5 AAPI Children's Book Authors to Support today!
May marks Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. This month pays tribute and recognizes the contributions and influences of Asian-American and Pacific Islanders within the US and throughout the world. I wanted to highlight a few AAPI authors who share their culture and influence throughout the stories they create.
Katrina Liu is an American-born Chinese mom and author living in San Francisco, California. Her goal is to add more Asian representation into the world of children's books. She's written a variety of children's books including bilingual children's books in Chinese and English for non-native speakers. @minalearnschinese - Gift for Popo, 🎁👵🏼 a children’s book about the special relationship between a grandchild and his grandmother is now live on Kickstarter! Visit her website: www.minalearnschinese.com
Yobe is an educator, entrepreneur, and mom who lives in NYC. As an educator, she focused on teaching families to embrace love, diversity, and different cultures. Support @byyobeqiu - Asian Holiday Series Activity Workbook - Help your child or a special child in your life embrace their Asian culture, identity and celebrate their Asian cultures with this gorgeously designed interactive journal. Visit her website: www.byyobeqiu.com
Tracy Guan is an author, mom, and speech-language pathologist. She has always been captivated by the power of storytelling. Born to hardworking and resilient first-generation immigrant parents, she grew up falling in love with the powerful words and stories that nurtured her household. Support @tangerineandjadepress - Lunchtime with Samnang is a colorful and vibrant story about a young Cambodian-American boy who explores his Khmer culture and heritage through the love of food and travel. Visit her website: https://www.instagram.com/tangerineandjadepress/
Ajanta Chakraborty was born in Bhopal, India, and moved to North America in 2001. She earned an MS in Computer Science from the University of British Columbia and a Senior Diploma in Bharatanatyam, a classical Indian dance, to feed her spirit. Support @culturegroovekids - Do you know about the 5 days of Diwali, India's Festival of Lights? Go on an adventure with Maya, Neel, and their cute little partner, Chintu the squirrel, as they learn all about this famous Indian festival of lights including Dhanteras, Diwali sweets, Rangoli drawings, fireworks, and the special sibling bond of Bhai Dooj. Visit her website: https://linktr.ee/culturegroovekids/
Ilima Loomis is a Hawaii-based freelance writer with more than 18 years of experience in journalism and content marketing. With a background in writing about science and technology, she has a knack for taking a complex subject and helping readers understand not only "what’s going on" but "why should I care." Ohana Means Family was written by Ilima Loomis - Join the family, or ohana, as they farm taro for poi to prepare for a traditional luau celebration with a poetic text in the style of The House That Jack Built. Visit her website: https://ilimaloomis.com/
Fun fact: I lived in Asia twice (three times if you count Afghanistan). First as a child in Japan and then as an adult in South Korea. I loved both the Japanese and South Korean cultures and both have had an immense impact on how I see the world.
Support these authors today!