Books About AA.NH/PI Heritage for 6th-8th Graders

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Chanani, Nidhi

Indian-American teen, Priyanka "Pri" Das, attempts to reconnect with her mother's homeland through a magical pashmina shawl. Presented in comic book format.

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Hilton, Marilyn

In 1969 twelve-year-old Mimi and her family move to an all-white town in Vermont, where Mimi's mixed-race background and interest in "boyish" topics like astronomy make her feel like an outsider.

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Hoang, Van

From debut author Van Hoang comes Girl Giant and the Monkey King, a tale packed with magic, adventure, and middle-school woes; perfect for fans of Rick Riordan and Roshani Chokshi.

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Kadohata, Cynthia

Twelve-year-old Hanako and her family, reeling from their confinement in an internment camp, renounce their American citizenship to move to Hiroshima, a city devastated by the atomic bomb dropped by Americans.

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Kelly, Erin Entrada

Twelve-year-old Lalani Sarita takes on the impossible task of traveling to the legendary Mount Isa, towering on an island to the north. Generations of men and boys have died on the same quest--how can a timid young girl in a tiny boat survive the epic tests of the archipelago?

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Khan, Hena

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.

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Kim, Jessica

When eleven-year-old Yumi Chung stumbles into a kids' comedy camp she is mistaken for another student, so she decides to play the part.

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Lai, Thanhha

A California girl, born and raised, Mai can't wait to spend her vacation at the beach. Instead, though, she has to travel to Vietnam with her grandmother, who is going back to find out what really happened to Mai's grandfather during the Vietnam War.

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Lee, Yoon Ha

Min, a thirteen-year-old girl with fox-magic, stows away on a battle cruiser and impersonates a cadet in order to solve the mystery of what happened to her older brother in the Thousand World Space Forces.

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Park, Linda Sue

Prairie Lotus is a powerful, touching, multilayered book about a girl determined to fit in and realize her dreams: getting an education, becoming a dressmaker in her father's shop, and making at least one friend. Acclaimed, award-winning author Linda Sue Park has placed a young half-Asian girl, Hanna, in a small town in America's heartland, in 1880. Hanna's adjustment to her new surroundings, which primarily means negotiating the townspeople's almost unanimous prejudice against Asians, is at the heart of the story. Narrated by Hanna, the novel has poignant moments yet sparkles with humor, introducing a captivating heroine whose wry, observant voice will resonate with readers. In Dakota Territory in the 1880s, half-Chinese Hanna and her white father face racism and resistance to change as they try to make a home for themselves. 

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Respicio, Mae

During the summer before seventh grade, Kaia, who enjoys living in Southern California, visiting the beach with her family, and creating movie make-up effects, makes a film with her friends to win a contest and hopefullly prevent her beloved great-grandtather from moving back to the Philippines.

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Saeed, Aisha

In Pakistan, Amal holds on to her dream of being a teacher even after becoming an indentured servant to pay off her families debt to the wealthy and corrupt Khan family.

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Sekaran, Shanthi

A twelve-year-old boy's life changes when his grandmother comes from India to live with the family in Mariposa, an island country known for its butterflies, that is becoming hostile to immigrants.

Summaries provided by DPL's catalog unless otherwise noted. Click on each title to view more information.