May 2021
May is a busy month! It is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness Month. We celebrate mothers and at the end of the month we remember those who died while serving in the U.S. military. 
 
Book Buzz has chosen to focus on Asian American and Pacific Islander titles this month, with a special highlight of authors Laurence Yep and Grace Lin. We hope you enjoy!
 
 
 Book Buzz highlights library materials and resources for elementary age children and is published monthly. 
 
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In this Issue
Laxmi's mooch
Grandpa across the ocean
I dream of Popo
Sumo Joe
Watercress
Hot, hot roti for Dada-ji
American as paneer pie
Unexpected super spy
We belong
Soul lanterns
Peter Lee's notes from the field
Secrets of the terra-cotta soldier
It began with a page : how Gyo Fujikawa drew the way
The seed of compassion : lessons from the life and teachings of His Holiness the Dalai Lama
Twenty-one steps : guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
The fearless flights of Hazel Ying Lee
Fred's big feelings : the life and legacy of Mister Rogers
Fly, girl, fly! : Shaesta Waiz soars around the world
Luna's yum yum dim sum
Fractions, decimals, and percents
The dragon's child : a story of Angel Island
A dragon's guide to the care and feeding of humans
Starry river of the sky
The last marshmallow
Picture Books
Laxmi's Mooch
by Shelly Anand

After Laxmi's friend Zoe points out the hairs on her lip, Laxmi is very self-conscious until her East Indian parents help her to accept and celebrate her appearance.
Grandpa Across the Ocean
by Hyewon Yum

A child who does not know how to bond with a grandparent who lives across the ocean, eats different foods and speaks an unfamiliar language discovers the fascinating things they share in common, from their mischievous natures to their love for building sandcastles. 
I Dream of Popo
by Livia Blackburne

When a young girl and her family emigrate from Taiwan to America, she leaves behind her beloved popo, her grandmother. She misses her popo every day, but even if their visits are fleeting, their love is ever true and strong.
Sumo Joe
by Mia Wenjen

Sumo Joe and his friends pretend to be sumo wrestlers, but when his little sister who takes Aikido wants to join them, Sumo Joe must choose between his friends and his sister. 
Watercress
by Andrea Wang

A little girl traveling through Ohio in an old car helps her family collect muddy, snail-covered watercress from a ditch in the wild before learning the story of her immigrant heritage and how foraging for fresh food helps her loved ones stay together. 
 
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.
Chapter Books
American as Paneer Pie
by Supriya Kelkar

Feeling like she lives two lives as the only Indian American girl in her school, Lekha Divekar is excited to meet a Desi newcomer only to discover that her proud new friend has just relocated to America and is not content to be quiet about bullying. 
Unexpected Super Spy
by Zanib Mian

Omar and his friends team up to raise money to save his family's favorite mosque, and when the money goes missing, they find the most unlikely culprit.
We Belong
by Cookie Hiponia Everman

A debut novel-in-verse, inspired by Filipino mythology, traces the experiences of two sisters who discover their mother’s past as a strong-willed child immigrant at the same time they learn the cultural tale of god’s daughter, Mayari.
Soul Lanterns
by Shaw Kuzki

Joining her family every year at Hiroshima’s lantern-floating ceremony in honor of those lost in the nuclear bombings of World War II, 12-year-old Nozomi asks about her mother’s unnamed lantern and how its reflects an urgent need for world peace.
Peter Lee's Notes From the Field
by Angela Ahn

Eleven year-old Peter Lee has one goal in life: to become a paleontologist. But his summer falls apart when his real-life dinosaur expedition turns out to be a bust, and he watches his dreams go up in a cloud of asthma-inducing dust.
Secrets of the Terra-Cotta Soldier
by Ying Chang Compestine

Through the stories of a centuries-old buried terra-cotta soldier, part of the life-size terra-cotta army that was created to serve and protect the emperor in the afterlife, 13-year-old Ming, a village boy in 1970s China, learns the history of Emperor Qin, known for building the Great Wall of China and renowned for his tomb which contains the amazing terra-cotta army.
Non-Fiction
It Began With a Page : How Gyo Fujikawa Drew the Way
by Kyo Maclear

A picture book portrait of the Japanese-American picture book illustrator and diversity activist, and discusses her imprisonment in a World War II internment camp and her efforts to represent multicultural kids in her art. 
The Seed of Compassion : Lessons From the Life and Teachings of His Holiness the Dalai Lama
by Bstan-Êơdzin-rgya-mtsho

The revered Tibetan leader and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate draws on stories from his own childhood to share universal lessons with young readers about peace, compassion and bringing kindness to the world. 
Twenty-One Steps : Guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
by Jeff Gottesfeld

A respectful tribute to the sentinel guards who keep vigil at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery combines evocative illustrations with spare text describing how Tomb Guards execute their duties with exacting precision to honor those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country. 
The Fearless Flights of Hazel Ying Lee
by Julie Leung

Presents the life and career of Hazel Ying Lee, the first Chinese American woman to fly for the U.S. military.
Fred's Big Feelings : The Life and Legacy of Mister Rogers
by Laura Renauld

An uplifting picture book portrait of the creator and star of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood describes Fred Rogers’ struggles with big feelings in childhood, his relationship with his loving grandfather and his impassioned Capitol Hill hearing about the importance of public television funding. 
Fly, Girl, Fly! : Shaesta Waiz Soars Around the World
by Nancy Roe Pimm

An authorized picture book biography of the first and youngest Afghan woman in history to circle the globe in a single-engine aircraft describes how former refugee Shaesta Waiz made a new life in America and overcame gender stereotypes and a fear of flying to pursue an education and set a world record. 
Math Literacy
Luna's Yum Yum Dim Sum
by Natasha Yim

Accompanying her family to dim sum on her birthday, young Luna uses her math skills to help her brothers divide three pork bao buns among five family members.
Fractions, Decimals, and Percents
by David A. Adler

A stroll around a county fair reveals that fractions, decimals and percents are everywhere, including the pie-eating contest, the arcade and even the prize booth.
Asian American Authors
Laurence Yep

Laurence Yep writes historical fiction and fantasy series, as well as pictures books. Dragon's Gate won the Newbery Award and Dragonwings was a Newbery Honor book.   
 
 
 
The Dragon's Child : A Story of Angel Island
by Laurence Yep

In 1922, ten-year-old Gim Lew leaves his village in China to accompany his father to America, but before they go he must pass a test--without stuttering--at California's Angel Island, where strict officials strive to keep out unwanted immigrants.
A Dragon's Guide to the Care and Feeding of Humans
by Laurence Yep

A first entry in a whimsical series, co-written by the Newbery Honor-winning author of Dragonwings, shares the observations of crusty dragon Miss Drake, who works diligently to train her young human while navigating community challenges. 
Grace Lin

From board books to chapter books Grace Lin writes for a wide-range of audiences. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon was a Newbery Honor book, and The Year of the Dog received an Honorable Mention from the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature.
 
 
 
 
Starry River of the Sky
by Grace Lin

Discovering that the moon has disappeared from the sky above a Chinese village where he works, runaway Rendi wonders about strange local behaviors until a mysterious storyteller arrives at the town's inn and astonishing transformations begin to happen. 
The Last Marshmallow
by Grace Lin

Olivia and Mei have two cups of cocoa and three big marshmallows. Olivia gets one marshmallow, and Mei gets one marshmallow. How will they share the last one? Engages young children in the math of sharing equally.
These titles are a sample!
Check out many more new titles for young people at the Pierce County Library nearest you!
Summer Reading starts June 1, 2021!
Pierce County Library System
3005 112th St. E • Tacoma, WA 98446
253-548-3300

piercecountylibrary.org/