Celebrate Asian Stories, Creators, and Joy!

This Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Heritage Month we are celebrating AANHPI creators, stories, and joy! We’ve pulled together a list of incredible works from some of our favorite AANHPI creators and beyond.

YA Contemporary Books for AANHPI Month

What's Eating Jackie Oh?

What's Eating Jackie Oh?

By Patricia Park

A Korean American teen tries to balance her dream to become a chef with the cultural expectations of her family when she enters the competitive world of a TV cooking show. A hilarious and heartfelt YA novel from the award-winning author of Imposter Syndrome and Other Confessions of Alejandra Kim and Re Jane.

“Park’s novel delivers authentic characters who will make you laugh…and cry. Not to be missed!” –Ellen Oh, author of The Colliding Worlds of Mina Lee

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Cover of The Summer I Remembered Everything
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Cover of Fierce as the Wind
Cover of Imposter Syndrome and Other Confessions of Alejandra Kim
Cover of My Father, the Panda Killer
Cover of My Mother, the Mermaid Chaser
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YA Fantasy, Sci-Fi, and Dystopian Books for AANHPI Month

The Scorpion and the Night Blossom

The Scorpion and the Night Blossom

By Amélie Wen Zhao

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The stunning first edition of The Scorpion and the Night Blossom will feature a beautiful flower design stenciled on the ombre sprayed edges, exclusive printed endpapers, and a foil-stamped case!

In a world at war with demons, one girl will face the ultimate test when she is forced to enter into an ancient, deadly competition for the chance to save her mother’s soul… before she loses her forever. From the author of Song of Silver, Flame Like Night comes the beginning of a dark and opulent fantasy duology, perfect for fans of Throne of Glass.

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A Forgery of Fate

A Forgery of Fate

By Elizabeth Lim

A breathtaking romantic fantasy inspired by Beauty and the Beast about a girl who paints the future and a cursed dragon lord, bound by love and deception in a plot to bring down the gods.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Six Crimson Cranes!

“Everything I love in a story—danger, complex characters, romance, betrayal and gorgeous writing.” —Mary E. Pearson, New York Times bestselling author of Dance of Thieves

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The Dragon and the Sun Lotus

The Dragon and the Sun Lotus

By Amélie Wen Zhao

In the breathtaking sequel to The Scorpion and the Night Blossom, the battle has just begun. With Àn’yīng’s kingdom teetering on the brink of destruction, and amidst a budding forbidden romance, she must now risk everything to protect her world.

The first edition hardcover of The Dragon and the Sun Lotus will feature stunning ombre stenciled edges and exclusive printed endpapers!

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Cover of The Nightblood Prince: A Good Morning America YA Book Club Pick
Cover of Six Crimson Cranes
Cover of For No Mortal Creature
Cover of Violet Made of Thorns
Cover of How Far I\'ll Go
Cover of Song of Silver, Flame Like Night
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Cover of The Dragon\'s Promise

YA Romance Books for AANHPI Month

Jin Young, In Between

Jin Young, In Between

By Ellen Oh

Coming 05.26.26

In this follow-up to The Colliding Worlds Of Mine Lee, a boy discovers he can travel into parallel worlds to be with his girlfriend. But each time their paths collide, the fabric of their universes frays a little more. Is their love worth the unraveling of reality?

“Sincere, smart, and meta….”-Soman Chainani, author of The School For Good And Evil series

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Stars, Stripes & Summer Nights

Stars, Stripes & Summer Nights

By Celeste Dador

Coming 05.12.26

A swoony, patriotic romance with Gilmore Girls charm—follow First Daughter Abby as she dives into a summer of surprises, small-town magic, and sparks with the boy who shakes up her world.

What if the person who turns your world upside down is exactly who you’re meant to find?

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Cover of Well, That Was Unexpected
Cover of The Colliding Worlds of Mina Lee

YA Thriller and Horror Books for AANHPI Month

And the River Drags Her Down

And the River Drags Her Down

By Jihyun Yun

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • She has always known the rules: Never resurrect anything larger than the palm of her hand. But that was before her sister died. . . .

The stunning hardcover of And the River Drags Her Down features gorgeous stenciled edges and a matching case stamp!

“Yun beautifully captures the haunting of family myths in this slow-burn horror. Eerie and poignant, And The River Drags Her Down will sweep readers into its relentless current.” —Trang Thanh Tran, New York Times bestselling author of She Is a Haunting

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Death in the Cards

Death in the Cards

By Mia P. Manansala

The young adult debut from the award-winning author of Arsenic and Adobo! When a high school tarot reader’s latest client goes missing after a troubling reading, she must apply everything she’s learned from her private investigator mother to solve a case of her own.

“Delightfully layered. The tarot readings bring a fresh and bright angle to this modern mystery. Mia P. Manansala has created an endearing voice in Danika—an intuitive, intelligent, and emotionally sharp amateur sleuth.” —Elle Cosimano, New York Times bestselling author of Finlay Donovan is Killing It

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That Which Feeds Us: A Sunnie Reads Select

That Which Feeds Us: A Sunnie Reads Select

By Keala Kendall

A native Hawaiian teen travels to a luxury island resort in search of her missing twin and uncovers the dark side of paradise, in this YA supernatural thriller that’s Mexican Gothic meets She is a Haunting.

“This astounding book is both a finger pointed directly at the rotting heart of colonial greed and a truly heart-pounding mystery.” — Andrew Joseph White, New York Times bestselling author of Compound Fracture

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Young World

Young World

By Soman Chainani

From the New York Times bestselling author of the School for Good and Evil series comes a renegade thriller, about a teenager elected President of the United States, sparking a global revolution of young leaders—until one of them is murdered and he’s the prime suspect.

**The first edition of Young World is presented in brilliant neon color, with over 150 nuke-orange visuals, fizzy orange-and-blue stained edges, full-color designed endpapers, and a neon-orange cover case.**

“This book is a damn revolution.” —Nic Stone, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dear Martin

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More to Read for AANHPI Month!

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Did you enjoy this article about books for AANHPI month? Discover more great reads here and get social with us at @getunderlined!

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