20 May YA Novels for National Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Did you know that May is National Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month? You can celebrate at home by reading some YA books written by Asian and/or Pacific Islander writers. There is plenty to discover in the novels listed below. You can read realistic stories about Asian experiences in the United States or you can read historical fantasies written by Asian-American authors. The books listed below are just a few of the titles in our collection you can read digitally or through curbside pickup. We also have manga and anime titles that may be of interest.
Available Digitally and Physically
Frankly in Love by David Yoon (2019)
David Yoon’s novel, the first in a planned series, revolves around Frank Li. His Korean parents have certain cultural expectations for him that conflict with his Southern California environment. He is supposed to only date Korean girls, but soons finds himself falling for a white girl named Brit Means. Luckily, he finds a Korean girl named Joy Song with a similar problem. Frank and Joy pretend to date to deceive their parents, which leads to many complications. David Yoon is married to fellow YA author Nicola Yoon of The Sun is Also a Star fame.
Loveboat Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen (2020)
Ever Wong is an 18 year old who lives in Ohio with her strict Chinese parents. During summer vacation, they send her to Taiwan to study Mandarin. Thrust into a world of freedom among partying elites, Ever Wong breaks the rules her parents set for her. But how far can she go without losing her identity? Read it to find out more. The novel is the first in a planned series.
Aladdin: Far from Agrabah by Aisha Saeed (2019)
An original story set in the world of the Disney film, Aladdin. The novel takes after the musical number “A Whole New World,” and places the characters in the land of Abawa, the land the genie creates for Aladdin. It presents a fuller sense of Aladdin and Jasmine’s relationship.
Available Physically
500 Words or Less by Juleah del Rosario (2018)
If you like books in verse, give 500 Words or Less a chance. The novel follows a high school student named Nic Chen. Going into her senior year, Nic has a terrible reputation because she cheated on her boyfriend. To rehabilitate her image among her peers, she begins writing college admission essays for her Ivy League classmates. Juleah del Rosario’s second novel Turtle Under Ice is also in our collection.
Blood Heir by Amélie Wen Zhao (2019)
The first book in a trilogy by a first time novelist. Blood Heir is the story of a crown princess, Anastacya Mikhailov, who possesses supernatural powers. Her father is murdered, and she is accused of the crime. She must go on the run to find the real murderer and learn more about the empire outside the palace walls.
