Children's and Young Adult Literature
The Truth about Dragons by ISBN: 1250820588Publication Date: 2023Brought to life with lavish and ornate illustrations, The Truth About Dragons follows a young child on a journey guided by his mother's bedtime storytelling. He quests into two very different forests, as his two grandmothers help him discover two different, but equally enchanting, truths about dragons. Eastern and Western mythologies coexist and enrich each other in this warm celebration of mixed cultural identity.
Dragonfly Eyes by ISBN: 1536200182Publication Date: 2022Ah-Mei and her French grandmother, Nainai, share a rare bond. Maybe it's because Ah-Mei is the only girl grandchild. Or maybe it's because the pair look so much alike and neither resembles the rest of their Chinese family. Politics and war make 1960s Shanghai a hard place to grow up, especially when racism and bigotry are rife, and everyone seems suspicious of Nainai's European heritage and interracial marriage. In this time of political upheaval, Ah-Mei and her family suffer much--and when the family silk business falters, they are left with almost nothing. Ah-Mei and her grandmother are resourceful, but will the tender connection they share bring them enough strength to carry through? This multigenerational saga by one of China's most esteemed children's authors takes the reader from 1920s France to a ravaged postwar Shanghai and through the convulsions of the Cultural Revolution.
Foul Lady Fortune by ISBN: 9781665905602Publication Date: 2022Four years ago, Rosalind Lang was brought back from the brink of death, but the strange experiment that saved her also stopped her from sleeping and aging--and allows her to heal from any wound. In short, Rosalind cannot die. Now, desperate for redemption for her traitorous past, she uses her abilities as an assassin for her country. Code name: Fortune. But when the Japanese Imperial Army begins its invasion march, Rosalind's mission pivots.
The Dragon's Promise by ISBN: 0593300963Publication Date: 2022Princess Shiori made a deathbed promise to return the dragon's pearl to its rightful owner, but keeping that promise is more dangerous than she ever imagined. She must journey to the kingdom of dragons, navigate political intrigue among humans and dragons alike, fend off thieves who covet the pearl for themselves and will go to any lengths to get it, all while cultivating the appearance of a perfect princess to dissuade those who would see her burned at the stake for the magic that runs in her blood. The pearl itself is no ordinary cargo; it thrums with malevolent power, jumping to Shiori's aid one minute, and betraying her the next--threatening to shatter her family and sever the thread of fate that binds her to her true love. It will take every ounce of strength Shiori can muster to defend the life and the love she's fought so hard to win.
The Chinese Emperor's New Clothes by ISBN: 9781683351047Publication Date: 2017Ming Da is only nine years old when he becomes the emperor of China, and his three advisors take advantage of him by stealing his stores of rice, gold, and precious stones. But Ming Da has a plan. With the help of his tailors, he comes up with a clever idea to outsmart his devious advisors: He asks his tailors to make "magical" new clothes for him. Anyone who is honest, the young emperor explains, will see the clothes' true splendor, but anyone who is dishonest will see only burlap sacks. The emperor dons a burlap sack, and the ministers can't help but fall for his cunning trick.
The Crystal Ribbon by ISBN: 0545767032Publication Date: 2017In the village of Huanan, in medieval China, the deity that rules is the Great Huli Jing. Though twelve-year-old Li Jing's name is a different character entirely from the Huli Jing, the sound is close enough to provide constant teasing-but maybe is also a source of greater destiny and power. Jing's life isn't easy. Her father is a poor tea farmer, and her family has come to the conclusion that in order for everyone to survive, Jing must be sacrificed for the common good. She is sold as a bride to the Koh family, where she will be the wife and nursemaid to their three-year-old son, Ju'nan.
When the Sea Turned to Silver (National Book Award Finalist) by ISBN: 0316125946Publication Date: 2017Everyone knows that the Emperor wants something called the Luminous Stone That Lights the Night. Determined to have her grandmother returned, Pinmei embarks on a journey to find the Luminous Stone alongside her friend Yishan, a mysterious boy who seems to have his own secrets to hide. Together, the two must face obstacles usually found only in legends to find the Luminous Stone and save Pinmei's grandmother--before it's too late.
Starry River of the Sky by ISBN: 0316125970Publication Date: 2012The moon is missing from the remote Village of Clear Sky, but only a young boy named Rendi seems to notice! Rendi has run away from home and is now working as a chore boy at the village inn. He can't help but notice the village's peculiar inhabitants and their problems. But one day, a mysterious lady arrives at the Inn with the gift of storytelling, and slowly transforms the villagers and Rendi himself. As she tells more stories and the days pass in the Village of Clear Sky, Rendi begins to realize that perhaps it is his own story that holds the answers to all those questions.
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by ISBN: 0307746046Publication Date: 2009In the Valley of Fruitless Mountain, a young girl named Minli spends her days working hard in the fields and her nights listening to her father spin fantastic tales about the Jade Dragon and the Old Man of the Moon. Minli's mother, tired of their poor life, chides him for filling her head with nonsense. But Minli believes these enchanting stories and embarks on an extraordinary journey to find the Old Man of the Moon and ask him how her family can change their fortune.
American Born Chinese by ISBN: 9781596432086Publication Date: 2006A tour-de-force by rising indy comics star Gene Yang,American Born Chinese tells the story of three apparently unrelated characters: Jin Wang, who moves to a new neighborhood with his family only to discover that he's the only Chinese-American student at his new school; the powerful Monkey King, subject of one of the oldest and greatest Chinese fables; and Chin-Kee, a personification of the ultimate negative Chinese stereotype, who is ruining his cousin Danny's life with his yearly visits.
My Chinatown by ISBN: 0064437329Publication Date: 2002My Chinatown explores a boy's first year in the United States--after emigrating from China--as he grows to love his new home in Chinatown through food, games, and the people surrounding him. Through Kam Mak's spare verse and richly detailed artwork, the streets of Chinatown come vividly alive.
The Emperor's New Clothes: a Tale Set in China by ISBN: 9780689830686Publication Date: 2000Long ago in a province in China there lived an emperor whose greatest pleasure in life was to dress in new clothes. So begins Demi's retelling of the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale about a proud emperor who does not see what is obvious until he hears the truth from a child.
Ties That Bind, Ties That Break by ISBN: 9780440415992Publication Date: 1999Knowing she will never run again once her feet are bound, Ailin rebels and refuses to follow this torturous tradition. As a result, however, the family of her intended husband breaks their marriage agreement. And as she enters adolescence, Ailin finds that her family is no longer willing to support her.
Yeh-Shen by ISBN: 9780698113886Publication Date: 1982Half-starved and overworked by her stepmother, Yeh-Shen's only friend is a fish with golden eyes. When the stepmother kills the fish for dinner, poor Yeh-Shen is left with only the bones. But the bones are filled with a powerful spirit. When Ye-Shen is forbidden to attend the annual spring Festival, the spirit grants her a gown of azure blue and delicate golden slippers.
The Story about Ping by ISBN: 9780670672233Publication Date: 1933Ping's misadventures one night while exploring the world around his home form the basis of this timeless classic, which is brought to life by Kurt Wiese's warm and poignant illustrations.
Up, up, Ever up! Junko Tabei: a Life in the Mountains by ISBN: 0063242419Publication Date: 2024Anita Yasuda's evocative picture book biography about Junko Tabei, the first woman to summit Everest, is equal parts grit and grace. Dazzlingly illustrated by Caldecott Honor artist Yuko Shimizu.
A Thousand Steps into Night by ISBN: 0358469988Publication Date: 2022When a girl who's never longed for adventure is hit with a curse that begins to transform her into a demon, she embarks on a quest to reverse the curse and return to her normal life, but along the way is forced to confront her true power within.
Himawari House by ISBN: 9781250235565Publication Date: 2021Living in a new country is no walk in the park--Nao, Hyejung, and Tina can all attest to that. The three of them became fast friends through living together in the Himawari House in Tokyo and attending the same Japanese cram school. Nao came to Japan to reconnect with her Japanese heritage, while Hyejung and Tina came to find freedom and their own paths. Though each of them has her own motivations and challenges, they all deal with language barriers, being a fish out of water, self discovery, love, and family.
Soul Lanterns by ISBN: 0593174372Publication Date: 2021Twelve-year-old Nozomi lives in the Japanese city of Hiroshima. She wasn't even born when the bombing of Hiroshima took place. Every year Nozomi joins her family at the lantern-floating ceremony to honor those lost in the bombing. People write the names of their deceased loved ones along with messages of peace, on paper lanterns and set them afloat on the river. This year Nozomi realizes that her mother always releases one lantern with no name.
Beyond Me by ISBN: 1481437909Publication Date: 2020An earthquake shakes Japan to its core. A tsunami crashes into Japan's coast. Everything changes. In the aftermath of the natural disasters that have struck her country, eleven-year-old Maya is luckier than many. Her family didn't lose their home, their lives, or each other. But Maya still can't help feeling paralyzed with terror, and each aftershock that ripples out in the days that follow makes her fear all over again that her luck could change in an instant.
In a Flash by ISBN: 1101934166Publication Date: 2020Caught in Japan and separated from their father when World War II begins, Italian sisters Simona, thirteen, and Carolina, ten, embark on a trying journey hoping to reach safety. Includes historical notes.
They Called Us Enemy: Expanded Edition by ISBN: 1603094709Publication Date: 2020In 1942, at the order of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, every person of Japanese descent on the west coast was rounded up and shipped to one of ten "relocation centers," hundreds or thousands of miles from home, where they would be held for years under armed guard. They Called Us Enemy is Takei's firsthand account of those years behind barbed wire, the terrors and small joys of childhood in the shadow of legalized racism, his mother's hard choices, his father's tested faith in democracy, and the way those experiences planted the seeds for his astonishing future.
The Phone Booth in Mr. Hirota's Garden by ISBN: 1459821033Publication Date: 2019When the tsunami destroyed Makio's village, Makio lost his father . . . and his voice. The entire village is silenced by grief, and the young child's anger at the ocean grows. Then one day his neighbor, Mr. Hirota, begins a mysterious project--building a phone booth in his garden.
A Place to Belong by ISBN: 1481446649Publication Date: 2019World War II has ended, but while America has won the war, twelve-year-old Hanako feels lost. To her, the world, and her world, seems irrevocably broken. America, the only home she's ever known, imprisoned then rejected her and her family--and thousands of other innocent Americans--because of their Japanese heritage, because Japan had bombed Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Japan, the country they've been forced to move to, the country they hope will be the family's saving grace, where they were supposed to start new and better lives, is in shambles because America dropped bombs of their own--one on Hiroshima unlike any other in history.
The Monster on the Road Is Me by ISBN: 0374316546Publication Date: 2016Koda Okita is a high school student in modern-day Japan who isn't very popular. He suffers from narcolepsy and has to wear a watermelon-sized helmet to protect his head in case he falls. But Koda couldn't care less about his low social standing. He is content with taking long bike rides and hanging out in the convenience store parking lot with his school-dropout friend, Haru. But when a rash of puzzling deaths sweeps his school, Koda discovers that his narcoleptic naps allow him to steal the thoughts of nearby supernatural beings. He learns that his small town is under threat from a ruthless mountain demon that is hell-bent on vengeance.
The Bamboo Sword by ISBN: 1613128355Publication Date: 2015Set in 1853 in Japan, this novel follows Yoshi, a Japanese boy who dreams of someday becoming a samurai. Unfortunately, as part of the serving class, Yoshi can never become a warrior. He is taken up by Manjiro, the protagonist of Preus's Heart of a Samurai, and becomes his servant and secret watchdog. Meanwhile, Commodore Matthew Perry and his USS Susquehanna squadron of steamships arrive in Edo Bay demanding "diplomatically" that Japan open its ports to foreign trade.
Tomo by ISBN: 1611720060Publication Date: 2012This aptly named fiction anthology--tomo means "friend" in Japanese--is a true labor of friendship to benefit teens in Japan whose lives were upended by the violent earthquake and tsunami of March 11, 2011. Authors from Japan and around the world have contributed works of fiction set in or related to Japan. Young adult English-language readers will be able to connect with their Japanese counterparts through stories of contemporary Japanese teens, ninja andyokai teens, folklore teens, mixed-heritage teens, and non-Japanese teens who call Japan home. Tales of friendship, mystery, love, ghosts, magic, science fiction, and history will propel readers to Japan past and present and to Japanese universes abroad.
Korea
In Limbo: a Graphic Memoir by ISBN: 1250252660Publication Date: 2023Ever since Deborah (Jung-Jin) Lee emigrated from South Korea to the United States, she's felt her otherness. For a while, her English wasn't perfect. Her teachers can't pronounce her Korean name. Her face and her eyes--especially her eyes--feel wrong. In high school, everything gets harder. Friendships change and end, she falls behind in classes, and fights with her mom escalate. Caught in limbo, with nowhere safe to go, Deb finds her mental health plummeting, resulting in a suicide attempt. But Deb is resilient and slowly heals with the help of art and self-care, guiding her to a deeper understanding of her heritage and herself.
The Red Palace by ISBN: 1250800552Publication Date: 2022There are few options available to illegitimate daughters in the capital city, but through hard work and study, eighteen-year-old Hyeon has earned a position as a palace nurse. All she wants is to keep her head down, do a good job, and perhaps finally win her estranged father's approval. But Hyeon is suddenly thrust into the dark and dangerous world of court politics when someone murders four women in a single night, and the prime suspect is Hyeon's closest friend and mentor. Determined to prove her beloved teacher's innocence, Hyeon launches her own secret investigation.
In the Shadow of the Sun by ISBN: 9780545905749Publication Date: 2017North Korea is known as the most repressive country on Earth, with a dictatorial leader, a starving population, and harsh punishment for rebellion. Not the best place for a family vacation. Yet that's exactly where Mia Andrews finds herself, on a tour with her aid-worker father and fractious older brother, Simon. Mia was adopted from South Korea as a baby, and the trip raises tough questions about where she really belongs. Then her dad is arrested for spying, just as forbidden photographs of North Korean slave-labor camps fall into Mia's hands.
Every Falling Star by ISBN: 1419721321Publication Date: 2022Every Falling Star, the first book to portray contemporary North Korea to a young audience, is the intense memoir of a North Korean boy named Sungju who is forced at age twelve to live on the streets and fend for himself. To survive, Sungju creates a gang and lives by thieving, fighting, begging, and stealing rides on cargo trains. Sungju richly re-creates his scabrous story, depicting what it was like for a boy alone to create a new family with his gang, his "brothers"; to be hungry and to fear arrest, imprisonment, and even execution. This riveting memoir allows young readers to learn about other cultures where freedoms they take for granted do not exist.
A Single Shard by ISBN: 0547534264Publication Date: 2001Tree-ear is an orphan boy in a 12th-century Korean village renowned for its ceramics. When he accidentally breaks a delicate piece of pottery, he volunteers to work to pay for the damage. Putting aside his own dreams, Tree-ear resolves to serve the master potter by embarking on a difficult and dangerous journey, little knowing that it will change his life forever.
Mongolia
The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams by ISBN: 1646143035Publication Date: 2023This is the tale of an exciting journey along the Silk Road with a young Monk and his newfound guardian, Samir, a larger than life character and the so-called "Seller of Dreams". The man is a scammer; his biggest skill being the ability to talk his way into getting what he wants. While that talking did save Monkey''s life, it has left a lot of people furious with Samir-- furious enough to hire assassins. Monkey decides to try and save Samir from the attempts on his life--as a way to pay off his debt! If he can save Samir six times, he''ll be a free man...but will they all survive that long?
Cambodia
Never Fall Down by ISBN: 0061730955Publication Date: 2012When soldiers arrive in his hometown, Arn is just a normal little boy. But after the soldiers march the entire population into the countryside, his life is changed forever. Arn is separated from his family and assigned to a labor camp: working in the rice paddies under a blazing sun, he sees the other children dying before his eyes. One day, the soldiers ask if any of the kids can play an instrument. Arn's never played a note in his life, but he volunteers. This decision will save his life, but it will pull him into the very center of what we know today as the Killing Fields.
Indonesia
Lunar Boy by ISBN: 9780063057609Publication Date: 2024Indu, a boy from the moon, feels like he doesn't belong. He hasn't since he and his adoptive mom disembarked from their spaceship--their home--to live on Earth with their new blended family. The kids at school think he's weird, he has a crush on his pen pal who might not like him back, and his stepfamily doesn't seem to know what to do with him. Worst of all, Indu can't even talk to his mom about how he's feeling because she's so busy. In a moment of loneliness, Indu calls out to the moon, begging them to take him back. And against all odds, the moon hears him and agrees to bring him home on the first day of the New Year.
Well, That Was Unexpected by ISBN: 9780593433973Publication Date: 2022After Sharlot Citra's mother catches her in a compromising position, she finds herself whisked away from LA to her mother's native Indonesia. It'll be exactly what they both need. Or so her mother thinks. When George Clooney Tanuwijaya's father (who is obsessed with American celebrities) fears he no longer understands how to get through to his son, he decides to take matters into his own hands.
Philippines
Dancing Hands by ISBN: 1797213326Publication Date: 2023Sam's new neighbors' hands make graceful movements she doesn't recognize, and she wonders what they are saying. Soon she meets her new neighbor, Mai, who teaches Sam some Filipino Sign Language. Along the way, they both discover the joys of making a new friend, a best friend.
Sari-Sari Summers by ISBN: 1536226149Publication Date: 2023Nora loves spending summers with Lola at her sari-sari store, a treasure trove filled with everything you could need, from hair accessories to toys, creamy yema to sour tamarind candy. And this year, Nora is big enough to help her grandmother. But when a heat wave strikes and no one comes to the store, Nora worries that she won't get to spend the rest of the summer with her lola--until she gets a sweet idea. After all, the mangoes on the tree outside are finally ripe, and with a bit of measuring, mixing, and a good deal of tasting, Nora and Lola have a refreshing way to bring people together--and to the sari-sari store.
Lolo's Sari-Sari Store by ISBN: 1534494472Publication Date: 2023For one girl, summers used to mean helping Lolo run his sari-sari store, which was always brimming with goods for the neighborhood: shampoo packets for Ate Jane, rice and eggs for Tonton, and a sympathetic ear for anyone who needed it.
Thailand
A Wish in the Dark by ISBN: 9781536204940Publication Date: 2020All light in Chattana is created by one man -- the Governor, who appeared after the Great Fire to bring peace and order to the city. For Pong, who was born in Namwon Prison, the magical lights represent freedom, and he dreams of the day he will be able to walk among them. But when Pong escapes from prison, he realizes that the world outside is no fairer than the one behind bars. The wealthy dine and dance under bright orb light, while the poor toil away in darkness. Worst of all, Pong's prison tattoo marks him as a fugitive who can never be truly free.
Vietnam
Finding Papa by ISBN: 0063060965Publication Date: 2023No one can make Mai laugh like her Papa! She loves playing their favorite game--the crocodile chomp chomp! But then Papa leaves Vietnam in search of a new home for their family in America and Mai misses him very much. Until one day Mama and Mai pack a small bag and say goodbye to the only home Mai has ever known. And so begins Mai and Mama's long, perilous journey by foot and by boat, through dangers and darkness, to find Papa.
My Grandfather's Song by ISBN: 0593488628Publication Date: 2023Long ago, Grandfather came to a new land. Fish swam in the water, birds chirped in the sky, monkeys played in the trees. And in this wilderness, with his own two hands, Grandfather built a house. It wasn't easy. But the land gave him what he needed. And it became his home. Decades later, his grandson will have all he needs: a head full of memories, two capable hands, and the heart to appreciate family, nature, and home. This picture book creates a warm symphony of conservation and the sacred bond between grandparent and child, perfect for baby showers, birthdays, and family celebrations.
Butterfly Yellow by ISBN: 0062229214Publication Date: 2019In the final days of the Việt Nam War, Hằng takes her little brother, Linh, to the airport, determined to find a way to safety in America. In a split second, Linh is ripped from her arms--and Hằng is left behind in the war-torn country. Six years later, Hằng has made the brutal journey from Việt Nam and is now in Texas as a refugee. She doesn't know how she will find the little brother who was taken from her until she meets LeeRoy, a city boy with big rodeo dreams, who decides to help her.
In a Village by the Sea by ISBN: 1939547156Publication Date: 2015Written in a spare, lyrical style using fresh, evocative imagery, Village by the Sea tells the story of longing for the comforts of home. A perfect book for teaching about diverse cultures and lifestyles through rich pictures and words, moving from the wide world to the snugness of home and back out again.
India
The Light Within You by ISBN: 1542039126Publication Date: 2023A celebration of family love and the light we share with the world. Diya is excited to be going to India for Diwali, the Festival of Lights. That means she'll get to spend time with Nani, her beloved grandma, who she hasn't seen since her family moved from India. Now India is 7,850 miles away...
Namaste Is a Greeting by ISBN: 1536217832Publication Date: 2022Namaste calms your heart when things aren't going right. Namaste is saying "You matter." What is namaste? It's found in a smile, a friendship, a celebration. It exists in silence; it can be said when you're happy or when you're feeling low. For one small girl in a bustling city, namaste ("I bow to you") is all around her as she and her mother navigate a busy marketplace--and when she returns with a little plant and chooses to give it to an elderly neighbor, it can be seen in the caring bond between them.
Burying the Moon by ISBN: 9781773066042Publication Date: 2021In Latika's village in rural India, there are no toilets. No toilets mean that the women have to wait until night to do their business in a field. There are scorpions and snakes in the field, and germs that make people sick. For the girls in the village, no toilets mean leaving school when they reach puberty. No one in the village wants to talk about this shameful problem. But Latika has had enough.
Mother Goose Goes to India by ISBN: 1534439609Publication Date: 2021Mother Goose takes a trip to India in this unique collection of nursery rhymes with a distinctly Indian flair. This little sooar (pig) goes to the bazaar. Little Miss Muffet eats dahi (yogurt) until a makadee (spider) scares her away. Little Jack Horner eats Diwali sweets. Rhymes and characters that are familiar to young readers bring to life the beauty, wonder, and diversity of a vast and vibrant country in a way that is accessible and fun.
Where Three Oceans Meet by ISBN: 1419741292Publication Date: 2021"I want to see what's at the end of the earth!" Sejal, Mommy, and Pati travel together to the southern tip of India. Along the way, they share meals, visit markets, and catch up with old friends. For Pati, the trip retraces spaces she knows well. For Mommy, it's a return to the place she grew up. For Sejal, it's a discovery of new sights and sounds. The family finds their way to Kanyakumari, where three oceans meet, and delight in making it to the end of the earth together.
Lali's Feather by ISBN: 9781682631294Publication Date: 2020A vivacious and endearing story of identification, values, and the rewards in looking closely and thinking imaginatively. Lali finds a little feather in the field. Who might it belong to? Lali sets out to find the feather a home, but one bird after another rejects it. The feather is too small for Rooster, too slow for Crow, and too plain for Peacock. That is until Lali decides to keep the little feather and discovers all the things she can do with it, and the other birds begin to recognize its value.
The Bridge Home by ISBN: 1524738131Publication Date: 2019Life is harsh in Chennai's teeming streets, so when runaway sisters Viji and Rukku arrive, their prospects look grim. Very quickly, eleven-year-old Viji discovers how vulnerable they are in this uncaring, dangerous world. Fortunately, the girls find shelter--and friendship--on an abandoned bridge. With two homeless boys, Muthi and Arul, the group forms a family of sorts. And while making a living scavenging the city's trash heaps is the pits, the kids find plenty to laugh about and take pride in too. After all, they are now the bosses of themselves and no longer dependent on untrustworthy adults. But when illness strikes, Viji must decide whether to risk seeking help from strangers or to keep holding on to their fragile, hard-fought freedom.
Pashmina by ISBN: 0606405429Publication Date: 2017Priyanka Das has so many unanswered questions: Why did her mother abandon her home in India years ago? What was it like there? And most importantly, who is her father, and why did her mom leave him behind?
The Elephant's Friend and Other Tales from Ancient India by ISBN: 0763670553Publication Date: 2012Step back into ancient India as Marcia Williams brings her inviting comic-book style to eight animal folktales that continue to enchant children today. Drawing from three books of best-loved Indian folktales-- the Hitopadesha, the Jatakas,and the Panchatantra --this graphic storybook collection, alive with kidfriendly illustrations, is infused with humor and warmth.
Gay Neck: the Story of a Pigeon by ISBN: 0525304002Publication Date: 1927Writing out of his own experience as a boy in India, Dhan Gopal Mukerji tells how Gay Neck's master sent his prized pigeon to serve in Word War I, and of how, because of his exceptional training and his brave heart, Gay Neck served his new masters heroically. Winner of the 1928 Newbery Medal.
Pakistan
Omar Rising by ISBN: 0593108582Publication Date: 2022Omar knows his scholarship to Ghalib Academy Boarding School is a game changer, providing him--the son of a servant--with an opportunity to improve his station in life. He can't wait to experience all the school has to offer, especially science club and hopefully the soccer team; but when he arrives, his hopes are dashed. First-year scholarship students aren't allowed to join clubs or teams--and not only that, they have to earn their keep doing menial chores. At first Omar is dejected--but then he gets angry when he learns something even worse--the school deliberately "weeds out" kids like him by requiring them to get significantly higher grades than kids who can pay tuition, making it nearly impossible for scholarship students to graduate.
Polynesia
Dragonfruit by ISBN: 0358272106Publication Date: 2024Hanalei of Tamarind is the cherished daughter of an old island family. But when her father steals a seadragon egg meant for an ailing princess, she is forced into a life of exile. In the years that follow, Hanalei finds solace in studying the majestic seadragons that roam the Nominomi Sea. Until, one day, an encounter with a female dragon offers her what she desires most. A chance to return home, and to right a terrible wrong.
My Sister Sif by ISBN: 0670839248Publication Date: 1991Fourteen-year-old Riko manages to get her delicate older sister Sif and herself to their remote Pacific island home, where an American scientist who falls in love with Sif and discovers her connection with an underwater race creates complications in Rikos life.
Asian-American Collection
American Dragons by ISBN: 9780064406031Publication Date: 1993This collection of poems, stories and one short play includes works by Tibetan Americans, Vietnamese Americans, Korean Americans, Japanese Americans and Thai Americans--known and unknown, young and old--who write about growing up, fitting in, and relating to the older generation. A 1994 ALA Best Book for Young Adults.
