60 Mighty Girl Books for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Tracks in the Snow

"Just outside my window, / There are tracks in the snow. / Who made the tracks? Where do they go?" When this little girl wakes up to fresh snow, she gets curious about a set of tracks outside. Bundled up in a warm red coat and a striped scarf, she sets out to follow them. She discovers a woodchuck snuggled up safe in a burrow, and does snow angels as she looks at the empty branches of the trees. But her feet are getting colder, and she's getting tired... will she ever find out who made the tracks? Just as she's about to give up, she realizes that these tracks are hers from the day before — and they're leading her home to a warm, cozy kitchen with tea and cookies! This sweet book is a celebration of snow, winter, and home sweet home.

Saturday is Swimming Day

Saturday is for swimming lessons... and this little girl hates them. It's too loud, the floor is too wet, her swim cap is too tight, and she has a stomachache! Fortunately, her kind swimming instructor, Mary, knows just how to gently urge her to take one step each week... and before long, she discovers that swimming day is fun. This story will be relatable to any child who's found something a little too new and scary to dive in — but urges them to find the combination of courage and patience they need to face their fears.

Danbi Leads the School Parade

Danbi is excited for her first day of kindergarten — at a new school in America! But when she arrives, she gets a case of nerves: everyone stares when she arrives, and while she tries to join in, she doesn't know the routines of the dances or the rules of all the games. How will she ever find a way to fit in? The answer, it turns out, is food — her classmates are fascinated and delighted by her traditional Korean lunch! Soon, she's teaching them to use chopsticks (with hilarious results) and leading everyone on a fun-filled parade. This exuberant character conveys a powerful message about navigating two cultures, including the reminder that when we share the things that make us unique, we can find friendship wherever we go.

My Name Is Yoon

Yoon's name is beautiful in Korean: it means Shining Wisdom, and the characters look like dancers. But now she's living in America — and in English, where all the letters are just lines and circles, YOON doesn't seem like such a lovely name. At school, she experiments with different names. She tries CAT for a while, then BIRD (who would be able to fly back home to Korea.) And after a classmate offers her a treat as a gift, she even considers calling herself CUPCAKE. As time goes on, though, Yoon realizes that, no matter what, she is still Yoon: "I write my name in English now. It still means Shining Wisdom." Spare but compassionate text and luminous illustrations that capture Yoon's hesitation in her new home make this a powerful immigration story that's sure to build empathy.

Sakura's Cherry Blossoms

When Sakura's dad gets a new job in America, Sakura struggles with culture clash and learning a new language, but most of all she misses her beloved grandmother, Obaachan, who used to picnic with her under the cherry trees. Slowly, though, she makes a new friend and starts to settle in... until Obaachan gets sick, and the family has to fly back to Japan to say goodbye. When she gets home, her friend Luke tells her she'll get a surprise in the spring — and Sakura is delighted to see the cherry trees that bloom in her own neighborhood, bringing warm memories and special time with new friends. This warmhearted, thoughtful story celebrates the healing power of friendship and the beauty of spring.

Sari-Sari Summers

The best part of summer, in Nora's opinion, is getting to join her grandmother at her sari-sari store! And this year, for the first time, Nora is big enough to help at the convenience store, which brims with toys, sour tamarind candy, hair accessories, and more treasures. But then there's a heat wave that saps everyone's energy... and leaves Lola's store aisles empty. Fortunately, when the worried pair go outside to get some fresh air together, Nora spots the ripe mangos on the nearby tree, and comes up with the perfect way to attract customers: home made mango ice candy! With rich illustrations, Tagalog words sprinkled throughout, and a recipe to try making your very own ice candy, this charming picture book celebrates Filipino traditions and the special love between grandmothers and granddaughters.

Hazel and Twig: The Birthday Fortune

Big sister Hazel is excited for her little sister Twig's first birthday, where she will have her doljabi: she'll choose an object that will tell her fortune. Everyone is making guesses about what Twig will pick: a book, and be a scholar? A lute, for a musician? Maybe a hammer, for a builder? Hazel teaches Twig about all the other party preparations — from dandelion kimchi to the details of the doljabi — and when Twig makes an unexpected selection, Hazel is the one who knows exactly what it means. This sweet story based on Korean culture and traditions includes a glossary of Korean words at the back.

The Name Jar

Unhei has just moved to America from Korea with little but clothes and a name stamp from her grandmother. She's already figured out that people in America struggle to pronounce her name, so rather than introducing herself on her first day at school, she announces that she wants suggestions for a new name. Her classmates are fascinated, and start filling a big glass jar with "proper" American names like Suzy and Amanda. But when one of her classmates overhears her Korean name, the Name Jar mysteriously goes missing, allowing Unhei to embrace introducing herself by her real name (complete with a pronunciation lesson, Yoon-hey) — and helps her classmate choose a Korean nickname: Chinku,which means friend. This touching story is also an empowering reminder that no one should have to give up their name or identity to fit in.

Ava Lin, Best Friend!

New!

Six-year-old Ava Lin has big plans: she's going to get a best friend! She's taken lots of advice from her fifth grade cousin Nikki, who met her own best friend in grade one, and she's sure it's going to be a breeze. But making friends isn't as easy as Ava expected. Social rules can be confusing, and she's making some mistakes at home too — including leaving a crayon in her pocket that ruins the laundry! But with determination and creativity, Ava is sure she'll find a way to make this the best year... and find her best friend. With fun graphic panels, relatable antics, and a main character that's goodhearted and clever, this early chapter book series opener will delight young readers who've found their own quests for friendship took them down some bumpy roads.

Small World

When she is a newborn, Nanda's world is tiny, but as she grows, so does her world. It starts to include extended family and friends, and more places, from the city to the countryside. Soon, she is exploring all the wonders it has to offer, from the tiny — patterns in snowflakes — to the big — cogs, wheels, and engines. She learns to fly her own plane and, finally, blasts off to outer space as an astronaut — where she looks back at Earth, "a circle called home." This lyrical book celebrates curiosity, wonder, the joys of discovering your passions, and the beauty of our world.

What Will You Be, Sara Mee?

6-year-old Chong is very excited: today is his little sister's first birthday! Sara Mee is all dressed up in her silk hanbok, and the whole family is gathering to enjoy traditional Korean celebrations — including the toljabee, a prophecy game that predicts what Sara Mee will be when she grows up. Throughout the party, Chong wonders what she will choose, so he's delighted when he's told he can present the game pieces to his sister. And when she chooses the paintbrush, indicating a future as an artist, he's quick to give her paper and crayons to start drawing pictures... while he writes the story that goes along with them. This colorful and loving tale is a celebration of siblings and the blending of traditions.

How to Solve a Problem

The Rise (and Falls) of a Rock-Climbing Champion

World-record-holding rock climber Ashima Shiraishi provides a lesson in perseverance and resilience, straight from the rock face! In rock climbing, a boulder is called a "problem," and just like any other problem, it can seem "tremendously endless" when you're looking up at it. As the illustrations depict 13-year-old Ashima tackling a challenging rock face — complete with a boldly depicted, breathless fall — she talks about how you can overcome these obstacles, especially with help from your family. And when she makes it to the top of her problem, Ashima reminds young readers that achieving your goal is the best feeling in the world. This inspiring picture book includes back matter about Ashima's groundbreaking climbing career.

A Life Made By Hand: The Story of Ruth Asawa

As a child, Ruth Asawa loved working with her hands on her parents' farm — and she loved observing all the tiny details around her. When she grew up, she went to Black Mountain College, following an experimental program where she studied with artists and thinkers of all sorts. And when she traveled to Mexico and saw people crafting wire into baskets, she knew she had found the perfect way to express herself. This elegant picture book biography provides a beautiful introduction to Asawa's life and exquisite sculpture, and even includes directions so kids can try folding their own paper dragonflies. For another picture book about Asawa, check out Ruth Asawa: A Sculpting Life for ages 5 to 9.

The Fearless Flights of Hazel Ying Lee

Hazel Ying Lee was one of eight siblings — but everyone agreed that she was the fearless one! And when she took her first ride in an airplane at the age of 19, she knew she wanted to be a pilot. But in a time when women didn't fly — and when Chinese Americans were required to carry identification at all times — being a pilot seemed out of reach; plus, her mother thought it wouldn't be ladylike. Lee disagreed, and when the Women Airforce Service Pilots were established during World War II, she finally got the chance to achieve her dream. This picture book biography of the first Chinese American woman to fly for the US military is a celebration of passion and a tribute to a groundbreaking woman who refused to take no for an answer.

Queen of Physics: How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the Atom

Wu Chien Shiung's name meant "Courageous Hero," and her parents supported her in achieving her dreams: at a time when most girls in China didn't attend school, they encouraged her love of science. When she faced prejudice, they urged her to "Just put your head down and/ keep walking forward." Wu would end up traveling to the US, where her work on parity and beta decay helped drive physics forward — but because of prejudice against both her race and her sex, she was overlooked for both promotions and the Nobel Prize. This bittersweet but inspiring biography from the People Who Shaped Our World series introduces young readers to a little-known trailblazing women in physics.

A Place Where Sunflowers Grow

Under the warm sun, Mari is taking an art class... but how can she think about drawing pretty pictures when she's living in Topaz, a Japanese-American internment camp, which is a forlorn place where nothing seem to grow? Slowly, though, Mari begins to see glimmers of hope: kind words from her art teacher, love from her parents, and a slowly growing friendship. Perhaps, even though everything around her seems wrong, she can still find a way to build a happy life. This sensitive book is a testament to the power of hope and to the resiliency of children to overcome prejudice, discrimination, and hate.

Alice on the Island

A Pearl Harbor Survival Story (Girls Survive)

13-year-old Alice knows there is a war across the sea, but it hasn't changed her life in Hawaii — she swims, she goes to school, and she watches her younger siblings, just like so many girls her age. But in 1941, that suddenly changes. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor shocks the nation. Alice survives the attack, but when President Roosevelt declares war on Japan, Japanese-American families like hers find their lives turned upside down. Her father is sent to an interment camp, and Alice and the rest of her family have to figure out how to get by without him, while also facing rising discrimination against people with Japanese heritage. This powerful book from the Girls Survive series puts a personal face on this piece of American history, highlighting the great tragedy of the internment of Japanese-American citizens during the war.

Lily and the Great Quake

A San Francisco Earthquake Survival Story (Girls Survive)

12-year-old Lily and her family live in Chinatown in San Francisco, where the Chinese-American community is like a city within the city. But when an enormous earthquake strikes, Lily's home collapses, and her neighborhood catches fire. Without her parents, Lily has to help her younger brother and her neighbor, and it soon becomes clear they need to leave San Francisco. But how can they make their way safely through a city on fire and across the bay to Oakland — especially when Chinese-Americans face racism on the best of days? This nail-biting entry in the Girls Survive series puts a personal face on the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, and includes backmatter to help young readers further explore this historic disaster.

The Year of the Dog

It's the start of the Year of the Dog, and 4th grader Pacy's Chinese horoscope says that this is the year she will “find herself.” But it’s hard struggling to meld her Taiwanese background with American culture! In the end, after wrestling with friends, crushes, and schoolwork, it’s having the courage to enter a contest that will give Pacy a clue about her future path. Grace Lin, beloved author of both picture books and middle grade novels, shines in this semi-autobiographical debut novel full of universal themes of friendship, family, and finding your passion. This charming coming-of-age novel is sure to speak to any reader who feels like it takes courage just to be herself.

Karma Khullar's Mustache

Everything seems to be going against Karma: her best friend has found a blonder best friend; her beloved dadima has passed away; her father has become the new stay-at-home parent while her mother spends most of her time at work; and perhaps worst of all, she's spotted seventeen hairs sprouting on her upper lip. As her classmate's taunts about her mustache grow, Karma wonders if someone like her — half White and half Indian, half Methodist and half Sikh — belongs anywhere. In the tradition of Judy Blume, this charming novel tackles topics such as body hair, self-image, and bullying as one girl learns how to define her own destiny.

In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson

When Shirley Temple Wong arrives in American in 1947, she doesn't know any English, and it seems like she'll never find a friend — or fit in. Then Jackie Robinson, the trailblazing baseball star from her new hometown team, the Brooklyn Dodgers, starts making news around the country. Shirley quickly finds herself drawn into stickball games with classmates, and joining them as they cheer him on through victory after victory! For the first time, Shirley feels like America really could be the promised land of opportunity... and like it could start to feel like home. This charming story about a Chinese immigrant girl finding connection with her peers through the all-American sport is perfect for fans of Jennifer Holm and Thanhhà Lại.

Any Day with You

12-year-old Kaia loves doing special effects for movies — and she loves listening to her 90-year-old great-grandfather Tatang's Filipino folk tales. She's even planning to use them as inspiration for a short movie she and her friends are making for a contest! But then she learns another story from Tatang, this one historical: how he fought with the U.S. military in World War II, only to be denied his promised citizenship and the medal he should have won. He's even considering moving back to the Philippines, and Kaia can't bear to imagine him leaving — but maybe if she wins the contest she can convince him to stay. This warm, tender story celebrates the joy of intergenerational relationships while also exploring the overlooked history of Filipino Americans.

Stargazing

Christine Hong is a dutiful Chinese-American daughter who accepts her parents' strict expectations without complaint... until Moon moves in next door. Moon doesn't attend Chinese language lessons; she's vegetarian; and she carries herself with a confidence that Christine both scorns and envies. Despite their differences the two become close friends, close enough that Moon tells Christine about her visions of celestial animals. But when those visions turn out to be from an earthy — and dangerous — cause, Christine needs to figure out how to be a good daughter and a good friend. Author/illustrator Jen Wang draws on her own childhood for this poignant and funny friendship story that will speak to anyone who's felt out of place.

Amina's Voice

Pakistani American Amina prefers to stay in the background, hanging out with her friend, Soojin. But with the start of middle school, things are changing fast: Soojin is hanging out with one of the "cool" girls, and is even talking about picking an "American" name, while Amina's uncle believes that her love of music is un-Islamic. Then, Amina's mosque is vandalized, leaving her heartbroken. She's never spoken out before, but when she finds the courage and support she needs to make her voice heard, maybe she can bring her whole community together. This book celebrates the complexity and joys to be found in multicultural communities, as well as the power of one person's voice to change those around her. Amina's story continues in the sequel, Amina's Song.

That Thing about Bollywood

11-year-old Sonali has been holding her emotions in — even though that's tough when she thinks her parents are going to separate. But when she can't contain her feelings on a school field trip, she's shocked when she bursts out into a Bollywood-style song and dance number! By the next day, her family has had a movie-perfect makeover, everyone around her is also breaking into song, and nobody seems to think it's weird. Maybe her mismanaged emotions have triggered this whole thing — but if so, how can she get everything back to normal? This magical novel, full of bright color and Bollywood cultural flair, uses whimsy and humor to convey and important message about handling tough feelings.

Kazu Jones and the Denver Dognappers

11-year-old Kazu Jones is a would-be detective who's gotten herself in hot water a few times — with both her parents and the police — over false alarms. But there's a crew of dognappers in her neighborhood, and Kazu can't let justice go undone, so when she finds a lead, she recruits her own team, including her hacker best friend, her socially anxious dog Genki. Digging into the mystery draws the attention of the dognappers, though, and soon her beloved Genki could be the next dog to disappear! With its clever story full of fun twists and furry friends, this series opener is sure to please dog lovers and detective fans alike.

Paper Wishes

Manami's Japanese American family finds their lives turned upside down: it's 1942, and the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour means they're being sent to an internment camp. Worst of all, Yujiin, her and her grandfather's beloved dog, isn't allowed to come. When Manami decides to try to smuggle Yujiin with them, she gets caught — and she has to abandon him halfway between their old home and the camp. Grief- and guilt-stricken, she becomes mute. She tries to cling to the hope that Yujiin will find a way to them, but if Manami is going to find peace — and her voice — she'll have to find a way to say goodbye to everything her family had to leave behind. This heartrending novel about a dark period of American history will help young readers put a human face to the stories from their textbooks.

The Serpent's Secret

Kiranmala's parents have always told her that she's a real Indian princess, and she's always rolled her eyes... until the morning of her twelfth birthday, when her parents disappear and a rakkhosh demon smashes into the kitchen of her New Jersey home! Then, two handsome princes show up at her door, insisting they are here to rescue her. As Kiran gets whisked away to a dimension of magic, wonder, and creatures she thought were Indian fairy tales, she'll have to learn fast to avoid the Serpent King and the Rakkhoshi Queen, find her parents, and save the world. Full of action, mythology, and magic, this book is a thrilling and fast-paced introduction to Kiran's world; she returns in the rest of the four-part Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond series.

Project Mulberry

Julia and her best friend Patrick would love to win a blue ribbon at the state fair, so they need a top-notch project. Julia's mom suggests raising silkworms like she did as a child in Korea, and Patrick loves the idea. Julia, however, is tired of standing out for her background, and secretly hopes the "not American enough" project will fail — especially once she and Patrick start having trouble finding mulberry leaves, the only thing the silkworms will eat. As they get to know Mr. Dixon, an elderly African-American man who is willing to give them the leaves they need, and the silkworms start growing, the pair will wrestle with racism, life and death, and self-acceptance... together. This funny and poignant story also provides interesting details about silkworm life cycles and sustainable farming.

Front Desk

10-year-old Mia Tang has a lot of secrets. She lives in a motel, not a house, and while her immigrant parents clean the rooms, Mia manages the front desk. Her parents hide immigrants — and if the mean motel owner, Mr. Yao, finds out, the Tangs will be doomed. And she wants to be a writer, even though her mom thinks English being her second language means Mia should stick to math. With enough courage, determination, and kindness, however, Mia might be able to help out her family and the other immigrants and pursue her dreams. Based on author Kelly Yang's own experiences in the 1980s and 1990s, this engaging story offers young readers an eye-opening look at the immigrant experience and the power of one girl to make a difference. The story of Mia, her family, and the Calivista Motel continues in Three Keys.

Inside Out and Back Again

10-year-old Hà has lived her whole life in Saigon, and she loves everything about the city — the bustling markets, its unique traditions, and her very own papaya tree. But when the Vietnam War reaches the capital, Hà and her family are forced to flee. They make their way by boat to a tent city in Guam, then to Florida, and finally, to a new home in Alabama. To Hà, this new land is all wrong: her neighbors are cold, the food is dull, and even the landscape feels alien. Even still, thanks to the strength of her family and help from a teacher with a very unexpected connection to the country where she was born, Hà begins to find her own place in this new world. This National Book Award-winning novel is written in free verse. Fans of this story will enjoy the companion novel, Listen, Slowly.

Jennifer Chan Is Not Alone

Mallory knows the rules to fit in at middle school, thanks to her friend Reagan — but the new girl in her neighborhood, Jennifer Chan, doesn't seem to care about the rules. Her Chinese American family already stands out, and then Jennifer starts talking about her belief that she could communicate with aliens if she could just find the right frequency. Although Mallory connects with Jennifer, she doesn't want to risk being one of the "weird" kids, so when Reagan starts bullying her, Mallory stays silent... or even sometimes joins in. And then Jennifer goes missing. Now, Mallory has to try to find her — and confront why Jennifer might have left in the first place. Alternating chapters between the present, when Jennifer is missing, and the past, Tae Keller, the author of the Newbery Medal-winning book When You Trap A Tiger, tells a powerful story about shifting friendships, doing what's right, and knowing that you're never alone.

The Legend of Auntie Po

It's 1885, and 13-year-old Mei's family are trying to focus on their work in a Sierra Nevada logging camp in the years after the passage of the Chinese Exclusion Act. In her free time after cooking for 100 White lumberjacks and 40 Chinese workers, she tells stories of Po Pan Yin, a reinvention of Paul Bunyan as an elderly Chinese matriarch. For a while, the stories help, even when Mei sees the workers grumbling or when she starts recognizing her romantic feelings towards her best friend Bee. But when a boycott leads to the company laying off all the Chinese workers, Mei will have to find Auntie Po's spirit of determination inside herself. This stunning graphic novel which combines historical fiction and fable explores timely questions about the immigrant experience and who gets to own a myth.

The Last Fallen Star

12-year-old Riley Oh is thrilled for her sister, Hattie, who's about to be initiated into the Gom clan, a lineage of Korean healing witches. She just wishes that she could join her — but Riley, who is adopted, is a saram, a person without magic. Then Hattie and Riley find a spell that could allow them to share Hattie's magic... but casting it violates the laws of the Godrealm. Now Hattie's life is at stake and Riley's only chance is to find the last fallen star to save her — and repair her fractured community. With the help of her best friend Emmett, Riley will overcome supposedly mythical creatures like an inmyeonjo, a dokkaebi, and gwisin — and discover the truth about her parentage. Graci Kim's first book in the Gifted Clans series is a powerful story of magic, sisterhood, and self-acceptance.

Pashmina

Priyanka Das is full of questions that her mother won't answer — about India, the homeland her mother abandoned, and about Pri's father, who she's never known. But when Pri stumbles across a pashmina in a forgotten suitcase, she discovers that it can transport her to a colorful, vivid world. Is this the real India, though, or just a product of her imagination — and what is that shadow lurking in the background? When her mother surprises her with a trip to the actual India, Pri might just find the answers to some of her questions. This heartfelt graphic novel explores sensitive issues like generational and culture clash and the search for identity.

Weedflower

Sumiko was used to being teased as the only Japanese girl in her class, but after Pearl Harbor, things go from taunts to outright suspicion. Suddenly, she and her family have to leave her beloved home and flower farm for an internment camp in the middle of a hot, barren desert. But Sumiko and her family aren't the only ones facing discrimination: the camp is on a Mohave reservation. At first, the Mohave residents and the Japanese detainees are at odds, but as the get to know one another, they realize that they have much in common — including being viewed as second-class citizens. Through a friendship with Frank, a Mohave boy, and her own garden, Sumiko starts to see hope for a better future. Complex and emotional, this novel will get young adult readers thinking about the divisions we don't always see.

A Place To Belong

12-year-old Hanako and her family were imprisoned by her own country in World War II, just because of their Japanese heritage, and then coerced into relinquishing their citizenship, forcing them to move to Japan. But their new country is in desperate straights post-war, including the small village outside of Hiroshima where her grandparents live. Compassionate Hanako wants to help, but her family doesn't even enough for themselves. Still, her grandfather's explanation about kintsukuroi — fixing broken items with gold lacquer to make them stronger and more beautiful — gives her hope for a future where her family is the gold that mends the wounds. Hanako shines in this emotional story about the aftermath of World War II and the Japanese internment.

Farewell to Manzanar

Jeanne Wakatsuki was seven years old when her family was moved to the Manzanar internment camp. There, she lived with with 10,000 other Japanese Americans, both recent immigrants and natural born citizens like her. She remembers the bizarre juxtaposition of barbed wire, spotlights, and armed guards with sock hops, baton twirling lessons, and a dance band that played hit songs — except for the current #1 on the charts, 'Don't Fence Me In.' This touching first-hand look at the internment experience raises questions about cultural pride versus assimilation; what cost a country is willing to pay for security; and how people can maintain their identities and their dignity under the force of prejudice and oppression.

The Epic Crush of Genie Lo

Genie Lo is a top athlete and overachiever who spends her days planning how she'll get into Harvard — until her hometown is suddenly under attack by creatures straight out of Chinese folklore. That's when she learns that Quentin Sun, the handsome transfer student who just arrived at her school, is actually Sun Wukong, the Monkey King. Now, Genie will have to figure out how to save her Bay Area life from its parallel supernatural world — without missing out on a chance to ace her SATs. This thrilling fantasy adventure debut is an absolute delight, and readers will love continuing Genie's story in the sequel, The Iron Will of Genie Lo.

American Panda

Mei is seventeen and a freshman at MIT: skipping fourth grade was part of her parents' plan for her to become a doctor, marry a bright Taiwanese man, and have plenty of children. And she knows her parents have sacrificed to get her there, so she feels tremendously guilty that she hates medicine and that her current crush is definitely not Taiwanese. But when she reconnects with her estranged brother, who dated the wrong woman and ended up disowned, she realizes that an authentic life is worth pursuing. Both funny and touching, many kids will recognize themselves in Mei's desire to find her own way.

To All The Boys I've Loved Before

Lara Jean Song has had five crushes, but she's never dated; instead, she's written love letters to each boy that she keeps in a hatbox her mother gave her before she died. They seem like a safe way for her to pour out her feelings while dealing with life as the middle sister in a Korean-American family. But this year, things are changing: her big sister Margot is leaving for college (and breaking up with Josh, the boy next door that Lara Jean liked first), and Lara Jean suddenly finds herself in charge of her younger sister, Kitty. And when her secret letters get mailed by accident, Lara Jean suddenly gets a chance at love — if she's willing to take it. Full of compelling twists, charming characters, and sweet romance, this series opener will delight teen readers. All three books in Lara Jean's story are also available in the To All The Boys I've Loved Before Collection.

The War Outside

In the midst of World War II, German-American Margot and Japanese-American Haruko have been ripped from their homes and forced into a "family internment camp" based solely on where their parents used to live. The girls don't have much in common, but they are drawn to one another because of their family troubles: Haruko is afraid for her soldier brother and wonders what her father is hiding, while Margot is afraid her mother will lose her pregnancy and has to watch her rational father get courted by Nazis. But can they rely on their friendship, or is the camp truly full of spies? Author Monica Hesse drew on extensive research to create this nuanced and complex look at the impact of America's internment of its own citizens.

I Believe In A Thing Called Love

Korean-American Desi Lee is an overachiever in everything — except for romance. But when she meets Luka, a transfer student she decides is too good to miss, she decides it's time to devote the same focus to flirting that she has to servicing a carburetor or becoming valedictorian. Her guide will be the Korean dramas that her widowed father watches obsessively; Desi even creates 24 "K Drama Steps to True Love." Real life isn't quite like a K drama, but even Desi's missteps have a lot to teach her about love, identity, and acceptance. Funny and thoughtful, teens will love Desi and her determined approach to romance.

Outrun the Moon

Mercy Wong has "bossy cheeks" according to her Chinese fortuneteller mother, which make her ambitious and bold. It's 1906 in San Francisco, and she dreams of escaping the poverty of Chinatown, which the white residents of the city sneeringly call "Pigtail Alley." She manages to gain entrance to the prestigious St. Clare's School for Girls under pretense of being a Chinese heiress, and she thinks the hardest part will be avoiding the scrutiny of the headmistress. But when the city is struck down by an earthquake, Mercy's talent at leadership will help her schoolmates survive in the aftermath. This evocative novel by the author of Under A Painted Sky will leave readers questioning what they would do in the face of such a disaster.

Almost American Girl: An Illustrated Memoir

Chuna and her mother have always been as close as could be, even if it's difficult living as the only child of a single mother in Seoul, Korea. But her life is turned upside down when the pair visit Huntsville, Alabama, and her mother suddenly announces that the relocation is permanent — and she's getting married. Chuna struggles with learning a new language, bullying both at school and by her stepfamily, and perhaps worst, feeling isolated from the mother who used to be the one person she could count on. Then one day, her mother enrolls the comics-loving girl in a drawing class — and Chuna, now going by Robin, discovers a future she never expected. This moving graphic memoir explores the challenges of immigration, the power of art, and the resilience of a strong mother-daughter bond.