"Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month" by Cecilia Combs
Opening
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. It’s also known as Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month; AAPI Heritage Month or AANHPI Heritage month for short. The holiday was first observed in 1979 when President Jimmy Carter announced a week-long celebration beginning on May 4th. He picked that date because it coincided with two important historical events. On May 7th, 1843, the first Japanese immigrants arrived in the U.S, and on May 10, 1869, the transcontinental railroad was completed, which many Chinese Americans helped build. In 1990, President George Bush expanded the celebration into a month and picked May as the permanent month in 1992. President Barack Obama changed the name to “Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month” in 2009 (source).
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Art-emis has decided to celebrate this holiday by compiling a list of 25 books centered around Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander experiences. A lot of these books were found by looking at other lists, so if you still don’t find anything you’re interested in, check out the provided links! The list is also very biased by its author (me, Cecilia Combs), so I incorporated a lot of fiction and speculative fiction works. I did my best to include other genres, but if you’re a nonfiction fan, I recommend reading “35 Must-Read Books of Nonfiction by AAPI Authors” by Patricia Thang. That list has everything from history to cook books! Anyway… onto our list!
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Crying at H Mart by Michelle Zauner
Crying at H Mart is a New York Times bestselling memoir about Michelle Zauner recounting her childhood, college years, and music career. Most importantly, the book serves as a memoriam for her mother. The book remembers Zauner’s mother after her death to cancer, and discusses the effect and grief of that. Zauner also discusses her connection to her Korean identity after her primary link to it (her mother) is gone. The way Zauner writes about food is fantastic, deeply evocative and descriptive. Her method of incorporating that into memories about her mother and contemplating her culture is seamless and intriguing. A short essay of her work is free in the link. I highly recommend reading it!
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Yellowface by R.F Kuang
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Yellowface seemed to be making its rounds as everyone’s favorite book after it first came out. I remember seeing it on several people’s social media pages and hearing it in numerous conversations. It’s written by R.F Kuang, made famous by the New York Times Bestselling high-fantasy Poppy Wars Trilogy and Babel: An Arcane History. This book is about Juniper Hayward, who steals the masterpiece of Athena Liu and publishes it as her own after Athena’s death. This involves Juniper rebranding herself as Juniper Song and doing anything to keep her secret safe.
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Assorted Poetry of Cathy Linh Che
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Cathy Linh Che is a poet and author. She wrote the poetry collections Becoming Ghost and Split. Split won the Kundiman Poetry Prize, Norma Farber First Book Award (given by the Poetry Society of America), and the Best Poetry Book Award (given by the Association of Asian American Studies). She and co-author Kyle Lucia Wu wrote An Asian American A to Z: A Children’s Guide to Our History (source). Two poems I read for research are “I love the Smell of Napalm, Remix” and “Livestream.” The first poem is a golden shovel poem, meaning that it takes a line from another poem and uses those words as its ending lines. The second one appears to be a free verse piece. Both utilize the form incredibly well. The forms fit seamlessly into the themes of the piece. It also allows more emphasis to be placed on the visceral and emotionally disturbing images of the work.
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He is Victor by Andrew Kuliniasi
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F. K Maddison wrote an article titled, “110 Best Books by Pacific Islanders You Should Read in 2022.” This book, as well as several others from the link, were found in that article. You can click the link to find more examples than the one on the list! One such text is He is Victor. He is Victor is a play written about the need for compassion and empathy. The playwright, Andrew Kuliniasi, focuses on the audience ridding themselves of prejudice, biases and instead emphasizing love.
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My Walk to Equality edited by Rashmii Amoah Bell
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F.K Maddison also showcased the collection My Walk to Equality. This is an anthology commemorating women and their contributions to Papua New Guinea. This anthology contains essays, poetry, and short stories. The anthology examines stereotypes often associated with Papua New Guinea and works to decrease social inequalities. It also celebrates women and the work they do for Papua New Guinea. It additionally focuses on women in leadership positions such as business leaders, doctors, nurses, activists, and politicians. It also celebrates the often overlooked work of women in their traditional roles.
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Na Viro by Gina Cole
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F.K Maddison additionally wrote about the sci-fi novel Na Viro. The story stars Tia Grom-Eddy, a puffer ship navigator. She is terrified of deep-space, but is forced to go up when her sister, Leilani, gets sucked into a cosmic whirlpool. She must work with her estranged mother and overcome her horror of deep space to save her sister.
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Assorted Poetry of Tung-Hui Hu
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Tung-Hui Hu has written multiple poetry collections and a poetry chapbook as of date. He has written The Book of Motion, Mine, Greenhouses, and Lighthouses. His chapbook is called On The Kepel Fruit (source). For research, I read his poems “Portrait of A.” and “Saignee.” I was struck by his mastery of color in his pieces, as well as his visceral and striking images. They carry intense emotional weight with very little context, creating powerful images.
Every Drop Is a Man's Nightmare by Megan Kamalei Kakimoto
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According to Good Reads, Every Drop is a Man’s Nightmare is a collection of fantasy short stories starring mixed Hawaiian and Japanese women. The collection draws upon mythology while also discussing sexuality and intergenerational wisdom. The collection also discusses the effects of colonization on the land and the text (source).
Poetry by Joseph O. Legaspi
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Joseph O. Legaspi has published Amphibian, Threshold, and Imago. He has also published three poetry chapbooks: Postcards, Aviary, Bestiary, and Subways. Aviary, Bestiary won the Blair Prize (source). Additionally, he along with Sarah Gambito founded the organization Kundiman. Kundiman is a nonprofit dedicated to supporting writers and readers of Asian American literature. Poets.org has about fifteen of his poems on their website. My initial plan was to read three for research. I read all of them in one sitting. They’re all breathtaking. Legaspi writes with such gorgeous language about incredibly intimate experiences. He paints detailed pictures in only a few lines that seem to hold entire histories within them. My personal favorites of the ones available on the site are “Amphibians,” “Vows (for a gay wedding)," “The Read Sweater,” and “Raspberries.”
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The Book of Salt by Monique Truong
Eric Nguyen, author of Things We Lost in the Water, wrote an article titled, “10 Essential Books by Vietnamese American Writers.”In this article, he discusses The Book of Salt, written by Monique Truong. The Book of Salt’s main character is named Binh. Binh is a gay Vietnamese chef working for Gertude Stein and her partner Alice B. Toklas in their Parisian literary circle. Apparently, readers learn about Stein’s famous literary saloons through Binh’s perspective. Readers additionally learn about Binh’s life in Vietnam, his exile, and how he lives as an undervalued servant for Stein and Toklas. Power, colonialism, identity and love are some of the themes in this book (source).
Death in the Cards by Mia P. Manansala
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Penguin Random House published an article called, "The Most Anticipated Mystery & Thrilled Books of Summer 2025.” According to Penguin Random House editors, Death in the Cards is the first young adult book written by Mia P. Manansala. Manansala won awards for her previous book Arsenic and Adobo. This book seems to have the coolest main character ever: a tarot card reader who investigates a missing client with skills learned from her P.I. mother.
To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han
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You’ve probably seen this 2018 movie on Netflix, or have at least heard of it. Did you know it was a book adaptation? The novel follows Lara Jean as her potency for lamenting love letters gets her into trouble. Read along to find out more about Peter and Josh, and more interestingly, her dynamics with her supportive and shenanigan abiding family.
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This is a comic series starring a superhero from Jersey City! Kamala Khan is a teenage Muslim superhero with a lot to handle as she takes on New York! The comic book series is written by G. Willow Wilson and illustrated by Adrian Alphona. The comics have a TV adaptation of Disney + as well!
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Penguin Random House Publishing also published an article titled, “Remarkable Books by Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Authors.” Several of these next few books were found using that list, which is linked each time. This particular book has a fascinating premise. Perk’s The Rivals is a mystery that draws upon classic detective tropes and spy fiction to explore relationships in the digital age.
Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng
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Here’s another book from Penguin Random House’s list! This book is written by the same author of the best sellers Little Fires Everywhere, a title I have certainly heard everywhere. This book discusses how societies can look away from grave injustices, and the lessons and values we teach our children. It’s also apparently in Reese’s book club.
House of Monstrous Women by Daphne Fama
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This is another book from the Penguin House’s list. This book is about a character in a maze of a house owned by her childhood best friend and a possible witch. The book is set in 1986 Philippines, and apparently contains gothic and horror elements!
The Phoenix King by Aparna Verma
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The Phoenix King is a high fantasy tale chock full of action and intrigue. It also has some truly fascinating worldbuilding with a really unique magic system. It switches between leads Elena, Leo, and Yassen balancing each of their vibrant voices. Elena is a competent and complex leader whose active control of the plot is refreshing to see. Leo is a delightfully tragic villain who’s fun to hate. Yassen is a morose hero adding fun dynamics to everything he touches. He and Elena have a true slow-burn romance that keeps you invested.
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
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Iron Widow is a science-fiction fantasy retelling of China’s only female emperor. There’s also giant mechas in it! The book is marketed as intentionally sidestepping a lot of common YA fantasy tropes in comedic and satisfying ways. Zhao is a #1 New York Times Bestselling author as well as a massively successful Youtuber. They have written multiple books in the Iron Widow series, and have also written Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor a book for younger readers. Their books have won or been nominated by many awards including the Nebula, British Science Fiction Association, Locus, and Astounding Awards.
Imposter Syndrome and Other Confessions of Alejandra Kim by Patricia Park
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A website called Epic Reads wrote an article, “55 YA Books to Read for Asian/Pacific Islander American Heritage Month.” Several of these next books are found on that list. Imposter Syndrome and Other Confessions is about a multicultural teen trying to create a space for herself. Being Korean and Spanish leads to her not able to fit into her mostly white school or her Jackson Heights neighborhood. When the character Papi’s body is found on the subway tracks, things go from bad to worse. She wants to escape and dreams of attending the prestigious Wyder University. However a microaggression throws her into a spotlight and conversation she doesn’t want to have. The story is a coming of age novel about a person caught between worlds.
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This Place Is Still Beautiful by Xixi Tian
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According to Epic Reads, this novel is about Margaret and Annalie, two sisters raised by their Chinese immigrant mother after their white father abandoned them. The sisters have two strikingly different personalities and ways of looking at the world. Margaret comes home from a summer internship in New York when her sister and mother’s house is vandalized with a racial slur. She is shocked to find her family wants to ignore the situation and move on. The sisters clash in their approach to the situation. Margaret is outraged and can’t understand why Annalie is not, and Annalie wishes Margaret would stop bringing attention to the family. Then Maragaret runs into her first love, and things apparently go from bad to worse. The cover image for this book is absolutely gorgeous also.
The Ping-Pong Queen of Chinatown by Andrew Yang
Again according to Epic Reads, this is a YA novel about a highschool film maker, Felix Ma. He sets out to make a fun mockumentary but it morphs into a more serious project due to pressure from his college admissions coach. He is trying to prove he’s successful after stopping music lessons and competitive ping-pong. He meets Cassie Chow, who also has a complicated history with her parents. He asks her to star in his film to spend more time with her. Eventually she feels conflicted about baring her soul to the camera. He has to decide what matters more to him - his college admissions work, or her.
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Clementine and Danny Save the World (And Each Other) by Livia Blackburne
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This is another book found through the Epic Reads article.Clementine Chan is a popular blogger writing under the pseudonym Hibiscus. She reviews tea shops and discusses larger issues within her local Chinatown community. She is constantly debating with BobaBoy888. BobaBoy888 is Danny Mok, a boy who dislikes change and is horrified by the gentrification of his Chinatown. Eventually the two meet in real life, meet and fall in love while fighting to save a local tea shop from a corporation. They have no idea they’re online personas have been fighting for years – what will happen when they find out? It’s a retelling of You’ve Got Mail (1998) and sounds utterly fantastic.
Messy Perfect by Tanya Boteju
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Epic Read editors say that Messy Perfect stars Cassie Perera. She is trying to start an underground Gay Straight Alliance in her conservative Catholic highschool. She is desperate to do this to make it up to Ben, her friend, who left school after a homophobic bullying incident. She feels responsible for the incident in some way leading to her attempts to rectify it in the new school. She also wants to explore her own sexuality through the experience.
Last Night At The Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
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This is the last book from Epic Reads on this list! In this book, Teen Lily Hu and Kathleen Miller are in love. They live in 1954 Chinatown and as such this romance is not safe or easy. The Red Scare encompasses society. At the same time, Lily’s father is risking deportation even though he worked hard for his citizenship. As such, Lily and Kathleen have to risk a lot for their relationship.
Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri
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Interpreter of Maladies is a Pulitzer Prize winning collection of short stories. The stories discuss Indian and American culture and what happens when these two combine. It is life-changingly fantastic. The prose is beautifully written with incredible attention to detail. The stories are all deeply emotional. I sobbed reading this. Weeks after reading this book I would think back to some of the short stories and reanalyze them once again.
Closing
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Those are 25 books Art-emis thinks you might like to read! If you have any recommendations you think us Art-emis editors would enjoy, reach out to us. Celebrate this month – and all months, really – by going to your local bookstore or library and finding something new!
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