also discusses racism and sexism and ways to find self-identity that meets pride of culture. VERDICT Recommended for collection gaps about the racism that Chinese Americans faced back in 1920s, and the different perspectives and approaches to assimilation between the first- and second-generation immigrants.-Reviewed by Anna Ching-Yu Wong 

Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature—Young Adult Honor

Tall Water by SJ Sindu. illus. by Dion MBD. HarperAlley. Aug. 2025. 256p. Tr $26.99. ISBN 9780063090163.
Gr 9 Up–Nimmi, 16, is navigating uncertainty about her future, beyond the usual teenage questions of college and career. Born in Sri Lanka and identifying as Tamil, Nimmi holds dual American and Sri Lankan citizenship, but lives in South Dakota with her journalist father. Nimmi feels isolated in Sioux City, where her cultural identity is poorly understood, and they have had little contact with her estranged mother, who runs a UNICEF orphanage in Sri Lanka. When her father is sent to report from war-torn Sri Lanka, Nimmi secretly follows him, determined to reconnect with her mother after years of separation. There, she reunites with her mother, bonds with the orphans in her care, and begins to explore her sexuality. Sindu’s narrative follows Nimmi as she is confronted with extraordinary challenges, including surviving a tsunami (based on the real 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami), that far exceed the experiences of most American teens. Expressive illustrations vividly portray both the chaos of military rule and the emotional complexity of Nimmi’s journey. Dream sequence panels further enhance the story, blurring the line between hope and reality, and deepening readers' empathy. The novel ends on a realistic yet hopeful note for Nimmi’s future. VERDICT A compelling, heartfelt story, and an excellent addition to most YA graphic novel collections.-Reviewed by Kim Gardner