This Women’s History Month, no need to turn to #BookTok. Read ahead for our Rise Recommendations of Empowering Reads: 8 Must-Read Books by AANHPI women authors. Let’s see what we are adding to our shelves today:
Oh My Mother! A Memoir in Nine Adventure
By Connie Wang
A collection of nine essays detailing iconic, mother-daughter adventures that make you scream “Oh My Mother!” or “Wo De Ma Ya!” This hilarious and vulnerable memoir is written by Connie Wang, a journalist, writer and editor born in Jinan, China, raised in Minnesota and now resides in Los Angeles, California.
Where I Belong
By Soo Jin Lee, Linda Yoon
The perfect combination of psychoeducation and sociological education with real, raw and unfiltered storytelling of people across the AANHPI community. Authors Soo Jin Lee, LMFT and Linda Yoon, LCSW expertly tie together the connection between Asian American Identity and mental health.
The Ungrateful Refugee: What Immigrants Never Tell You
By Dina Nayeri
Author Dina Nayeri recalls her journey as a refugee, fleeing Iran and settling into Oklahoma. She weaves her experience with the experiences of other refugees she meets on her personal journey and highlights the brutality and deep systemic issues of the refugee crisis.
All My Rage
by Sabaa Tahir
A tale of three lives, tangled within each other’s journey about the costs and haze of the American Dream that South Asian American families face. Sabaa brilliantly tells a story of then, and now, of Pakistan and Juniper, California. The duality and grief of opportunity is capture beautifully in this novel.
Kween
By Vichet Chum
The “Kween” is here, queer and we are celebrating this triumphant Young Adult novel by Vichet Chum. The story follows a Cambodian-American teen poet as her life changes after going viral on social media. This novel is current, lively and a must-add to your collection.
I Hope We Choose Love – A Trans Girl’s Notes From the End of the World
By Kai Cheng Thom
The world is quite literally burning, and it often seems that we cannot arise and see hope through the smoke. But, Kai Cheng Thom’s collection of stories and prose reminds us that the solution always is and always will be to hold on to hope, and create compassionate solutions for the world’s daunting problems. This must-read book is as provocative as it is a beacon of light.
I Was Their American Dream – A Graphic Memoir
By Malaka Gharib
If you love a graphic novel and a cleverly illustrated, tug-at-the-heartstrings coming of age story, you need to read “I Was Their American Dream” by Malaka Gharib. Malaka unpacks what it means to be a daughter in a mixed Filipino and Egyptian family. This graphic novel is as funny as it is a compassionate portrayal of intergenerational family dynamics.
Eyes That Weave the World’s Wonders
By Joanna Ho, Liz Kleinrock, Illustrated by Dung Ho
A powerful book that gently explores the journey of a young girl who is a transracial adoptee. This picture book pulls from the experiences of authors Liz Kleinrock and Joanna Ho. Through her eyes, she weaves together the beauty and wonder of her birth culture and adopted family’s culture.
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We hope that today, and everyday, these recommendations encourage you to add incredible AANHPI authors into your library.
