Books by Asian Authors

Hello! Here is the second post in my diversity list series. Books with Asian authors! If I missed one of your favorites, feel free to put it in the comments. A lot of these are some of my favorite books.

HISTORICAL FICTION

Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park 

Hanna is the only Asian in her new Dakota pioneer town, where most people have never even seen an Asian before. But this town offers Hanna new hope, after moving from place to place with her white father since her Chinese-Korean mother's death. Maybe she can go to school for once--and later, open a dress shop, which has always been her dream since her mother taught her to sew. But the people in LaForge don't know how to act around Hanna, distrust her, or are downright cruel to her. Will Hanna be able to follow her dreams while being an outcast?

A fascinating and well-written book by Newbery medalist Linda Sue Park, Prairie Lotus goes into a perspective that I never even thought of before. A fresh and timely pioneer book.

The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani

Nisha's home in India suddenly isn't India anymore--it's Pakistan. Nisha, a half-Hindu, half-Muslim, and her family must flee their home in the violence that comes to life after the 1947 partition of India. As her family travels on foot on a long, difficult journey, Nisha keeps a diary documenting her long walk from Pakistan to India. 

A Newbery Honor winning book, The Night Diary is a great read about a tragic historical event that not many Americans are aware of.

Journey to Topaz by Yoshiko Uchida

Yuki's peaceful life is ripped apart when Pearl Harbor is bombed. Her family is uprooted from their home and taken to a temporary internment camp where they have to live in horse stalls and eat in mess halls. Their journey takes them to Topaz, a harsh desert camp in Utah, where Yuki's family is imprisoned for being Japanese American. Will Yuki ever get her old life back?

Journey to Topaz is a great look at the WWII Japanese concentration camps, and a good book for discussion.

REALISTIC FICTION

More to the Story by Hena Khan

Jameela Mirza, an aspiring journalist, loves her quirky and warm Pakistani-American family. Maryam, her fashionable elder sister; Bisma, her gentle favorite, Aleeza, the silly youngest, and Mama and Baba. Jam and her family are devastated when Baba's job takes him oversees to the Middle East. How can they live without him for six months? Ali, a family friend's nephew who has recently moved to Georgia from Great Britain, proves a welcome distraction for the sisters. But when Bisma gets sick, the family's peace is shattered. Can Jam's reporting skills save the day?

A great modern interpretation of Louisa May Alcott's Little Women. I have read More to the Story about five times and never get tired of it! Readers will instantly become a part of the Mirza family.

Stand Up, Yumi Chung! by Jessica Kim

Why can't anyone see that Yumi, a shy Korean-American girl, is destined to become a stand up comedian? Yumi loves watching YouTube videos of her favorite comedians and practicing in her room, but her parents, owners of a struggling Korean restaurant, disapprove of her comedy, thinking that she should be devoting her time to something more serious. So instead of her dream comedy summer camp, they send her to an academic prep camp to help her get into a private school she does not want to go to. Why can't she do both--please her parents and be who she wants? Suddenly Yumi's in comedy camp, not knowing exactly how she got there...and with everyone thinking that she's Kay Nakamura, another girl who never showed up to camp. As if Yumi's life weren't complicated enough, her parents' restaurant starts to go down, and her family has to fight to keep it open.

A hilarious and heartwarming realistic fiction debut! You can read my other post about this book here.

Blackbird Fly by Erin Entrada Kelly

Apple just wants to be a normal kid. But that's impossible in her mostly-white school, where she stands out for being one of the only Filipinos. On top of this, Apple's mother refuses to let her pursue her love of music, because it brings back so many sad memories from the death of Apple's father before she moved to the states as a baby. But armed with a borrowed guitar and a few friends, both of whom are outsiders like herself, Apple might be able to overcome her obstacles and be who she truly is.

A great book about music and accepting yourself by Erin Entrada Kelly! 

FANTASY

When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller

Lily's family's move to live with her sick halmoni (grandmother) comes with some unexpected surprises. Halmoni's Korean stories about a tiger have come to life, and suddenly a talking tiger is demanding that Lily return what her grandmother stole many years ago. In exchange, the tiger will make halmoni healthy again. But deals with tigers are never black and white, and Lily has to make up her mind about who to trust. 

The 2021 Newbery winner is a great mix of fantasy and realistic fiction, with plenty of Korean stories thrown into the mix. Lily is an excellent protagonist with a relatable voice.

A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat

Pong's life has always been surrounded by fences, until he escapes from the Chattana prison he was born in and makes his way to a small town where he is adopted by a monk. Years pass before Pong's past is dredged up, and he must run for his freedom as Nok, the prison warden's daughter, discovers his hiding place and makes it her mission to track him down and restore her family's honor.
    Pong has always dreams of living in Chattana, where fire is gone and all light is created by the tight-fisted Governor. But he never thought he would have to hide from the law, and he never thought that Chattana's canals and streets would be even more unfair than the prison where he grew up. As Nok follows Pong through the city, her eyes too are opened up to injustices and sadnesses that the Governor has tried hard to keep secret.

This Thai-inspired twist on Les Misérablesis a page turner, with unexpected humor, a fascinating setting, and a heartrending plot. A Newbery Honor book.

Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee

Bored by life on her dusty and run down planet, Jinju, Min longs to escape and follow her brother, Jun, into space. One day, however, a man pays a visit to Min's secretly-fox-magic family, informing them that Jun has deserted his Space Force ship and has gone in search of the legendary Dragon Pearl. Min's chance has come. After procuring a ship with some difficulty, Min sets off to clear her brother's name and bring him home. Her journey leads her to use fox magic to impersonate a cadet, escape her aunt's shifty casino, and battle space pirates. Will Min find Jun, or will her journey lead her farther from him than ever before?

A seamless blend of Korean mythology and science fiction, Dragon Pearl will leave you trembling and yearning for more of Min's story.

Images from Amazon.com