Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature 

The goal of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature is to honor and recognize individual work about Asian/Pacific Americans and their heritage, based on literary and artistic merit.

Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature (2006-Present)

2021

Youth Literature

The Youth Literature Committee has selected This Light Between Us written by Andrew Fukuda, published by Tor Teen Book as the Youth Literature Award Winner. 

The honor title is Displacement by Kiku Hughes, published by First Second, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group.

Children’s Literature

The Children’s Literature Committee has selected When You Trap a Tiger written by Tae Keller, published by Random House Children’s Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books a division of Penguin Random House as the Children’s Literature Award Winner. 

The honor title is Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park, published by Clarion Books, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers, a division of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Picture Book

The Picture Books Committee has selected Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist, written by Julie Leung and illustrated by Chris Sasaki, published by Schwartz & Wade an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House.

The honor winner is Danbi Leads the School Parade written and illustrated by Anna Kim, published by Viking Children’s Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.

2020

Youth Literature

The Asian/Pacific American Award for Youth Literature winner is “They Called Us Enemy” by George Takei, Justin Eisinger, Steven Scott, illustrated by Harmony Becker, published by Top Shelf Productions, an imprint of IDW Publishing. The committee selected one Young Adult Literature Honor title “Frankly in Love” by David Yoon published by G. P. Putnam’s Sons, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.

Children’s Literature

“Stargazing” by Jen Wang, published by First Second (Roaring Books Press) is the 2020 Asian/Pacific American Award for Children’s Literature winner. The committee selected one Children’s Literature Honor title, “I’m Ok” by Patti Kim, published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing.  

Picture Book

The Picture Book winner is “Queen of Physics: How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the Atom”, written by Teresa Robeson and illustrated by Rebecca Huang, published by  Sterling Children’s Books.  The committee selected one Picture Book Honor title “Bilal Cooks Daal”, written by Aisha Saeed and illustrated by Anoosha Syed, published by Salaam Reads / Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing. 

2019

Youth Literature

The Asian/Pacific American Award for Youth Literature winner is Darius the Great is Not Okay, written by Adib Khorram, and published by Dial Books.

Darius is an introverted, awkward, tea-loving teenager in Portland, Oregon. He doesn’t fit in at school. Students mock his Persian name, and he is probably the only kid at Chapel Hill High who knows Klingon. Darius feels like a misfit at home too. The only things he shares with his white father are clinical depression and Star Trek nights. Plus, Darius doesn’t feel Persian enough in his family, especially since his younger sister speaks more Farsi. His sense of belonging – in his own skin, in his family, and as a Persian – is tested on his first trip to Iran when he visits his ill grandfather. Darius the Great is Not Okay was chosen as the winning title for its heartfelt portrayal of a teenager seeking a place to belong in his family and his culture. Like the friendship between Darius and Sohrab, the book is a sweet and tender coming-of-age tale. Many readers will relate to its realistic depiction of clinical depression and Darius’s struggle to feel confident in his biracial identity.

The committee selected one Young Adult Literature Honor title The Astonishing Color of After, written by Emily X.R. Pan, and published by Little Brown and Company.

A magical red bird appears in 15-year-old Leigh’s life after both a wonderful and tragic day. The wonderful day: Leigh kisses Axel, the best friend she is in love with. The same tragic day: Leigh comes home to news of her mother’s suicide. Unsure of her relationship with Axel, grieving her mother, and living with a distant father, Leigh feels alone except for the periodic sightings of a red bird. She follows the red bird’s directions to visit her estranged maternal grandparents in Taiwan, where Leigh learns cultural traditions and discovers family secrets. In Taiwan, she seeks connection to her mother’s life and reasons for her mother’s mental illness. Astonishing Color of After was honor for its honest depiction of the pain endured by families after suicide. The committee applauds the authentic representation of Taiwanese traditions and beliefs depicted across generations. The author illustrates a contemporary biracial teenager’s experience of living between cultures with vivid surrealism.

Children’s Literature

Front Desk written by Kelly Yang, and published by Arthur A. Levine Books (Scholastic), is the 2019 Asian/Pacific American Award for Children’s Literature winner.

Debut author Kelly Yang draws from personal experience to create a humorous and poignant novel, Front Desk, centering on 10-year-old Mia who manages a motel with her immigrant parents. Set in the 90s, readers experience firsthand the hardships of the immigrant experience – long working hours, toiling in menial work, institutional and outright racism, in-group oppression of newer immigrants, and the need to bite back one’s tongue. Yang’s take on key social issues is compelling and translatable beyond cultural borders by giving the voiceless a voice. The themes of community, empowerment, and strength are prevalent throughout, depicting the strength we gain from others and how a network of support can bind a community together.

The committee selected one Children’s Literature Honor title, The House that Lou Built, written by Mae Respicio, and published by Wendy Lamb Books.

Inspired by the emerging tiny house movement, Mae Respicio’s The House That Lou Built depicts a biracial protagonist who follows her dreams of building a small home on her father’s land. When her mother falls short on property payments and proposes a move to Northern California, Lou, along with her friends, finds a way to see her dream to reality. Lou redefines home beyond the traditional four walls as “more of a feeling — of comfort and trust, of people who are a part of you.” Respicio’s debut novel portrays Filipino culture with authenticity from personal recollections, creating a story around a rich culture while simultaneously showing the power of being able to depend on those around you.

Picture Book

The Picture Book winner is Drawn Together, written by Minh Lê, illustrated by Dan Santat, and published by Disney Hyperion.

Drawn Together is the story of a Thai-American boy and his grandfather, who seemingly at first do not share many things in common. They do not speak the same language, eat the same things, or have the same tastes in television shows, and so their world together is shared with many moments of silence. One afternoon their relationship changes over a shared love of art that eloquently captures the linguistic and cultural divides that originally separated the two.  As the two settle in to watch television together, the generational differences between them only continue to grow. The boy loses interest and turns to drawing with crayons and markers. The grandfather’s eyes light up and he brings out his calligraphy brush and ink, and they embark on a collaborative creative adventure that builds a bridge between their two worlds to create one, but not without a little tumult along the way. Lê’s words and Dan Santat’s art merge in a perfect blend of subtlety and exuberance to show that despite generational and cultural obstacles, we can be drawn together.

The committee selected one Picture Book Honor title, Grandmother’s Visit written by Betty Quan, illustrated by Carmen Mok, and published by Groundwood Books.

Grandmother’s Visit is a contemplative, quiet exploration of a Chinese-American’s girl loss when her grandmother passes.  The book opens with the sweet relationship between a granddaughter and grandmother who teaches her the secret ratio of rice to water and sharing her rich food memories of her childhood in China.  Everyday grandma walks the little girl to school in the morning and is waiting there for her afterschool to walk back home until one day, grandmother does not walk her to and from school anymore and grandma’s room remains closed and life is never the same after.  The little girl’s family begins the process of grieving, turning on all the lights outside of the house to help grandmother’s spirit say goodbye.  One night, the little girl goes into her grandmother’s room and sees her house key has bookmarked a picture of her grandmother holding her as a baby.  The granddaughter is able to say her final goodbye.  Quan’s quiet and spare tone is illustrated beautifully by Mok’s gray-toned digital paintings that visualize the author’s story of memory and grief. Grandmother’s Visit is a lovely portrait of the relationship between a grandmother and her granddaughter, and just may remind readers that their own memories of grandparents are as numerous, and as clear, as grains of washed rice in water.

2018

Youth Literature

Winner: It’s Not Like It’s A Secret by Misa Sugiura (HarperTeen, An imprint of HarperCollins Publishers ), 2017

Secrets complicate 16-year-old Sana Kiyohara’s life–she suspects her dad is having an affair and she has a crush on her best friend. Sana thinks her family’s move across the country is an opportunity for a fresh start but is confronted with the complexities of race, sexuality, and relationships.

Honor: Saints & Misfits by S.K. Ali (Salaam Reads/Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers), 2017

For Janna Yusuf, there are Saints–the people who help you out–and Monsters–like the boy who everyone thinks is a Saint but Janna knows otherwise. Janna, a self-identified Misfit, examines what’s important to her and whether she has the strength to confront the monster in her life. S.K. Ali delivers her debut novel with a well-developed and much-needed representation of a multicultural Muslim family.

Children’s Literature

Winner: Step Up to the Plate, Maria Singh by Uma Krishnaswami (Tu Books, imprint of Lee and Low), 2017

Maria Singh just wants to play softball (and wear shorts while doing it) but her Mexican Mamá and old fashioned Punjabi Papi don’t believe that girls should play ball. Set in 1945 Yuba City, CA, Step up to the Plate, Maria Singh does what good historical fiction is supposed to do—it provides rich details of the characters’ daily lives, such as the reality of living through a time of rationing and gender inequality, the unfathomability of the internment of Japanese Americans, and the shared meals of chicken curry and tortillas between the extended Indian and Mexican community.

Honor: Cilla Lee-Jenkins: Future Author Extraordinaire by Susan Tan,‎ illustrated by Dana Wulfekotte (Roaring Brook Press, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group), 2017

Cilla Lee-Jenkins: Future Author Extraordinaire is a charming and humorous novel written as journal entries that tell the stories and struggles of a spunky biracial girl. The committee particularly enjoyed that Cilla Lee-Jenkins explored the themes of family and identity through a unique focus on the protagonist’s grandparents.

Picture Book

Winner: A Different Pond written by Bao Phi, illustrated by Thi Bui (Capstone Young Readers), 2017

A young boy is awakened early by his father to go fishing. The story reveals this morning is more than an average father-son trip when we hear the young boy ask his father, “If you got another job, why do we still have to fish for food?” The two meet other characters in the early morning, but soon we are left with the young boy and father where we discover stories of the father’s past at a different pond in his homeland of Vietnam.

Honor: The Nian Monster written by Andrea Wang, illustrated by Alina Chau (Albert Whitman & Company), 2016

Xingling and her grandmother come face-to-face with the legendary Nian monster who is known to have eaten whole villages. When he makes an unwelcome appearance to eat the city Xingling decides to take matters into her own hands. She devises ingenious ways to outwit Nian with his own voracious appetite. Clever onomatopoeia accompanied by charming illustrations makes accessible to children, the Chinese New Year theme, rarely told from a young girl’s perspective. The Nian Monster is a masterpiece, highlighting Chinese New Year, one of the most important holidays in Asia.

2017

Youth

Winner: Outrun the Moon by Stacey Lee (G.P. Putnam)

Stacy Lee has written a richly detailed and compelling historical novel about a smart, driven Chinese American girl set against the backdrop of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. Mercy Wong dreams of freedom and independence from society’s prejudices as well as her own family’s traditions and expectations.

Honor: Watched by Marina Budhos (Wendy Lamb Books)

Pulled from today’s headlines, Marina Budhos’ YA novel explores society’s fear and suspicion of those deemed Other – most especially young Muslim men.  Naeem is one, and he’s always being watched — by his parents, by the neighbors, by the cops, by his little brother, by surveillance cameras.  However, an arrest for shoplifting turns into an opportunity for the Watched to become the Watcher.

Children’s 

Winner: The Land of Forgotten Girls by Erin Entrada Kelly (Greenwillow Books)

Set in Louisiana, The Land of Forgotten Girls is a beautifully crafted story of two sisters’ losses, hopes, and the power of their imaginations. The committee praised the narration for drawing them in instantly and the author’s integration of elements of fantasy, suspense, and realism to create a novel that will appeal to a wide variety of readers.

Honor: Momotaro Xander and the Lost Island of Monsters by Margaret Dilloway (Disney-Hyperion)

Dilloway weaves the Japanese folktale of Momotaro into a modern coming of age adventure story of self-discovery and acceptance laced with strong themes of friendship. The main protagonist, a biracial Asian American, is a new kind of hero that embarks on a thrilling and fast-paced journey to save what is most important to him.

Picture Book

Winner: Puddle by Hyewon Yum (Farrar, Straus and Giroux )

“Puddle celebrates imagination, while showcasing the special bond between a mother and her son on a rainy day. The author’s simple text and story is universal to all while capturing the playful spirit of the relationship between parent and child.”

2016

Youth

• Winner: P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)
  • PS I Still Love You  was a contemporary and relatable story to many teens that we as a committee even wished we had a book like this to read and refer to during our teenage years.  Furthermore, Han is able to depict Lara Jean, the protagonist in a very positive and relatable light for not only for other Asians but people in general as well.  Lara Jean is able to be both Korean and “normal,” and avoids being typecast into certain tropes.
• Honor: Ink and Ashes by Valynne E. Maetani (Tu Books, imprint of Lee & Low Books)
  • Ink and Ashes was very interesting and different than what we had read.  It was contemporary, but yet the readers will learn a lot about the Japanese histories and superstitions through Claire and her research into her family history which contains links to the Yakuza – the Japanese Mafia.  With suspense, mystery, and a dash of romance, this book has teen appeal and would be suitable for a movie adaptation.

Children’s

• Winner: Full Cicada Moon by Marilyn Hilton (Dial Books/Penguin Random House)
  • The committee was especially impressed with Full Cicada Moon, praising Hilton’s engaging examination of racial (and particularly, biracial), gender, and social issues, as well as the powerful verse in which it was elegantly told.  The portrayal of the remarkable Mimi—a strong protagonist whose memorable journey is both stirringly and gracefully developed.
• Honor: Blackbird Fly by Erin Entrada Kelly (Green Willow Books/Harper Collins)
  • Kelly’s entertaining and refreshing debut novel was enjoyed by the committee.  Of one particular note was the sensitive development of its believable protagonist, the smooth detailing of Apple’s ethnic heritage and her struggles to embrace it, and overall, the hopeful yet not overly didactic message it presents on exploring one’s identity and the adolescent experience.

Picture Book

• Winner: Juna’s Jar by Jane Bahk, illustrated by Felicia Hoshino (Lee & Low Books)
  • Juna’s Jar celebrates imagination, while also showcasing cross-racial best friends in modern day Los Angeles. It charmingly captures the adventures and heartache of a little girl—who just happens to be a Korean American.
• Honor: Drum Dream Girl: How One Girl’s Courage Changed Music by Margarita Engle, illustrated by Rafael Lopez (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers)
  • Millo Castro Zaldarriaga is a Chinese-African-Cuban girl who dreamed of drumming at a time when only boys were allowed to drum. Drum Dream Girl celebrates music, culture, gender, and the right to dream.

2015

Youth

• Winner: Tiger Girl by May-Lee Chai (GemmaMedia)
• Honor: Shadow Hero by Gene Luen Yang (First Second), illustration by Sonny Liew.

Children’s

• Winner: Gaijin: American Prisoner of War by Matt Faulkner (Disney/Hyperion Books)
• Honor: Ting Ting by Kristie Hammond (Sono Nis Press, Canada)

Picture Book

• Winner: Hana Hashimoto, Sixth Violin by Chieri Uegaki and Qin Leng (Kids Can Press)
• Honor: Father’s Chinese Opera by Rich Lo (Sky Pony Press)

2014

Picture Book Winner:

• Ji-li Jiang. Red Kite, Blue Kite. Disney/Hyperion.

Picture Book Honor:

• Marissa Moss. Barbed Wire Baseball, illustrated by Yuko Shimizu. Abrams.

Children’s Literature Winner:

• Cynthia Kadohata. The Thing About Luck. Atheneum Books.

Children’s Literature Honor:

• Josanne La Valley. The Vine Basket. Clarion Books.

Youth Literature:

• Leza Lowitz and Shogo Oketani. Jet Black and the Ninja Wind. Tuttle Publishing.

Youth Literature Honor:

• Suzanne Kamata. Gadget Girl: The Art of Being Invisible. GemmaMedia.

2013

Picture Book Winner

• Schoettler, Joan. Good Fortune in a Wrapping Cloth, illustrated by Jessica Lanan, Walnut Creek, CA: Shen’s Books, 2012.

Picture Book Honor

• O’Brien Sibley, Anne. A Path of Stars. Charlesbridge, 2012.

Children’s Literature Winner

• Kang, Hildi. Chengli and the Silk Road Caravan. Terre Haute, IN: Tanglewood Publishing. 2012.

Children’s Literature Honor

• Johnson, Kikuo. Shark King. New York: Toon Books, 2012.

Youth Literature Winner

• Kashyap, Keshni. Tina’s Mouth: An Existential Comic Diary. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012.

Youth Literature Honor

• Inzana, Ryan. Ichiro. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012.

2012

Picture Book Winner

• Young, Ed. The House Baba Built: An Artist’s Childhood in China. New York : Little, Brown and Co., 2011.

Picture Book Honor

• Zia, F. Hot Hot Roti for Dada-ji. Illustrated by Ken Min. New York : Lee & Low Books, 2011.

Children’s Literature Winner

• Shang, Wendy Wan-Long. The Great Wall of Lucy Wu. New York : Scholastic Press, 2011.

Children’s Literature Honor

• Chari, Sheela. Vanished. New York : Disney/Hyperion Books, 2011.

Youth Literature Winner

• Thompson, Holly. Orchards. New York : Delacorte Press, 2011.

Youth Literature Honor

• Yang, Gene Luen. Level Up. New York : First Second, 2011.

2011

Picture Book Winner

• Malaspina, Ann. Yasmin’s Hammer. Illustrated by Doug Chayka.  New York: Lee and Low, 2010.

Picture Book Honor

• Thong, Roseanne. Fly Free! Illustrated by Eujin Kim Neilan.   Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mills Press, 2010

Children’s Literature Winner

Preus, Margi. Heart of a Samurai. New York: Amulet Books (Abrams), 2010.

Children’s Literature Honor

• Perkins, Mitali. Bamboo People. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge, 2010.

Youth Literature Winner

• Senzai, N. H. Shooting Kabul. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2010.

Youth Literature Honor

• Bazaldua, Barbara. A Boy of Heart Mountain. Illustrated by Willie Ito.  Camarillo, CA: Yabitoon Books, 2010.

2010

Picture Book Winner

• Gilmore, Dorina K. Lazo. Cora Cooks Pancit. Illustrated by Kristi Valiant. Walnut Creek, CA: Shen’s Books, 2009.

Honorable Mention for Picture Book

• Iyengar Malathi Michelle. Tan to Tamarind. Illustrated by Jamel Akib. San Francisco: Children’s Book Press, 2009.

Youth Literature Winner

• Woo, Sung. Everything Asian. New York: Thomas Dunne Books, 2009.

Honorable Mention for Text in Youth Literature

• Russell, Ching Yeung. Tofu Quilt. New York: Lee & Low, 2009.

2009

Picture Book  Winner

• Reibstein, Mark.  Wabi Sabi.  Art by Ed Young. New York: Little Brown, 2008.

Honorable Mention for Picture Book

• Sheth, Kashmira. Monsoon Afternoon.  Illustrated by Yoshiko Jaeggi. New York: Peachtree, 2008.

Youth Literature Winner

• Ly, Many.  Roots and Wings. New York: Delacorte, 2008.

Honorable Mention for Text in Youth Literature

• Hirahara, Naomi, 1001 Cranes.  New York: Delacorte, 2008.
• Yoo, Paula.  Good Enough. New York: Harper Collins, 2008.

2008

Picture Book Winner

• Crowe, Ellie. Surfer of the Century.  Illustrated by Richard Waldrep. New York: Lee and Low, 2007.

Honorable Mention for Picture Book

• Barasch, Lynne.  Hiromi’s Hands.  New York: Lee and Low, 2007.

Youth Literature Winner

• Easton, Kelly. Hiroshima Dreams.  New York: Dutton Books, 2007.

Honorable Mention for Text in Children and Young Adult Literature

• Sheth, Kashmira.   Keeping Corner.  New York:  Hyperion, 2007.

2007

Picture Book Winner

• O’Brien, Anne Sibley.  The Legend of Hong Kil Dong: The Robin Hood of Korea.  Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge, 2006

Honorable Mention for Picture Book

• Yin. Brothers.  Illustrated by Chris Soentpiet.  New York: Philomel. 2006.

Youth Literature Winner

• Headley, Justina Chen  Nothing But the Truth. New York.  Little, Brown, and Co., 2006.

Honorable Mention for Youth Literature

• Lin, Grace.  Year of the Dog. New York: Little, Brown and Co., 2006.

2006

Picture Book Winner

• Park, Linda Sue. Firekeeper’s Son, illustrated by Julie Downing.  New York: Clarion Books, 2004.

Honorable Mention for Picture Book

• Lipp, Frederick. Bread Song, illustrated by Jason Gaillard.  New York: Mondo Publishing, 2004.
• Yoo, Paula. Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds, illustrated by Dom Lee. New York: Lee & Low Books, 2005.

Youth Literature Winner

• Kadohata, Cynthia. Kira Kira. New York: Atheneum, 2004.

Honorable Mention for Youth Literature

• Park, Linda Sue. Project Mulberry. New York: Clarion Books, 2005.
• Cheng, Andrea. Shanghai Messenger, New York: Lee & Low Books, 2005.

https://www.apalaweb.org/awards/literature-awards/