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There’s nothing we love more than a well-stocked kids’ bookshelf — unless it’s a diverse well-stocked kids’ bookshelf! And since May is Asian American and Pacific Islander American (AAPI) Heritage Month, we’ve curated this collection of some of the best kids’ books by AAPI authors. From lessons about Asian culture and tradition to lessons about racism and staying true to yourself, for toddlers to teens, there’s something for absolutely everyone on this list. We’ve arranged them in order of age level, from the youngest readers to the oldest.

Not only are these beautifully written and illustrated stories that your kids will love, they’re also the perfect way to begin conversations about inclusivity and empathy. Anti-Asian hate crimes rose a staggering 339% last year over the previous year, which highlights the absolute necessity of teaching our kids how to show kindness, appreciation for other cultures, and support for people who may be treated as “other.”

For AAPI Heritage Month, and every month, these kids’ books by AAPI authors show us that there’s such beauty in diversity — and that we’re all much more alike than it seems.

This fun book takes kids on a journey through Asia via the ABCs! A is for áo dài dresses; B is for bibimbap; C is for Cambodia, and so on. Each letter features a fun lesson about some aspect of Asian culture, whether it’s food, fashion, or tradition! Perfect for little kids to learn their ABCs, but this is one of those books that even bigger kids enjoy listening to (and adults will learn something too!).

Ages 2-7

In this New York Times bestselling book, a young Asian girl learns to be proud of the shape of her beautiful eyes that “kiss in the corners and glow like warm tea” — and to feel connected to her family through the shared trait.

Ages 2-7

This fun and whimsical story is about Suki’s prized possession: a blue kimono given to her by her grandmother. She loves it so much she wants to wear it on the first day of school. And through her kimono and a special song and dance, she teaches her enthusiastic classmates a lesson in Japanese culture — and in being yourself.

Ages 4-7

Foodies might recognize the name J. Kenji López-Alt, since he’s a renowned chef and food columnist — but in this New York Times bestselling book, he tells the tale of Pipo, a girl on a quest to prove that pizza is the best food ever. Pipo is quite sure of this fact … until she tastes foods in her neighborhood, everything from Korean bibimbop to Moroccan tagine, and realizes that maybe her beloved pizza isn’t the only food worthy of being called “the best.”

Ages 2-6

This heartwarming story about a boy and his grandfather proves that you don’t need words to form a bond. When the boy visits, he is frustrated that he and his grandfather don’t have a shared language to communicate with — but when they start to draw together, magic happens. Drawn Together has been the recipient of much praise, winning the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature, as well as awards from Wall Street Journal, NPR, Smithsonian, Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, and Booklist, just to name a few!

Ages 3-8

In this bestselling classic, Unhei has just moved to the U.S. from Korea, and she’s worried about fitting in — especially that no one will be able to pronounce her name. So she decides to choose an American name from a jar … until a friend helps her realize that the most beautiful name is the one she already has.

Ages 5-9

Laxmi never paid much attention to her body hair — until some friends pointed out the hairs on her upper lip at recess. When she brings her “mooch” up to her parents, they help her celebrate her uniqueness by pointing out other beautiful creatures who have hair elsewhere than on their heads in this exuberant story of self-acceptance.

Ages 4-8

Based on a true story, this brightly illustrated book highlights the pride the narrator has in her grandmother. Where many grandparents might drop their grandkids off at school, it’s the opposite in this case — she drops her Aaji off with all the other aajis who are finally getting to go to school for the first time in their lives. It’s an inspiring story of overcoming the limitations of illiteracy, and shows you’re never too old to learn new things.

Ages 6-8

Sumo Joe is the story of a devoted big brother who loves spending time with his little sister — and, on the weekends, sumo wrestling with his friends. When little sister wants to join in the sumo fun, Sumo Joe has to make a very hard decision: tell his sister no, or break the ultimate “no girls allowed” rule.

Ages 4-7

This gorgeously illustrated book draws from the experiences of author Kao Kalia Yang as a Hmong refugee. Young Kalia is unhappy with her smile and wants to get braces, but the family finances don’t allow for it. Her grandmother — with just one tooth — helps her discover where true beauty lies.

Ages 5-9

A Caldecott Medal Winner, Newbery Honor Book, and an APALA Award Winner, this book’s simple text and gorgeous illustrations convey a deep meaning. When her Chinese immigrant parents stop to gather watercress from an Ohio ditch, a young girl is so embarrassed — why can’t they buy their food at a grocery store like everyone else? But when her mother explains how important foraging was during her own childhood, the girl learns a powerful lesson about her parents’ motivation.

Ages 4-10

With a long list of accolades including Caldecott Honor Book, Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Honor and New Illustrator Honor, and the Charlotte Zolotow Award, this book tells the story of young Bao, who woke before dawn with his father to fish in order to get food for the family. His father tells him a tale of a pond in their homeland of Vietnam, and in the quiet time together, they forge a father-son bond that makes Bao realize just how amazing his dad really is.

Ages 4-8

This is the colorful story of a Thai girl named Noot, whose village families make their living crafting and painting beautiful umbrellas. When Noot is finally old enough to paint, she’s happy about it — but instead of traditional flowers, she wants to paint elephants, which is a definite no-no. The King is coming to the village to choose the Umbrella Queen — the one who has painted the most beautiful umbrella. Would he ever choose someone who breaks with tradition?

Ages 4-8

This book by Grace Lin is described as “a fantasy crossed with Chinese folklore” and is a tale of a bold adventure with lots of magical creatures along the way. Minli, who lives with her parents in a run-down hut, loves to hear her father tell the story of the Old Man on the Moon, who has the answers to every question. So she sets out to find him in a quest to change her family’s fortune.

Ages 7-10

In New York Times bestselling author John Cho’s Troublemaker, we follow Jordan — a 12-year-old Korean-American — as he struggles to navigate school, a family whose expectations he can never seem to live up to, and the very real and very frightening racial tension that escalates in the wake of the LA Riots.

Ages 8-12

Winner of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Children’s Literature, this book follows the everyday adventures of 10-year-old Mia Tang. She lives in a motel, where her immigrant parents clean the rooms — and hide other immigrants. If the mean motel owner, Mr. Yao, finds out what her parents are doing, it’s certain doom. Between managing the motel’s front desk, eluding Mr. Yao, and trying to convince her skeptical parents that she should follow her dreams of becoming a writer, Mia has to work hard. Will she be able to handle it all?

Ages 9-11

Winner of the Newbery Medal, the Asian/Pacific American Award for Children’s Literature, and a New York Times bestseller, this book brings to life a Korean folk tale through the eyes of Lily, who is helping her sick grandmother reconcile with a secret family history. When a magical tiger approaches Lily with a deal in exchange for her grandmother’s health, she realizes that deals with tigers are never what they seem.

Age 9+

Set in 1880 and narrated by Hanna, a half-Asian girl living in the Midwest, this middle-grade novel is both poignant and witty — and a look at how hard it is to fit in when your entire town has a prejudice against Asians.

Ages 10-12

In this book, in equal measure funny and heartbreaking, Indian-American Karina and her grandfather are targeted in a hate crime based on their looks — prompting Karina and her friend Chris to post photos of the attack online, which quickly go viral. It ends up sparking an entire social media movement that begs the question, “What does an American look like?”

Ages 10-12

This is the award-winning story of Pakistani immigrant Nurah, who desperately wants to fit in at her new school in Georgia. But nearly everything about her makes her stand out, and she feels uncomfortable — until she finds her place on the swim team. Nurah wants to be as good as her athletic brother, Owais, and she works hard toward that goal … but sibling rivalry causes her to make a bad choice that changes both their fates.

Age 8-12

This New York Times bestselling graphic novel has been described as “an action-packed modern fable.” It marries the stories of three seemingly-unrelated characters: Jin Wang, the only Chinese kid at his new school; Chinese folk character The Monkey King; and Chin-Kee, who personifies every negative Chinese stereotype (and is ruining his cousin’s life every time he visits). Their storylines come together seamlessly — with a very unexpected twist.

Age 12+

In this graphic novel, Robin is growing up as the child of a single mother in Seoul, Korea. But when her mother relocates them to the U.S. to get married, it throws Robin’s life into a tailspin. She doesn’t get along with her stepfamily, she doesn’t fit in at her new school, and she’s struggling. But when her mother enrolls her in a local comic drawing class, it changes everything.

Ages 13-17

The recipient of many honors, written by New York Times bestselling author Traci Chee, this young adult novel follows a close-knit group of teenage nisei — second-generation Japanese-American citizens — as their lives are upended when over 100,000 Japanese Americans are incarcerated in concentration camps during World War II.

Ages 12+