Reading is so important for students. Chandler Oaks PTA wants to help students find books that reflect and honor the lives of all young people. This is why each month we will compile a list of books that cover topics related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Books listed are available from Chandler Oaks, either physically in the library or available electronically from one of the library resources available to COE students. We will also share links to the Round Rock Public library, as well as links if you would like to purchase the books for your own home. 

This month we are celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month! Students can find non-fiction books and biographies, as well as fiction books with Asian and Pacific Islander characters. 

In addition to the PTA book list below, check out this Flip Grid Mrs. Collings put together for Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. It has biographies, read-alouds, and other interesting videos. 

A Baseball Giant by Nicolas Brasch
Presents a fictional look at the accomplishments of Eiji Sawamura, a famous Japanese baseball player, through the eyes of a young boy, who was named after the legend.
Interest Grade Level: 3-4
COE Library | Amazon

A Different Pond by Bao Phi
A young Vietnamese-American boy is awakened very early by his dad to go down to the fishing hole, but this trip is more than about fishing--the boy learns from his dad just how far their family has come to get to where they are.
Interest Grade Level: 1-4
MackinVia | RR Library | Amazon

A Morning with Grandpa by Sylvia Liu
Curious and energetic Mei Mei attempts some t'ai chi forms as her grandfather demonstrates them, then tries to teach him basic yoga poses. Includes introductions to t'ai chi and yoga, as well as instructions for the exercises described in the text.
Interest Grade Level: K-3
MackinVia | RR Library | Amazon

A Song for Cambodia by Michelle Lord
Biography of Arn Chorn-Pond who, as a young boy in Cambodia, survived the Khmer Rouge killing fields because of his skill on the khim, a traditional instrument.
Interest Grade Level: 1-2
COE Library | Amazon

Amina's Voice by Hena Khan
A Pakistani-American Muslim girl struggles to stay true to her family's vibrant culture while simultaneously blending in at school after tragedy strikes her community.
Interest Grade Level: 3-7
COE Library | RR Library | Amazon

Baseball Saved Us by Ken Mochizuki
A Japanese American boy learns to play baseball when he and his family are forced to live in an internment camp during World War II, and his ability to play helps him after the war is over.
Interest Grade Level: 2-4
COE Library | MackinVia | RR Library | Amazon

Be Water, My Friend: The Early Years of Bruce Lee by Ken Mochizuki
An introduction to the childhood of Bruce Lee, discussing his martial arts training and his struggle to understand the spiritual side of the sport.
Interest Grade Level: 1-3
COE Library | MackinVia | RR Library | Amazon

Born in 1919: Fred Korematsu, Jackie Robinson by Julie Knutson
Examines the lives of Fred Korematsu and Jackie Robinson, both born in 1919, and tracks their unique experiences, how they responded to their struggles, and how they worked to change the world for the better. Includes a timeline showing their lives in parallel, as well as a glossary.
Interest Grade Level: 4-7
MackinVia | Amazon

Brenda Song: Actress and Singer by Portia Summers
Explores the life and career of actress Brenda Song.
Interest Grade Level: 3-5
MackinVia | Amazon

Bringing in the New Year by Grace Lin
A Chinese American family prepares for and celebrates the Lunar New Year. End notes discuss the customs and traditions of Chinese New Year.
Interest Grade Level: PreK-1
COE Library | RR Library | Amazon

Bruno Mars by Kristen Rajczak Nelson
Provides a biography chronicling the childhood, inspirations, and rise to fame of multicultural musician Bruno Mars. Includes color photographs, quotes, a timeline, a glossary, and further resources.
Interest Grade Level: 3-5
MackinVia | RR Library | Amazon

Chef Roy Choi and the Street Food Remix by Jacqueline Briggs Martin
Highlights the life and career of Chef Roy Choi who used his passion for his mother's Korean food to create a successful food truck business in Los Angeles that serves a remix of Korean and Mexican foods.
Interest Grade Level: K-4
COE Library | RR Library | Amazon

Chinese Americans by Nichol Bryan
Provides information on the history of China and on the customs, language, religion, and experiences of Chinese Americans.
Interest Grade Level: 2-4
COE Library | Amazon

Chinese Heritage by Tamra Orr
Explores the languages, religions, food, and culture of China. Includes color photographs, a glossary, and resources for further information.
Interest Grade Level: 2-5
MackinVia | RR Library | Amazon

Dia's Story Cloth by Dia Cha
The story cloth made for her by her aunt and uncle chronicles the life of the author and her family in their native Laos and their eventual emigration to the United States.
Interest Grade Level: 3-5
COE Library | MackinVia | Amazon

Dim Sum For Everyone! by Grace Lin
A child describes the various little dishes of dim sum that she and her family enjoy on a visit to a restaurant in Chinatown.
Interest Grade Level: PreK-2
COE Library | RR Library | Amazon

Duck for Turkey Day by Jacqueline Jules
When Tuyet finds out that her Vietnamese family is having duck rather that turkey for Thanksgiving dinner, she is upset until she finds out that other children in her class did not eat turkey either.
Interest Grade Level: 1-3
COE Library | MackinVia | RR Library | Amazon

Ellison Onizuka by Stephanie Cham
Highlights the life, career, and legacy of Ellison Onizuka, the first Asian American astronaut to reach space and one of those who died in the destruction of the Space Shuttle Challenger. Includes a glossary, resources for further information, text-related questions, and color photographs.
Interest Grade Level: PreK-2
MackinVia | Amazon

Escape from Saigon: How a Vietnam War Orphan Became an American Boy by Andrea Warren
Chronicles the experiences of an orphaned Amerasian boy from his birth and early childhood in Saigon through his departure from Vietnam in the 1975 Operation Babylift and his subsequent life as the adopted son of an American family in Ohio.
Interest Grade Level: 5-9
COE Library | RR Library | Amazon

Eyes That Kiss in the Corners by Joanna Ho
A young Asian girl notices that her eyes look different from her peers'. They have big, round eyes and long lashes. She realizes that her eyes are like her mother’s, her grandmother's, and her little sister's. They have eyes that kiss in the corners and glow like warm tea, crinkle into crescent moons, and are filled with stories of the past and hope for the future
Interest Grade Level: PreK-3
COE Library | RR Library | Amazon

Filipino Americans by Nichol Bryan
Provides information on the history of the Philippines and on the customs, language, religion, and experiences of Filipino Americans.
Interest Grade Level: 2-4
COE Library | Amazon

Front Desk by Kelly Yang
Mia Tang and her immigrant parents are not exactly living the American dream since moving here from China--they live in the Calivista Motel, and Mia must tend to its guests. Her parents, meanwhile, have been hiding illegal immigrants in the motel's empty rooms, risking the wrath of the owner, Mr. Yao. On the personal life front, Mia wants to become a writer, but her mother is being very discouraging because she is better at math and English is not her first language. No matter what, however, Mia vows to follow her dreams.
Interest Grade Level: 4-6
COE Library | RR Library | Amazon

Gandhi by Demi
The story of Gandhi's evolution from a small, shy and scared child to the self-reliant leader of millions of Indian people.
Interest Grade Level: 2-5
COE Library | RR Library | Amazon

Goldy Luck and the Three Pandas by Natasha Yim
One Chinese New Year, her mother sends Goldy Luck to the pandas next door with a plate of turnip cakes, but the pandas are out and disaster follows. Includes a recipe for turnip cakes and an explanation of Chinese New Year.
Interest Grade Level: PreK-3
COE Library | MackinVia | RR Library | Amazon

Good Fortune: My Journey to Gold Mountain by Li Keng Wong
A Chinese-American woman, Li Keng Gee, remembers her journey to America with her family during a time of racism and poverty. Describes the food, the festivals, and her father's disability. Also discusses the struggle of becoming part of a new nation, to graduate from college, and to birth three children.
Interest Grade Level: 4-7
MackinVia | Amazon

Grandfather Gandhi by Arun Gandhi
Arun Gandhi learns how to control his anger from his famous grandfather who shows him anger is like electricity that can strike with ferocity like lightning, or illuminate darkness like a lamp. Arun must choose which he wants to display if he wants peace.
Interest Grade Level: PreK-3
COE Library | MackinVia | RR Library | Amazon

Hines Ward and the Pittsburgh Steelers: Super Bowl XL by Michael Sandler
Follows the life of Hines Ward from his high school and college football careers through his games with the Pittsburgh Steelers and their victory during Super Bowl XL.
Interest Grade Level: K-3
COE Library | Amazon

Hiromi's Hands by Lynne Barasch
Biography of Hiromi Suzuki, a girl born to Japanese emigrants who trained with her father to become one of New York city's first female sushi chefs.
Interest Grade Level: K-3
COE Library | MackinVia | RR Library | Amazon

Hot, Hot Roti For Dada-Ji by F. Zia
Aneel and his grandfather, Dada-ji, tell stories, use their imaginations, and make delicious roti, a traditional Indian flatbread.
Interest Grade Level: K-3
MackinVia | RR Library | Amazon

Indian Americans by Nichol Bryan
Provides an overview of the life and culture of East Indian Americans and presents some information on India.
Interest Grade Level: 2-4
COE Library |Amazon

Indian Heritage by Tamra Orr
Explores the language, religion, food, and culture of India. Includes color photographs, a glossary, and resources for further information.
Interest Grade Level: 2-5
MackinVia | RR Library | Amazon

Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai
Through a series of poems, a young girl chronicles the life-changing year of 1975, when she, her mother, and her brothers leave Vietnam and resettle in Alabama.
Interest Grade Level: 4-7
COE Library | MackinVia | RR Library | Amazon

Japanese Americans by Nichol Bryan
Provides information on the history of Japan and on the customs, language, religion, and experiences of Japanese Americans.
Interest Grade Level: 2-4
COE Library Amazon

Jerry Yang by Jennifer Strand
Explores the life, career, and legacy of Jerry Yang, who helped created Yahoo.
Interest Grade Level: PreK-2
MackinVia | Amazon

Juna's Jar by Jane Bahk
After her best friend Hector moves away, Juna and her special kimchi jar go in search of new friends and discover them in surprising places.
Interest Grade Level: PreK-2
MackinVia | RR Library | Amazon

Karma Khullar's Mustache by Kristi Wientge
As Karma Khullar prepares to enter middle school, her life has taken several dramatic turns. First her beloved Dadima passes away. Then her mother became the primary breadwinner, leaving her father as the stay-at-home parent. Never mind that her best friends seems to be ditching her for another friend. And as if that weren't enough, suddenly Karma has noticed a small mustache budding above her upper lip--seventeen black hairs to be exact. With everyone else busy and preoccupied, Karma is left to figure out her hairy situation alone.
Interest Grade Level: 3-7
COE Library | RR Library | Amazon

Korean Americans by Nichol Bryan
Provides information on the history of Korea and on the customs, language, religion, and experiences of Korean Americans.
Interest Grade Level: 2-4
COE Library | Amazon

Korean Heritage by Tamra Orr
Briefly examines aspects of Korean heritage, including the Buddhist religion, traditional meals, and styles of dress, as well as fun celebrations and events like the Boryeong Mud Festival. Includes a glossary.
Interest Grade Level: 2-5
MackinVia | Amazon

Lailah's Lunchbox: a Ramadan Story by Reem Faruqi
Lailah is delighted that she can fast during the month of Ramadan like her family and her friends in Abu Dhabi, but finding a way to explain to her teacher and classmates in Atlanta, Georgia, is a challenge until she gets some good advice from the librarian, Mrs. Carman.
Interest Grade Level: 1-7
COE Library | RR Library | Amazon

Laurence Yep: Newbery Award-Winning Author by Kristen Nelson
Explores the life and career of Laurence Yep, a Newbery Award-winning author of Asian descent
Interest Grade Level: 3-5
MackinVia | RR Library | Amazon

Manjhi Moves a Mountain by Nancy Churnin
Dashrath Manjhi used a hammer and chisel, grit, determination, and twenty years to carve a path through the mountain separating his poor village from the nearby village with schools, markets, and a hospital. 'Manjhi Moves a Mountain' shows how everyone can make a difference if their heart is big enough.
Interest Grade Level: K-5
COE Library | RR Library | Amazon

Michelle Kwan by Stephanie Cham
Highlights the life and career of Asian American figure skater and Olympic medalist Michelle Kwan
Interest Grade Level: PreK-2
MackinVia | Amazon

My Life as a Chinese Immigrant by Max Caswell
Briefly explores what life might have been like for Chinese immigrant laborers in the United States as they worked to build the Central Pacific Railroad Company in the nineteenth century.
Interest Grade Level: 2-5
MackinVia | Amazon

Ohana Means Family by Ilima Loomis
In this cumulative rhyme in the style of "The House That Jack Built," a family celebrates Hawaii and its culture while serving poi at a luau.
Interest Grade Level: PreK-3
COE Library | RR Library | Amazon

Queen of Physics: How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the Atom by Rebecca Huang
Chronicles the life and work of Chinese American experimental physicist Wu Chien Shiung, born more than a century ago, who became one of the most important scientists in the field of nuclear physics. Her accomplishments include working on the Manhattan Project, being the first female instructor at Princeton University, the first woman elected President of the American Physical Society, and the first living person to have an asteroid named after her. Also examines the sexism and racism she faced both in China and the United States. Includes biographical information, a glossary of physics terms, and further reading.
Interest Grade Level: 1-4
MackinVia | RR Library | Amazon

Rice is Life by Rita Golden Gelman, Yangsook Choi
Text and illustrations demonstrate the importance of rice to life on the island of Bali in the country of Indonesia, where rice is consumed for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Interest Grade Level: K-3
COE Library | RR Library

Ruby's Wish by Shirin Bridges
In China, at a time when few girls are taught to read or write, Ruby dreams of going to the university with her brothers and male cousins.
Interest Grade Level: K-2
COE Library | MackinVia | RR Library | Amazon

Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr
Hospitalized with the dreaded atom bomb disease, leukemia, a child in Hiroshima races against time to fold one thousand paper cranes to verify the legend that by doing so a sick person will become healthy.
Interest Grade Level: 3-7
COE Library | RR Library | Amazon

Same, Same but Different by Jenny Kostecki-Shaw
Pen pals Elliott and Kailash discover that even though they live in different countries--America and India--they both love to climb trees, own pets, and ride school buses.
Interest Grade Level: PreK-2
COE Library | RR Library | Amazon

Save Me a Seat by Sarah Weeks, Gita Varadarajan
Ravi has just moved to the United States from India and has always been at the top of his class; Joe has lived in the same town his whole life and has learning problems--but when their lives intersect in the first week of fifth grade they are brought together by a common enemy (the biggest bully in their class) and the need to take control of their lives
Interest Grade Level: 3-6
COE Library | MackinVia | RR Library | Amazon

Shining Star: The Anna May Wong Story by Paula Yoo
A biography of Anna May Wong, the first Chinese American movie star. Describes her challenge in the 1930s to find parts, many of which were demeaning and stereotypical, and her later crusade for more meaningful roles for Asian American actors.
Interest Grade Level:2-5
MackinVia | Amazon

Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds: The Sammy Lee Story by Paula Yoo
The story of Sammy Lee, a Korean American who realized both his father's desire that he become a doctor and his own dream of becoming an Olympic champion diver.
Interest Grade Level: 2-4
COE Library | MackinVia | RR Library | Amazon

Su Dongpo: Chinese Genius by Demi
An illustrated biography of Su Dongpo, Chinese poet, civil engineer, and statesman, whose appreciation for nature and justice were evident in his works and led him to experience both triumph and adversity in eleventh-century China.
Interest Grade Level: 4-6
COE Library | RR Library | Amazon

Surfer of the Century: The Life of Duke Kahanamoku by Ellie Crowe
Explores the life, courage, and sportsmanship of Hawaiian surfer Duke Kahanamoku.
Interest Grade Level: 2-3
COE Library | RR Library | Amazon

The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman
Four determined homeless children make a life for themselves in Chennai, India.
Interest Grade Level: 4-7
COE Library | RR Library | Amazon

The Grand Plan to Fix Everything by Uma Krishnaswami
Eleven-year-old Dini loves movies, and so when she learns that her family is moving to India for two years, her devastation over leaving her best friend in Maryland is tempered by the possibility of meeting her favorite actress, Dolly Singh.
Interest Grade Level: 3-7
COE Library | RR Library | Amazon

The Great Wall of Lucy Wu by Wendy Wan Long Shang
Eleven-year-old aspiring basketball star and interior designer Lucy Wu finally has her own bedroom, until her great-aunt visits and has to share her room for several months.
Interest Grade Level: 3-7
COE Library | RR Library | Amazon

The Last Princess: The Story of Princess Kaʻiulani of Hawaiʻi by Fay Stanley, Diane Stanley
Text and colorful illustrations tell the life story of Princess Ka'iulani, the late nineteenth-century heir to the Hawaiian throne who fought for her people but did not survive to become queen.
Interest Grade Level: 2-6
COE Library | Amazon

The Legend of Lao Tzu and Tao Te Ching Dao De Jing by Demi
Introduces children to the life and teachings of Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu, who is credited with creating the Tao Te Ching
Interest Grade Level: 1-4
COE Library | RR Library | Amazon

The Many Colors of Harprett Singh by Supriya Kelkar
Harpreet, a young Sikh boy, has a different colored patka, or turban, for each of the different emotions he feels. When Harpreet's family moves across the country from sunny California to a new snowy town, Harpreet chooses the white patka every day. He just wants to be invisible. Then Harpreet meets a new friend and slowly he begins wearing other colors of patkas again. Includes a note about Sikhism.
Interest Grade Level: PreK-2
MackinVia | Amazon

The Moose of Ewenki by Gerelchimeg Blackcrane
A hunter and reindeer farmer from Mongolia, Gree Shek, unwittingly shoots the mother of a young moose. Gree raises the moose in a reindeer camp in the mountains, and the moose becomes his pet. When Gree grows old, he tries to bring the moose to live in the village, but it causes too much trouble, so Gree brings him back up mountain, where Gree dies and legend says the moose watches over his former master.
Interest Grade Level: 1-3
MackinVia | Amazon

The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi
After Unhei moves from Korea to the United States, her new classmates help her decide what her name should be.
Interest Grade Level: K-3
COE Library | MackinVia | RR Library | Amazon

This Next New Year by Janet S. Wong, Yangsook Choi
A family prepares to celebrate the Lunar New Year and looks forward to the good luck they hope it will bring.
Interest Grade Level: K-3
COE Library | RR Library | Amazon

Vietnamese Americans by Nichol Bryan
Provides information on the history of Vietnam and on the customs, language, religion, and experiences of Vietnamese Americans.
Interest Grade Level: 2-4
COE Library | Amazon

Vietnamese Heritage by Tamra Orr
Explores the language, religions, food, and culture of Vietnam. Includes color photographs, a glossary, and resources for further information.
Interest Grade Level: 2-5
MackinVia | Amazon

Who Was Genghis Khan? by Nico Medina
Presents a biography of Mongolian ruler Genghis Khan. Covers his early years and political and militaristic accomplishments. Includes a timeline and a bibliography.
Interest Grade Level: 3-5
MackinVia | Amazon

Your Name is a Song by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow
Little girl named Kora-Jalimuso is frustrated at school because every teacher and all her classmates cannot pronounce her name. To help her, the girl's mother tells her that her name is her song, and that she should love the musicality of all names--African, Asian, Black-American, Latinx, and Middle Eastern, White. The next day, Kora-Jalimuso teaches her classmates as well as her teacher how to sing her name, and all their names as well.
Interest Grade Level: PreK-3
COE Library | Amazon