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Best of the Best Booklist

About

The Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA) prepares an annual Best of the Best Booklist that celebrates stories from across the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) diaspora. All APALA members were invited to nominate picture book titles about AANHPI communities and experiences that were published in the previous calendar year. Members of the APALA Family Literacy Focus Committee evaluated the nominations against the APALA Rubric and curated the final list. Eligible titles that earned an APALA Literature Award or Honoree designation were automatically added to the Best of the Best Booklist. 

The titles depict diverse representations of heritages and cultures across the AANHPI diaspora. Some young readers may feel a personal connection to these stories, while other children will learn about lives different from their own and practice empathy. Educators, librarians, caregivers, and community members alike can refer to this list when purchasing new books, selecting titles for their young readers, and supporting educational learning and programming.

Best of the Best List

2022

Access the print-friendly version here. 

  • Arab Arab All Year Long! written by Cathy Camper, illustrated by Sawsan Chalabi, and published by Candlewick Press. 9781536213959.
    A joyful book of children celebrating Arab life all year long.
  • Gibberish written & illustrated by Young Vo, and published by Levine Querido. 9781646141104.
    New to town, all Dat hears from his classmates and teacher is gibberish. Then with patience and friendship, Dat slowly begins to understand his new friend Julie.
  • Hana’s Hundreds of Hijabs written by Razeena Omar Gutta, illustrated by Manal Mirza, and published by Barefoot Books. 9781646866205.
    Hana shares her love of fashionably styling her hijabs with others at her aunt’s salon.
  • Holi Hai! written by Chitra Soundar, illustrated by Darshika Varma, and published by AW Teen, an imprint of Albert Whitman. 9780807533574.
    Gauri wants to help her family prepare gulal for Holi, but does not get her favorite color.
  • Hundred Years of Happiness written by Thanhhà Lai, illustrated by Nguyen Quang & Kim Lien, and published by HarperCollins. 9780063026926.
    Bà’s memory is failing, but An and Ông have a plan to bring her back to a happy memory. The pair grow food in the garden to create grandma’s favorite dish from her wedding day. A loving story illustrating intergenerational Vietnamese family life.
  • Kapaemahu written by Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer, & Joe Wilson, illustrated by Daniel Sousa, and published by Kokila, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers. 9780593530061.
    Four Tahitian Mahu infuse their healing powers into four boulders in Waikiki, sharing their knowledge with Native Hawaiians. Based on a Native Hawaiian legend told in English and the Niihau dialect of Hawaiian.
  • The Katha Chest written by Radhiah Chowdhury, illustrated by Lavanya Naidu, and published by Salaam Reads, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. 9781665903905.
    While exploring Nanu’s katha chest filled with quilts, Asiya connects to stories of the strong and brave women in her family.
  • Love in the Library written by Maggie Tokuda-Hall, illustrated by Yas Imamura, and published by Candlewick Press. 9781536204308.
    Based on true events – finding love and hope in a Japanese internment camp. Tama works in the library, and books offer her hope for a life beyond the camp. The author addresses heartbreaking realities and real life injustices.
  • Luli and the Language of Tea written by Andrea Wang, illustrated by Hyewon Yum, and published by Neal Porter Books, an imprint of Holiday House. 9780823446148.
    Five-year-old Luli joins her new English as a Second Language Class. She uses a tea party to bring the classroom together. The book contains additional information regarding tea culture around the world.
  • Mommy’s Hometown written by Hope Lim, illustrated by Jaime Kim, and published by Candlewick Press. 9781536213324.
    A boy listens to his mother’s stories about her hometown and creates his own version in his mind’s eye. The pair visit the hometown and the boy compares the memories against the reality. A heartwarming story that considers how to flow with the changes of time.
  • Nana, Nanek, & Nina written & illustrated by Liza Ferneyhough, and published by Dial Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers. 9780593353943. *2023 APALA Picture Book Honor
    Nina visits her two grandmas – one lives in Malaysia and one in England. An affectionate, warm story of the differences and similarities of two cultures.
  • Punky Aloha written & illustrated by Shar Tuiasoa, and published by HarperCollins. 9780063079236.
    Behind grandma’s sunglasses, Punky gains the confidence to cross Oahu to complete her errands with her aloha. A sweet story teaching readers how to find the courage to make new friends.
  • Sitti’s Bird: A Gaza Story written & illustrated by Malak Mattar, and published by Crocodile Books, an imprint of Interlink Publishing. 9781623718251.
    The story of Palestine’s occupation set in Gaza. Malak writes about her experiences as a child in Palestine and being home for days during the bombings. Malak finds strength through her art.
  • Where Butterflies Fill the Sky: A Story of Immigration, Family, and Finding Home written & illustrated by Zahra Marwan, and published by Bloomsbury Children’s Books, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing. 9781547606511.
    The author’s immigration story from Kuwait to the US. Highlights hope, belonging, and handling scary new experiences.
  • Who Turned on the Sky written & illustrated by Marielle Atanacio, and published by 2157 Press. 9798985898408.
    An adventure story to find who turns on the sky, but meets the goddesses of Philippine mythology.

Resources

For more information about APIA literature, check out these resources: 

Contact 

Contact Becky Leathersich, co-chair of the Family Literacy Focus Committee, with any questions: familylit@apalaweb.org.