Pacific Islander & Asian History Read-Alouds

Cora loves being in the kitchen, but she always gets stuck doing the kid jobs. One day, she finally gets the chance to help Mama make her favorite traditional Filipino dish. She’s thrilled as she does grownup jobs like shredding the chicken, soaking and stirring the noodles until it’s time to share her dishes with the rest of the family. With vibrant illustrations and heartfelt text, this charming read-aloud is a sweet way to share a piece of Filipino heritage with your kid.

In this Chinese-American retelling of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” it’s Chinese New Year, and a careless Goldy Luck is tasked with delivering turnip cakes to her neighbors. But when the Chans, a family of pandas, aren’t home, she wreaks havoc through the house–helping herself to their rice porridge, chairs and their beds—with disastrous results. Your kid will love this hilarious take of the classic tale, while learning about friendship and taking responsibility for their actions. Bonus: It includes a recipe for turnip cakes!

Here’s another charming gem from Korean American author Aram Kim. Determined to prove she’s not a baby anymore, Yoomi tries to make kimchi taste better. But not even ice cream can help. Luckily, Grandma has a good idea for improving this traditional Korean treat. This is a cute and quirky children’s book that illustrates the value of keeping an open mind when it comes to what you eat.

Told in the style of the British nursery rhyme, “The House That Jack Built,” this light-hearted rhyming book is a celebration of Hawaii, the land and its culture. 

It follows the family (ohana), as they get ready for a traditional luau, from reaching “through the water, clear and cold” to picking the taro to make the poi. This acclaimed children book is so beautifully written and illustrated, it’ll give both you and your child goosebumps. It also includes a glossary of Hawaiian terms used throughout the book.

In this celebration of Japanese culture, Sumo Joe and his friends tie on makeshift mawashi belts, practice drills like teppo, and compete in their homemade dohyo ring. But when Sumo Joe’s little sister wants to join in the fun, he’s torn between the two things he’s best at—sumo, and being a big brother.

Your kid will love this playful history of one of China’s most famous inventions.

It all starts with fun-loving Káuai who can’t eat with his hands because the food is too hot. And while he waits for it to cool, his brothers eat it all up! So he gets an ingenious idea. He’ll use sticks to grab the food while it’s too hot for his brothers to touch it. He brings his new chopsticks to a banquet and impresses the entire family, and soon the whole village finds out, and then the emperor!

Young Chinese-American girl May is on a trip with her grandfather, Gong Gong through Chinatown, but she’s not enjoying herself. He doesn’t speak much English and she doesn’t understand Chinese! She’s hungry and bored, and he seems focused on his errands. But then, Gong Gong surprises her with a gift (a bao zi pork bun, her favorite!) and the two share a special moment. 

This charming, light-hearted picture book shows kids how simple things can help bridge generational gaps and language barriers to help people connect. It also includes a glossary of translations for Chinese words featured in the story. 

This heartfelt and personal immigration story is inspired by award-winning Vietnamese-Canadian author Thao Lam’s own refugee experience. “The Paper Boat” offers a unique read-aloud experience, as the story is told entirely in illustrations―letting you and your young reader talk through it together. 

The story begins with a young girl rescuing some ants. When her family is forced to escape war-torn Vietnam, she brings them with her. And before boarding the boat to safety, she folds a tiny paper boat and helps the ants climb aboard. What unfolds is a perilous voyage full of dangers and despair on their journey to find refuge.  

This moving picture book depicts the true story of Nagasaki atomic bomb survivor, Sachiko Yasui. A young girl at the time, Sachiko and her family was just half a mile from where the bomb fell on August 9, 1945. 

Despite surviving the blast, over time her family experiences devastating loss. But after fleeing and returning to Nagasaki two years later, they make a remarkable discovery. A delicate serving bowl made by her grandmother, and that once served their daily meals, has remained completely intact.

This Read-To-Me book tells the story of Shorty, a Japanese-American boy living in an internment camp after the attack on Pearl Harbor during World War II. Fighting hopelessness and boredom, Shorty and others in the camp build a baseball field. Soon they form a league, and despite being surrounded by desolate conditions, barbed wire and guards, Shorty and his fellow players begin to regain a sense of dignity and self-respect.  

Tons of rhyming fun makes “K is for Kabuki: A Japan Alphabet” a joy to read aloud with your kids. Using the English alphabet, it transports young readers to the country of Japan and explores its rich history and traditions through letters. For instance, “J is for Judo” and “O is for Origami.” Alternating between rhymes and helpful, informative text, the book brings Japan to life in a way that will captivate your imaginations.