Valerie Ooka Pang
Delicately illustrated picture book about reminiscence isn’t just for kids
In Tonbo, Allen Say, the Caldecott Medal author, follows a white paper airplane that flies through the air of time. He calls the airplane “Tonbo,” which means dragonfly. Say starts out first with his memories as an old man who slowly follows the plane. He remembers different...
“The Rock In My Throat” helps teach kids how to make new English-learners feel included
Moving to the United States and not being able to speak English was difficult for young Kao Kalia Yang, a Hmong immigrant.
Yang talks about her isolation at school in her book The...
‘Tonbo’ tells a soft story about reminiscing paired with lovely illustrations
In Tonbo, Allen Say, the Caldecott Medal author, follows a white paper airplane that flies through the air of time. He calls the airplane...
In ‘The Rock in My Throat,’ a young immigrant overcomes isolation
Moving to the United States and not being able to speak English was difficult for young Kao Kalia Yang, a Hmong immigrant.
Yang talks about...
‘Baba’s Peach Tree’ beautifully illustrates for kids how immigrants bring their dreams and perseverance...
In Baba’s Peach Tree, Marie Tang writes a sensitive and gentle story about the loving family of Tao Hua and her father, Baba,...
Book helps kids grasp wildfires, draws connection to Vietnamese refugees
With the recent wildfires in Los Angeles, California, this book is a timely resource to use with children who do not understand what happens...
Asian American history is essential for young people, telling us who we are
Asian American young people often feel invisible in history and that they do not belong in their country. Many students and adults think that...
Two kids books unpack the harrowing realities of Southeast Asian refugees
Many immigrants come to the United States to find their opportunities and escape hostility. The two books, Last Flight and Finding Papa, are both...
Q&A: Lori Matsukawa’s new picture book is a story from her own childhood
I interviewed Lori Matsukawa about her new picture book, Brave Mrs. Sato, and where she got the idea for the story.
Seattleites know Matsukawa as...
Two kid’s books ask the question: What does it mean to be an American?
Often Asian American children are bullied and the message that is hurled at them is that they are not Americans. Two books to read...
