Grades K - 2

Books for Beginning Readers
  • Chang's Paper Pony by Eleanor Coerr (Chinese American). In San Francisco during the 1850's gold rush, Chang, the son of Chinese immigrants, wants a pony but cannot afford one until his friend Big Pete finds a solution. 64p.
  • Katie Can by Becky Bring McDaniel (Asian American). Although she is too small to roller-skate backwards or ride a bike with no hands, Katie surprises her older brother and sister when she teaches their dog a new trick. 30p.
Picture Books
  • My Chinatown: One Year in Poems by Kam Mak (Chinese American). A boy adjusts to life away from his home in Hong Kong, in the Chinatown of his new American city. 32p.
  • A Visit to Amy-Claire by Claudia Mills (Asian American). A visit to her cousin Amy-Claire helps five-year-old Rachel discover the joys of being a big sister. 27p.
  • The Bicycle Man by Allen Say (Japanese). The amazing tricks two American soldiers do on a borrowed bicycle are a fitting finale for the school sports day festivities in a small village in occupied Japan. 40p.
  • Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say (Japanese American). A Japanese American man recounts his grandfather's journey to America which he later also undertakes, and the feelings of being torn by a love for two different countries. 32p.
  • The Tiny Kite of Eddie Wing by Maxine Trottier (Chinese American). Too poor to buy a real kite, Eddie flies an imaginary one that catches the attention of Old Chan, the wealthy patron of the kite festival. 24p.
  • Yoko by Rosemary Wells (Japanese American). When Yoko brings sushi to school for lunch, her classmates make fun of what she eats--until one of them tries it for himself. 30p. See also “Yoko's Paper Cranes.”
Non-fiction Books
  • Screen of Frogs by Sheila Hamanaka (Japanese). A spoiled rich man in Japan discovers a respect for nature in time to turn his life around. 32p. (J 398.21 Ham)
  • Two of Everything by Lily Toy Hong (Chinese). A poor old Chinese farmer finds a magic brass pot that doubles or duplicates whatever is placed inside it, but his efforts to make himself wealthy lead to unexpected complications. 30p. (J 398.21 Hon)
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