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As some of you may or may not know, this May is AAPI Heritage Month. To celebrate it, I wanted to make a short list of books written by AAPI authors or with AAPI characters in them. This includes poetries, comics, and graphic novels! Special thanks to @introvertedscarecrow @silver-war @aheartfullofquestions and @waywardpudding who gave me some of these recommendations! If there is anything incorrect or offensive, please let me know! Also, feel free to reblog this with your own recommendations. Remember to check trigger warning before purchasing a book!

May: Asian American Heritage Month: books to read

Titles that celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month 

A Thousand Beginnings and Endings by Ellen Oh (Editor), Elsie Chapman (Editor)

Star-crossed lovers, meddling immortals, feigned identities, battles of wits, and dire warnings. These are the stuff of fairy tale, myth, and folklore that have drawn us in for centuries. Fifteen bestselling and acclaimed authors reimagine the folklore and mythology of East and South Asia in short stories that are by turns enchanting, heartbreaking, romantic, and passionate. Compiled by We Need Diverse Books’s Ellen Oh and Elsie Chapman, the authors included in this exquisite collection are: Renee Ahdieh, Sona Charaipotra, Preeti Chhibber, Roshani Chokshi, Aliette de Bodard, Melissa de la Cruz, Julie Kagawa, Rahul Kanakia, Lori M. Lee, E. C. Myers, Cindy Pon, Aisha Saeed, Shveta Thakrar, and Alyssa Wong. A mountain loses her heart. Two sisters transform into birds to escape captivity. A young man learns the true meaning of sacrifice. A young woman takes up her mother’s mantle and leads the dead to their final resting place. From fantasy to science fiction to contemporary, from romance to tales of revenge, these stories will beguile readers from start to finish. For fans of Neil Gaiman’s Unnatural Creatures and Ameriie’s New York Times–bestselling Because You Love to Hate Me.

We Too Sing America: South Asian, Arab, Muslim, and Sikh Immigrants Shape Our Multiracial Future by Deepa Iyer

Many of us can recall the targeting of South Asian, Arab, Muslim, and Sikh people in the wake of 9/11. We may be less aware, however, of the ongoing racism directed against these groups in the past decade and a half. In We Too Sing America, nationally renowned activist Deepa Iyer catalogs recent racial flashpoints, from the 2012 massacre at the Sikh gurdwara in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, to the violent opposition to the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and to the Park 51 Community Center in Lower Manhattan. Iyer asks whether hate crimes should be considered domestic terrorism and explores the role of the state in perpetuating racism through detentions, national registration programs, police profiling, and constant surveillance. She looks at topics including Islamophobia in the Bible Belt; the “Bermuda Triangle” of anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim hysteria; and the energy of new reform movements, including those of “undocumented and unafraid” youth and Black Lives Matter. In a book that reframes the discussion of race in America, a brilliant young activist provides ideas from the front lines of post-9/11 America.

American Dragons: Twenty-five Asian American Voices by Laurence Yep, Kam Mak (Illustrator), Ann Tashi Slater

This collection of poems, stories and one short play includes works by Tibetan Americans, Vietnamese Americans, Korean Americans, Japanese Americans and Thai Americans–known and unknown, young and old–who write about growing up, fitting in, and relating to the older generation. A 1994 ALA Best Book for Young Adults.

Big Little Man: In Search of My Asian Self by Alex Tizon

The Constructed Lover: Correcting a person in our thoughts until they are more dream than reality and more illusion than human

2020 YA Reads By Authors of Color

10 Things I Hate About Pinky by Sandhya Menon - The follow-up to When Dimple Met Rishi and There’s Something about Sweetie, Pinky and Samir pretend to date—with disastrous and hilarious results.

145th Street: Short Stories by Walter Dean Myers - A salty, wrenchingly honest collection of stories set on one block of 145th Street.

A Map to the Sun by Sloane Leong -  A coming-of age-story about a struggling girls’ basketball team of a fictional neighborhood in the LA area. 

A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow - About the strength of black sisterhood set in Portland, OR, best friends Tavi and Effie discover their true supernatural identity when Effie starts being haunted by demons from her past, and Tavia accidentally lets out her magical siren voice during a police stop.

A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown - Inspired by West African folklore in which a grieving crown princess, Karina, and a desperate refugee, Malik, find themselves on a collision course to murder each other, despite their growing attraction.

All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson - Journalist and LGBTQ+ activist George shows readers how they can fight for themselves or be allies in the struggle for equity and equality.

A Breath Too Late by Rocky Callen - After 17-year-old Ellie dies by suicide, she looks back on the events of her life that led up to the moment, directly addressing the characters in her world—including her mother and the boy she loved—both animate and inanimate, interweaving past and present. 

All The Days Past, All the Days To Come by Mildred B. Taylor - The saga of the Logan family–made famous in the Newbery Medal-winning Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry–concludes in a long-awaited and deeply fulfilling story.

All The Things We Never Knew by Liara Tamani - After locking eyes on a Texas high school basketball court, black teens Carli and Rex discover how first love, heartbreak, betrayal, and family can shape you—for better or for worse. 

Almost American Girl by Robin Ha - A Korean-born, non-English-speaking girl, abruptly transplanted from Seoul to Alabama,  struggles with extreme culture shock and isolation, until she discovers her passion for comic arts.

And the Stars Were Burning Brightly by Danielle Jawando - A story of suicide, mental health, bullying, grief and growing up around social media, after 15-year-old Nathan discovers the horrifying truth about his brother’s suicide. 

Anna K: A Love Story by Jenny Lee - A  modern reimagining of Anna Karenina, set between Manhattan & Greenwich, CT, where a Korean American “It Girl” is caught between her picture-perfect, family-approved boyfriend and the guy who just might be her one true love, along her high-flying cast of friends. 

The Archer at Dawn (The Tiger at Midnight #2) by Swati Teerdhala - Set in an Indian & Hindu-inspired world, long-held secrets will force Kunal and Esha to reconsider their loyalties—to their country and to each other.

b, Book and Me by Sagwa Kim - A poignant coming of age story about two Korean high school girls, who equally despair over and desire adulthood. 

Banned Book Club by Hyun Sook Kim, Hyun Ju Ko & Ryan Estrada - Set against the backdrop of political oppression, bookish college student Hyun Sook finds her political views slowly challenged after she joins the Banned Book Club and befriends a group of student activists.

Before The Dawn (RWBY #2) by E.C. Myers - Unsure of whom they can trust, Teams CFVY and SSSN must contend with new teammates and uneasy rivalries, all while The Crown continues to plot their next move. 

Black Girl Unlimited by Echo Brown - Echo Brown is a wizard from the East Side, who transfers to the rich school on the West Side, and an insightful teacher becomes a pivotal mentor. But a black veil of depression soon threatens to undo everything she’s worked for.

The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta - A boy comes to terms with his identity as a mixed-race gay teen - then at university he finds his wings as a drag artist. 

The Black Kids by Christina Hammonds Reed - A coming-of-age debut exploring race, class, and violence through the eyes of wealthy black teen Ashley, whose family gets caught in the vortex of the 1992 Rodney King Riots.

Blazewrath Games by Amparo Ortiz - 17-year-old Lana Torres, who after rescuing a prized dragon, is awarded a spot on her native Puerto Rico’s Blazewrath World Cup team. But the return of the Sire, an ancient dragon, soon threatens to compromise this year’s tournament.

The Blossom and the Firefly by Sherri L. Smith -  Set in Japan during eight days in 1945, two teens, former student Hana and violin virtuoso-turned-kamikaze-pilot Taro, find their lives intertwined in the midst of war.  

Breath Like Water by Anna Jarzab - When swimmer Susannah Ramos finds her sports dreams put in jeopardy, she struggles to keep her career afloat, before two important people enter her life: a new coach with a revolutionary training strategy, and a charming fellow swimmer named Harry Matthews. 

Broken Wish: The Mirror by Julie C. Dao - As 16-year-old Elva taps into her powers for the first time, she discovers a magical mirror and its owner—none other than the Witch of the North Woods herself. As Elva learns more about her burgeoning magic, the lines between hero and villain start to blur. 

Brown Girl Ghosted by Mintie Das - When the queen bee of the school ends up dead following a leaked sex tape, Violet Choudry’s spirit world friends decide it’s the perfect time for Violet to accept the legacy of spiritual fighters from whom she’s descended. Her mission? Find the killer. Or else she’s next.

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas - Latinx trans teen Yadriel, hoping to release his cousin’s spirit and prove himself as a brujo, accidentally summons the wrong ghost and resident bad boy Julian Diaz, falling in love with him.

Check Please!: Sticks & Scones by Ngozi Ukazu - Bitty and Jack must navigate their new, secret, long-distance relationship, and decide how to reveal their relationship to friends and teammates. And on top of that, Bitty’s time at Samwell is quickly coming to an end. 

Cinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayron - 16-year-old Sophia would much rather marry Erin, her childhood best friend, than parade in front of suitors. At the ball, Sophia flees, hiding in Cinderella’s mausoleum. There, she meets Constance, the last known descendant of Cinderella and her step sisters. Together they vow to bring down the king once and for all.

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo -  Separated by distance and Papi’s secrets, sisters Caminos and Yahaira Rios, are forced to face a new reality in which their father is dead and their lives are forever altered.

The Court of Miracles by Kester Grant -  In 1828, Paris, talented cat burglar  Eponine Thénardier goes head-to-head with the nobility as well as the leaders of Paris’s criminal underground, during her quest to save her sister Cosette’s life, which will take her from the city’s dark underbelly to the glittering court of Louis XVII, following the dangerous days after a failed French Revolution. 

badass protagonists 

My current favourites from r/trippingthroughtime.

Bonus:

2020 YA Reads By Authors of Color

10 Things I Hate About Pinky by Sandhya Menon - The follow-up to When Dimple Met Rishi and There’s Something about Sweetie, Pinky and Samir pretend to date—with disastrous and hilarious results.

145th Street: Short Stories by Walter Dean Myers - A salty, wrenchingly honest collection of stories set on one block of 145th Street.

A Map to the Sun by Sloane Leong -  A coming-of age-story about a struggling girls’ basketball team of a fictional neighborhood in the LA area. 

A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow - About the strength of black sisterhood set in Portland, OR, best friends Tavi and Effie discover their true supernatural identity when Effie starts being haunted by demons from her past, and Tavia accidentally lets out her magical siren voice during a police stop.

A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown - Inspired by West African folklore in which a grieving crown princess, Karina, and a desperate refugee, Malik, find themselves on a collision course to murder each other, despite their growing attraction.

All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson - Journalist and LGBTQ+ activist George shows readers how they can fight for themselves or be allies in the struggle for equity and equality.

A Breath Too Late by Rocky Callen - After 17-year-old Ellie dies by suicide, she looks back on the events of her life that led up to the moment, directly addressing the characters in her world—including her mother and the boy she loved—both animate and inanimate, interweaving past and present. 

All The Days Past, All the Days To Come by Mildred B. Taylor - The saga of the Logan family–made famous in the Newbery Medal-winning Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry–concludes in a long-awaited and deeply fulfilling story.

All The Things We Never Knew by Liara Tamani - After locking eyes on a Texas high school basketball court, black teens Carli and Rex discover how first love, heartbreak, betrayal, and family can shape you—for better or for worse. 

Almost American Girl by Robin Ha - A Korean-born, non-English-speaking girl, abruptly transplanted from Seoul to Alabama,  struggles with extreme culture shock and isolation, until she discovers her passion for comic arts.

And the Stars Were Burning Brightly by Danielle Jawando - A story of suicide, mental health, bullying, grief and growing up around social media, after 15-year-old Nathan discovers the horrifying truth about his brother’s suicide. 

Anna K: A Love Story by Jenny Lee - A  modern reimagining of Anna Karenina, set between Manhattan & Greenwich, CT, where a Korean American “It Girl” is caught between her picture-perfect, family-approved boyfriend and the guy who just might be her one true love, along her high-flying cast of friends. 

The Archer at Dawn (The Tiger at Midnight #2) by Swati Teerdhala - Set in an Indian & Hindu-inspired world, long-held secrets will force Kunal and Esha to reconsider their loyalties—to their country and to each other.

b, Book and Me by Sagwa Kim - A poignant coming of age story about two Korean high school girls, who equally despair over and desire adulthood. 

Banned Book Club by Hyun Sook Kim, Hyun Ju Ko & Ryan Estrada - Set against the backdrop of political oppression, bookish college student Hyun Sook finds her political views slowly challenged after she joins the Banned Book Club and befriends a group of student activists.

Before The Dawn (RWBY #2) by E.C. Myers - Unsure of whom they can trust, Teams CFVY and SSSN must contend with new teammates and uneasy rivalries, all while The Crown continues to plot their next move. 

The Betrothed by Keira Cass - Lady Hollis Brite realizes that falling in love with a king and being crowned queen may not be the happily ever after she thought it would be, after she crosses paths with a commoner who challenges her future. 

Black Girl Unlimited by Echo Brown - Echo Brown is a wizard from the East Side, who transfers to the rich school on the West Side, and an insightful teacher becomes a pivotal mentor. But a black veil of depression soon threatens to undo everything she’s worked for.

The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta - A boy comes to terms with his identity as a mixed-race gay teen - then at university he finds his wings as a drag artist. 

The Black Kids by Christina Hammonds Reed - A coming-of-age debut exploring race, class, and violence through the eyes of wealthy black teen Ashley, whose family gets caught in the vortex of the 1992 Rodney King Riots.

Blazewrath Games by Amparo Ortiz - 17-year-old Lana Torres, who after rescuing a prized dragon, is awarded a spot on her native Puerto Rico’s Blazewrath World Cup team. But the return of the Sire, an ancient dragon, soon threatens to compromise this year’s tournament.

The Blossom and the Firefly by Sherri L. Smith -  Set in Japan during eight days in 1945, two teens, former student Hana and violin virtuoso-turned-kamikaze-pilot Taro, find their lives intertwined in the midst of war.  

Breath Like Water by Anna Jarzab - When swimmer Susannah Ramos finds her sports dreams put in jeopardy, she struggles to keep her career afloat, before two important people enter her life: a new coach with a revolutionary training strategy, and a charming fellow swimmer named Harry Matthews. 

Broken Wish: The Mirror by Julie C. Dao - As 16-year-old Elva taps into her powers for the first time, she discovers a magical mirror and its owner—none other than the Witch of the North Woods herself. As Elva learns more about her burgeoning magic, the lines between hero and villain start to blur. 

Brown Girl Ghosted by Mintie Das - When the queen bee of the school ends up dead following a leaked sex tape, Violet Choudry’s spirit world friends decide it’s the perfect time for Violet to accept the legacy of spiritual fighters from whom she’s descended. Her mission? Find the killer. Or else she’s next.

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas - Latinx trans teen Yadriel, hoping to release his cousin’s spirit and prove himself as a brujo, accidentally summons the wrong ghost and resident bad boy Julian Diaz, falling in love with him.

Check Please!: Sticks & Scones by Ngozi Ukazu - Bitty and Jack must navigate their new, secret, long-distance relationship, and decide how to reveal their relationship to friends and teammates. And on top of that, Bitty’s time at Samwell is quickly coming to an end. 

Cinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayron - 16-year-old Sophia would much rather marry Erin, her childhood best friend, than parade in front of suitors. At the ball, Sophia flees, hiding in Cinderella’s mausoleum. There, she meets Constance, the last known descendant of Cinderella and her step sisters. Together they vow to bring down the king once and for all.

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo -  Separated by distance and Papi’s secrets, sisters Caminos and Yahaira Rios, are forced to face a new reality in which their father is dead and their lives are forever altered.

The Court of Miracles by Kester Grant -  In 1828, Paris, talented cat burglar  Eponine Thénardier goes head-to-head with the nobility as well as the leaders of Paris’s criminal underground, during her quest to save her sister Cosette’s life, which will take her from the city’s dark underbelly to the glittering court of Louis XVII, following the dangerous days after a failed French Revolution. 

Peace teaches her son, Love, at home

because the teachers at the nearest school

were killed in a gunfire,

and all the students dived into

the graves of their favourite masters;

Love doesn’t know how to swim.

.

Peace doesn’t know what

Arms are doing in her home.

She never invited these aggressive guests,

and now they are adamant to stay.

.

Love is scared.

He walks to the grocery store shivering,

to buy some snacks for the Arms,

to calm them down, and is pelted with stones.

His bruises bleed blue and blood

has run out in the nearest blood bank.

.

Arms go out for a walk every night,

and Peace takes this time to teach Love:

.

Alphabet: Q holds a garland of green chillies in his hand

and asks U to take leave.

U leaves Q on 29th February, a Qayamat follows.

U finds him dead when he comes back

after four years of loving V.

.

Astronomy: A ray has been travelling

for 8 minutes 20 seconds to reach

Sun’s beloved. But she died 10 seconds ago

because Earth broke her heart.

.

Art: William doesn’t want to be called another-Shakespeare

but his poet friends think he’s too good.

Mona worships Mona Lisa, and writes

a letter to Kafka asking for a list

of ingredients to make an anti-traumatic potion.

Then coughs up blood, and laughs

at the crimson painting upon the floor.

.

Numbers: Zero‘s arms are tired of holding

the number line in place. Tonight,

she is going to dissolve the border.

.

Consent: Yes waits for No to nod his head

before taking any decision. But No

is sometimes silent. Yes says

she needs to have his consent,

and waits some more.

.

Love stays silent, and watches Arms

kill his mother on a Sunday morning.