Did you know that May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month? Unfortunately, Karen and I were a bit busy with our Poetry & Verse, Book Starring Guys and Wacky, Gross, Weird & Real! themes so we didn’t get to cover Asian Pacific American books this month!

(Side note: Perhaps we should abbreviate “Wacky, Gross, Weird & Real!” to WGWR!,which should always be shouted out loud due to the exclamation mark. As in, I read a WGWR! book today about honey badgers.)

But just because we didn’t get to do a full theme for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, that doesn’t mean we forgot about it! For those of you who want to celebrate, check out these books:

Project Mulberry by Linda Sue Park
Julia Song is a 7th-grader who moves to Plainfield, Illinois — and her family is the only Korean-American family in the neighborhood. What happens when her mom suggests that Julia and her new friend, Patrick, raise silkworms for the state fair?

Suki’s Kimono by Chieri Uegaki
On her first day of 1st grade, spunky Suki decides to wear her Japanese kimono, because it reminds her of the wonderful summer she spent with her grandmother. Her older sisters protest and her classmates snicker, but Suki dances her way into their hearts!

Farewell to Manzanar: A True Story of Japanese American Experience During and After the World War II Internment by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston and James D. Houston
Even though this was “assigned reading” for school, it has always been one of my favorite books. Jeanne Wakatsuki was only 7 when her family was uprooted and sent to the Manzanar internment camp; it’s fascinating and heart-wrenching to read about her experience there.

Random Kidsmomo Connection: Karen went to the same high school as co-author James D. Houston! Not at the same time, though. Obviously.

Kimchi & Calamari by Rose Kent
14-year-old Joseph Calderaro doesn’t look like a typical Italian-American kid, because he’s ethnically Korean. He was abandoned as a baby in Korea and the Calderaros adopted and raised him in New Jersey. His adopted dad doesn’t get why Joseph is having an identity crisis — or why he would pretend a famous Korean marathon runner is his grandfather.

Even More Books for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month:

• Kira-Kira by Cynthia Kadohata, winner of the 2005 Newbery Award!
• Dragonwings by Laurence Yep
• Rice Without Rain by Minfong Ho
• The Alvin Ho and Ruby Lu series by Lenore Look
• In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson by Bette Bao Lord and Marc Simont

And last but not least, a few different ways to say “I LOVE READING!” (Click on the image to hear it read out loud)

Wǒ ài dúshū (Mandarin Chinese)

Watashi wa dokusho ga daisuki (Japanese)

naneun dogseo leul salang (Korean)

Have you read any of these books? Send in your review or leave a comment below on how you celebrated Asian Pacific Heritage Month!

— Nancy

Kimchi & Calamari caught Nancy’s eye because of its delicious title.

Meet Nancy »

Erm... anyone else think that cat is gigantic?

So, I know our Time Travel theme ended earlier this week, but I hope it’s not too late to tell you guys about one of my favorite books, Yesterday’s Doll by Cora Taylor.

(Once Karen shares with me her secret of how to travel through time, I’ll make sure to mention it in the podcast. For now, this blog entry will have to do.)

In Yesterday’s Doll, while main character, Meg* recovers from an illness, she’s given an old-fashioned doll that’s been in her family for generations. And whenever she falls asleep holding the doll, she dreams that she’s Morag, a girl traveling across the Canadian prairie in a covered wagon… decades ago! Slowly, Meg/Morag discovers why she’s being pulled to the past by this mysterious doll.

By the way — unfortunately, this book’s publisher is not printing new copies any more, so it might be kind of hard to find (I’d lend you a my copy, but… I like it.) So look for it in libraries or ask your parents to track it down… it’s a must-read!

— Nancy

* Um, do you get a Time Travel Card once you’re named Meg or something? WHY WAS I NAMED NANCY? … WHY?!

Reviewed by: Ayra, Age 10 from Ohio

Rating:

“Warriors” is a book series about cats that live in the wild. The first book, “Into the Wild”, features Rusty: A nice house-cat who lives with his humans. However, Rusty soon realizes there is a world beyong his yard. Rusty ventures into the wild and discovers a whole new community of wild cats. Rusty then abandons his easy life and goes to live with the wild cats. Will Rusty survive, or will the whole forest plunge into peril? This book is very interesting, and hooks you into the story as you go along. I would reccomend “Warriors” by Erin Hunter to you anyday! I hope you enjoy this book as much as I do!

Get it? These are hot books because it’s hot in the summer! We’re geniuses, right? Right?! Why are you shaking your head and burying your face in your hands?

Anyway… here are some recommended reads that take place during the summer (in no particular order). If you’re a fan of any of these, send in your review:

1. There’s a Bat in Bunk Five by Paula Danziger
2. Bummer Summer by Ann M. Martin
3. Hot and Cold Summer by Johanna Hurwitz
4. The Summer of the Swans by Betsy Byars
5. Thimble Summer by Elizabeth Enright
6. Absolutely Normal Chaos by Sharon Creech
7. Aquamarine by Alice Hoffman
8. A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck
9. Summer Reading is Killing Me (The Time Warp Trio) by Jon Scieszka
10. Half Magic by Edward Eager
11. Millicent Min, Girl Genius by Lisa Yee
12. Saving Grace by Mary Hoffman

Plus, check out:

• Fudge-a-mania by Judy Blume (Nancy’s pick)
• Pinky Pye by Eleanor Estes (Karen’s pick)
• The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall (our first Kidsmomo Mystery Book!)