Discover the joy of reading with Book Clubs and Book Fairs

Scholastic Book Clubs • April 30, 2025 TopicsAsian Heritage Month Asian Stories Asian Voices Book Clubs Book Fairs book list books families May teachers

Celebrate Asian Voices


This May, we celebrate Asian Heritage Month — an opportunity for us to reflect on and learn more about Asian heritage around the world. Join us in celebrating Asian Heritage Month by amplifying stories about Asian experiences by Asian voices.

Eyes That Speak to the Stars

New York Times bestselling team Joanna Ho and Dung Ho present Eyes That Speak to the Stars, companion to the acclaimed Eyes That Kiss in the Corners.

A young boy comes to recognize his own power and ability to change the future. When a friend at school creates a hurtful drawing, the boy turns to his family for comfort. He realizes that his eyes rise to the skies and speak to the stars, shine like sunlit rays, and glimpse trails of light from those who came before—in fact, his eyes are like his father’s, his agong’s, and his little brother’s, and they are visionary.

Inspired by the men in his family, he recognizes his own power and strength from within. This extraordinary picture book redefines what it means to be truly you.

Eyes That Kiss in the Corners received three starred reviews and was embraced as “breathtaking,” “lyrical,” and “poignant.” This companion volume is sure to be welcomed with equal joy.

Luli et le langage du thé

Though they may speak different languages, kids from all over the world come together to enjoy the shared pastime of tea in this delicious book for young readers.

When five-year-old Luli joins her new English as a Second Language class, the playroom is quiet. Luli can’t speak English, and neither can anyone else. That’s when she has a brilliant idea to host a tea party and bring them all together. Luli removes her teapot, thermos, and teacups from her bag and calls out “Chá!” in her native Chinese. One by one, her classmates pipe up in recognition: in Russian, Hindi, Turkish, Persian, Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese, and Swahili. Tea is a tasty language they all know well, and it gives them a chance to share and enjoy each other’s company. When all the tea is gone and it’s time for dessert, Luli gets to use her favorite English word, cookie! After that, the playroom isn’t so quiet.

Informed by her own experience as the child of Chinese immigrant parents, Andrea Wang makes the point that when you’re looking to communicate with people, you look for a common bond. The word for “tea” is similar in many languages, and tea becomes the unifying metaphor that brings a diverse group of children together.

Thirst

This New York Times Bestseller features a heroic girl who fights for her belief that water should be for everyone.

Minni lives in the poorest part of Mumbai, where access to water is limited to a few hours a day and the communal taps have long lines. Lately, though, even that access is threatened by severe water shortages and thieves who are stealing this precious commodity—an act that Minni accidentally witnesses one night. Meanwhile, in the high-rise building where she just started to work, she discovers that water streams out of every faucet and there’s even a rooftop swimming pool. Then one day, Minni encounters the water mafia boss and faces her biggest dilemma yet—should she expose him even if it means risking her job… and maybe her life? How did her future get so complicated?

Amy Wu and the Perfect Bao

Meet the funny, fierce, and fearless Amy Wu, who is determined to make a perfect bao bun today. Can she rise to the occasion?

Amy loves to make bao with her family. But it takes skill to make the bao taste and look delicious. And her bao keep coming out all wrong.

Then she has an idea that may give her a second chance…Will Amy ever make the perfect bao?

My Name is Saajin Singh

A picture book that explores the importance of pronouncing names properly and celebrates cultural identity.

Saajin loves his name—he loves it so much that he sees it spelled out in the world around him in his snacks, in the sky and sometimes he even sings it aloud. On his first day of school, Saajin is excited to meet his new classmates, but things take a turn when the teacher mispronounces his name as Say-jin and he is not sure how—or if he should—correct her. After trying to live with the different version of his name for a while and some thoughtful conversations with his family about the meaning behind it, Saajin realizes the importance of reclaiming his name and embracing his identity. This empowering story, accompanied by energetic and vibrant art by Samrath Kaur, will resonate with any reader who has ever felt misunderstood.

Maizy Chen’s Last Chance

Twelve year-old Maizy discovers her family’s Chinese restaurant is full of secrets in this irresistible novel that celebrates food, fortune, and family. Welcome to the Golden Palace!

Maizy has never been to Last Chance, Minnesota . . . until now. Her mom’s plan is just to stay for a couple weeks, until her grandfather gets better. But plans change, and as Maizy spends more time in Last Chance (where she and her family are the only Asian Americans) and at the Golden Palace—the restaurant that’s been in her family for generations—she makes some discoveries. 

For instance:

  • You can tell a LOT about someone by the way they order food.
  • And people can surprise you. Sometimes in good ways, sometimes in disappointing ways.
  • And the Golden Palace has secrets.

But the more Maizy discovers, the more questions she has. Like, why are her mom and her grandmother always fighting? Who are the people in the photographs on the office wall? And when she discovers that a beloved family treasure has gone missing—and someone has left a racist note—Maizy decides it’s time to find the answers.

Le dosa en fuite

“The more you eat, the more you crave! You can’t catch me, no matter how brave!” With the help of some magical, mythological Indian creatures, chase the runaway dosa before it gets away!

It’s time for breakfast, and Akka is hungry! When she reaches for another dosa before the rest of the family has been served, she triggers a magical spell that brings the dosa to life, and it sprints out the door. Akka will need the help of some powerful mythological creatures to get her breakfast back.

Inspired by Dosai! Amma, Dosai, a beloved Tamil rhyme, and a fantastical reimagination of the familiar Gingerbread Man story, this book offers a delicious Indian twist that will have any child asking for more.

When You Can Swim

A reverent celebration of learning to swim among a diverse cast of children and families who each experience the mysterious joys of water in nature.

In this exploration of what it truly means to swim, expansive vignettes introduce sandpipers, tannin-soaked lakes, and the feeling of a small waterfall on sun-soaked shoulders. But what about those who are afraid of the water’s mysterious ways and resist learning to swim? Painting a compelling picture of the many joys and surprises that the water holds, artist and author Jack Wong has delivered an empowering, poetic journey that invites children to discover their confidence within to receive the warmth and wonder of the natural world.

Maya’s Holi

Celebrate Holi, the festival of colors, sharing, and love with Maya as she visits her grandparents in India for the spring jubilee.

Maya loves visiting her grandparents in India, and this year is extra special because she is celebrating Holi with them. Maya and her family start the magical day by eating a special breakfast, including rasgulla dumplings and glasses of mango lassi. They put on colorful clothing and join the celebration out in the streets. The air fills with joyful songs and clouds of blue, red, and purple powder. On this special vacation, Maya can feel the magic of Holi.

When Maya returns to America, she carries the exhilarating energy of Holi with her. The spirit of the holiday — hope and forgiveness and love — keeps her warm.

The Secret Battle of Evan Pao

Middle school can be a battlefield… From award-winning author Wendy Wan-Long Shang comes a poignant and timely take on prejudice, bullying, and claiming our own histories, perfect for fans of Front Desk.

A fresh start. That’s all Evan Pao wants as he, along with his mother and sister, flee from California to Haddington, Virginia, hoping to keep his father’s notoriety a secret.

But Haddington is a southern town steeped in tradition, and moving to a town immersed in the past has its own price. Although Evan quickly makes friends, one boy, Brady Griggs, seems determined to make sure that as a Chinese American, Evan feels that he does not belong. When Evan finds a unique way to make himself part of the school’s annual Civil War celebration, the reaction is swift and violent. As all of his choices at home and at school collide, Evan must decide whether he will react with the same cruelty shown to him, or choose a different path.