Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature—Picture Book

Aloha Everything by Kaylin Melia George (text) & illus. by Mae Waite. Red Comet. Apr. 2024. 40p. Tr $19.99. ISBN 9781636551128.

Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature—Picture Book Honor

The Rock in My Throat by Kao Kalia Yang (text) & illus. by Jiemei Lin. Lerner/Carolrhoda. Mar. 2024. 32p. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9781728445687.
Gr 2-4–Kalia is struggling to learn to speak English and when she sees people being impatient with her mother’s similar struggle, the child decides that she won’t speak either. Her parents want to know why she chooses not to speak, but she can’t verbalize why, even in her home language of Hmong. Her mother says to her in the Hmong, “I don’t know why you don’t speak at school”; the translation is only found at the end of the book. The muted palette and graphic nature of the artwork give a feeling of separation and loneliness to Kalia’s dilemma. The Hmong embroidery on the endpapers adds to a celebration of culture in a lovely lesson on communicating and finding one’s voice. VERDICT This beautifully illustrated picture book fills a need in any collection on immigrant experiences.-Reviewed by Debbie Tanner 

Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature—Children's Literature

Continental Drifter by Kathy MacLeod (text) & illus. by Kathy MacLeod. First Second. Apr. 2024. 224p. $22.99. ISBN 9781250813732.
Gr 5-8–Kathy isn’t quite sure who she is. She loves parts of her life in Thailand while missing her favorite things in the United States. She loves being in America but struggles to find the right group of friends and ways to blend in with the culture. Kathy explains that sometimes, “the outside doesn’t match what’s inside.” Watching her parents and sister navigate their two homes differently adds to her confusion, and each home’s location has its benefits and drawbacks. As her sister grows up and becomes more distant, Kathy’s sense of isolation increases. She turns to her diary to try to process the challenges and insecurities she faces, but even the kind kids can seem mean when they don’t understand or know the real Kathy. As with all families, the dynamics in Kathy’s have their ups and downs—growing apart while forming deeper understandings. The illustrations are simple and straightforward, helping readers understand Kathy’s thoughts and feelings. Everyone who has been embarrassed by themselves or their family will relate to Kathy’s shyness and will appreciate her tender realizations as she finds her path in both of her worlds. Educators looking for books to build empathy may find several helpful scenes throughout. It also lends itself to geography extension activities. VERDICT Continental Drifter offers honest, sometimes painful, insight into growing up as part of two cultures and will help anyone who has ever felt lonely in their own family, or even with friends, process the emotions that come with trying to fit in.-Reviewed by Darby Wallace 

Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature—Children's Literature Honor

Clairboyance by Kristiana Kahakauwila. HarperCollins. May 2024. 288p. Tr $19.99. ISBN 9780063045354.
Gr 4-7–This hilarious and heartfelt middle grade novel answers the age-old question: What are boys really thinking?! Protagonist Clara, a Hawaiian tween, is gifted with the answer. After gaining the magical power of listening that has been passed down in her family for generations, Clara is finally able to understand what the boys around her are thinking—she becomes ‘clairboyant.’ Clara gains these powers early on in the novel, giving the story momentum. Despite some funny bumps along the way, Clara learns how to use her powers for good, helping her male friends work through their insecurities while gaining confidence in herself and learning powerful lessons about honesty, vulnerability, and trust. Clara’s roots in her native Hawaiian culture is an equally powerful theme in the novel, as she engages with community elders like her grandma Tūtū and her bus driver Kumu Maka, who is māhū (gender nonconforming), to strengthen her connection to the natural landscape and people on the island she calls home. VERDICT Providing necessary AANHPI representation, humor, and instant middle school appeal, this novel is a first purchase.-Reviewed by Maria Bohan

 Mabuhay!: A Graphic Novel by Zachary Sterling (text) & illus. by Zachary Sterling. Scholastic/Graphix. Oct. 2023. 240p. Tr $24.99. ISBN 9781338738643.
Gr 4 Up–JJ and Althea can’t forget their Filipino heritage, no matter how hard they try. There are constant reminders that they don’t fit in as "regular" American kids, like when they have to help out at their family’s food truck by handing out samples dressed up in a pig costume, or they have to listen to their mother’s Filipino folklore stories AGAIN, or the other kids in school complain about the way their lunches smell. But when strange things start happening around them and they discover that both good and evil characters from their mother’s stories really exist, JJ and Althea realize that everyone in their family is in danger. The challenge will be to see if they can do their jobs at The Beautiful Pig food truck while also saving their family, and even the world! This book features lots of colorful panels that sometimes jump out at diagonal angles, adding extra energy and drama to an already exciting story. The background colors and designs also change at certain moments, which lets readers know that something unusual is happening, as when the story switches from modern day into a folktale. VERDICT Have this on hand for readers who enjoy captivating adventures, food, and folklore!-Reviewed by Andrea Lipinski

Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature—Young Adult

Everything We Never Had by Randy Ribay. Penguin/Kokila. Aug. 2024. 288p. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9780593461419.
Gr 9 Up–National Book Award finalist Ribay juggles skillfully and with great heart a Filipino American family history as told by four generations of fathers and sons in alternating chapters. Readers first meet 16-year-old Enzo, the youngest, in Philadelphia at the start of the 2020 pandemic. “Murder hornets” is the euphemism he names the anxiety he’s in therapy for, which kicks in big time as he learns about the virus killing people. Since his grandfather’s retirement community poses a health risk, Emil, or Lolo, moves in with Enzo’s family, taking his bedroom. Reluctant though willing, Enzo shares with his father, Chris, the concept of “utang na loob”: taking care of Emil now is “a debt from within.” Emil’s father Francisco was an illiterate farmworker whose best friend was killed by white people trying to stop laborers from organizing in California in the 1920s; he later galvanized a union movement of Filipino, Mexican, and Black workers to win better wages and working conditions. Francisco sent his son to college, believing that the education beyond his reach was possible for Emil. Back in pandemic Philadelphia, 2020: When Lolo returns to his retirement home, Enzo inherits Thor, Lolo’s small black lab mix. From their evening walks with Thor, Enzo comes to appreciate how tough and uncompromising a parent Emil was to his father. But Chris can and does love his own son, and Enzo feels it. Four generations of men, once so guarded: the change over time is gradual but lasting. VERDICT A must for all collections, this four-generation saga of Filipino fathers and sons will resonate with teenagers of all cultures.-Reviewed by Georgia Christgau 

Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature—Young Adult Honor

Dragonfruit by Makiia Lucier. Clarion. Apr. 2024. 368p. Tr $19.99. ISBN 9780358272106.
Gr 7 Up–With interest in dragon fantasy novels on the rise, Lucier’s new adventure has exquisite worldbuilding inspired by Pacific Island mythos and a comfortable, slow-building romance. Lady Hanalei and Prince Samahtitamahenele grew up together on the matriarchal island of Tamarind, until the day their mother is poisoned, falling into a magical, unending sleep. Tamarind uses all of its resources to find the only possible cure: a rare seadragon egg called dragonfruit, which legend says can grant wishes to those who eat it. But those wishes come at a terrible cost, which Hana’s father learns when he steals the dragonfruit, flees Tamarind, and saves his daughter. Hana, now 18, has lived as an exile, tracking and studying seadragons in the Nominomi Sea. She discovers one of her subjects is pregnant—the dragonfruit could be her way back home if she’s willing to pay the price. Lucier has an incredible talent for creating strong relationships inside large cast of characters, bringing Tamarind and its matriarchal politics to life while layering the family dynamics with love and a painful history. Lucier grew up on Guam, and her love for the Pacific Islands and its diversity shines through while referencing the damage exoticism and colonialism have wrought on the region. Characters are cued Pacific Islander, with some additional diversity outside the main cast. VERDICT A deeply satisfying standalone readers will race through and a rare Pacific Island–inspired fantasy that belongs in all YA collections.-Reviewed by Emmy Neal

Lunar New Year Love Story by Gene Luen Yang (text) & illus. by LeUyen Pham. First Second. Jan. 2024. 352p. Tr $25.99. ISBN 9781626728103; pap. $17.99. ISBN 9781250908261.
Gr 6 Up–Readers will fall in love with this heartwarming, fun rom-com. Yang (Dragon Hoops) brings another delightful addition to graphic novels that blends culture, love, and family dynamics in a relatable way. Valentina’s family is fated to be unlucky in love. Wanting to break the curse, Valentina makes a deal with the spirit of Saint Valentine: she has one year to find true love and “prove that you do not share your family’s fate.” If she fails, she must give her heart away to Saint Valentine and will never fall in love. Yang takes readers to Lunar New Year celebrations with Valentina and her friends and family, employing characters who are relatable and endearing. The attention to detail and color work by Pham, for example, in the intricate details of the festival decorations, create a visual feast for readers and add depth and strong emotion to the story. A wide audience of readers will relate to the universal themes of love, acceptance, forgiveness, and familial bonds. VERDICT A positive and beautiful work of art that will make an impression on readers.-Reviewed by Jacquetta Etheridge