By: Samantha Huntington, Community Engagement Assistant
May 7, 2024
May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. What started as a weeklong celebration in 1978 is now a full month where we celebrate and honor AANHPI individuals and communities. This month is the perfect time to intentionally explore works by and about AANHPI individuals.
The Night Eaters by Marjorie M Liu
The first volume in a graphic novel horror trilogy. Chinese American twins, Milly and Billy, are in for a nasty surprise when cleaning the house next door leads to a night of terror, gore, and supernatural mayhem.
A Man of Two Faces by Viet Thanh Nguyen
Viet Thanh Nguyen rewinds the film of his own life. He expands the genre of personal memoir by acknowledging larger stories of refugeehood, colonization, and ideas about Vietnam and America, writing with his trademark sardonic wit and incisive analysis, as well as a deep emotional openness about his life as a father and a son.
Dawn Raid by Pauline Vaeluaga Smith
It comes as a surprise to Sofia and her family when her big brother, Lenny, starts talking about protests, "overstayers", and injustices against Pacific Islanders by the government. Soon the whole family becomes involved in the movement.
Rise: A Pop History of Asian America from the Nineties to Now by Jeff Yang
An intimate, eye-opening, and frequently hilarious guided tour through the pop-cultural touchstones and sociopolitical shifts of the 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and beyond.
A Thousand Steps into Night by Traci Chee
Miuko’s ordinary life is upended when she’s cursed and starts to become a demon with a deadly touch. She embarks on a magical and perilous quest to reverse the curse and get back to her normal life.
To Paradise by Hanya Yanagihara
In an alternate version of 1893 America, a young scion is drawn to a music teacher of no means. In a 1993 Manhattan besieged by the AIDS epidemic, a young Hawaiian man lives with his much older, wealthier partner. In 2093, in a world riven by plagues and governed by totalitarian rule, a powerful scientist's granddaughter tries to navigate life without him.
Superman Smashes the Klan by Gene Luen Yang
Retelling of the 1940s Superman radio serial "Clan of the Fiery Cross." Superman sweeps in to save Roberta and Tommy Lee’s house in Chinatown when it’s attacked by the Klan of the Fiery Kross. Roberta and Tommy need to jump in to help defeat the Klan when Superman is weakened by a mysterious green rock.
The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff
A young Indian woman finds the false rumors that she killed her husband surprisingly useful—until other women in the village start asking for her help getting rid of their own husbands.
Chinese Menu by Grace Lin
A visual and storytelling feast that gives insight on the history, legends, and myths behind your favorite American Chinese dishes.
Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese American by Laura Gao
After spending her early years in Wuhan, China, riding water buffalos and devouring stinky tofu, Laura immigrates to Texas, where her hometown is as foreign as Mars--at least until 2020, when COVID-19 makes Wuhan a household name.