The House of Yan by Lan Yan (Grades 10+)

In The House of Yan, Yan Lan recounts a century of tumultous Chinese history through her own family's history who were deeply entwined with China's elite including Zhou Enlai, Deng Xiaoping, and Chiang Kai-Shek. Born in 1957, Lan Yan lived through China's Cultural Revolution and saw her family's status fall as her father was arrested as a counterrevolutionary and her mother was sent to a labour camp for seven years, where she also grew up as a high school student. Lan Yan's account offers a unique, poignant, and personal perspective within the context of these grand historical events.

After being disallowed to continue with higher education due to her family's political status, Yan Lan sought to study as hard as possible after the Cultural Revolution ended in 1977. She studied across Europe and the United States before earning a law degree and practicing for over 20 years in France. In 2011 she became Managing Director of Lazard to lead the organization's Chinese activities and, presently, Yan Lan is the CEO of Lazard Greater China (Beijing, Hong Kong, and Taiwan).

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhou (Grades 7-9)

In Iron Widow, Xiran Jay Zhou combines Pacific Rim with The Handmaid's Tale with Chinese mythology in a YA novel set in a world of mechanized Chrysalises. These Chrysalises are powered by the boys of Huaxia and are powered by the girls of Huaxia, who become pilot-concubines before their deaths. Motivated by the death of her older sister, 18-year-old Zetian becomes a pilot-concubine to not only assassinate the pilot responsible, but to prevent this from ever happening again.

Xiran Jay Zhou is an immigrant to Canada who was born in China, but, according to them, was raised on the internet. Zhou is a recent graduate from Simon Fraser University and Iron Widow is their first novel. After appearing on the New York Times Bestsellers list for over 30 weeks, Iron Widow has also accumulated numerous accolades including a 2022 Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book nomination and winning the 2021 BSFA Award for "Best Book for Younger Readers".

The Dream of a Lacquer Box by Kimiko Hahn (grades 4-6)

"The Dream of a Lacquer Box" illustrates the objects in the lacquer box that hold both the culture and ancestry of the speaker's nationality. The items that the speaker describes transition from historic to more modern before the reader reaches the conclusion that she wishes to give anything related to her culture to her daughter. In the hopes of dreaming the box into existence, the author also then wishes that her heart were satisfied with her childhood and the items that she still possesses.

Kimiko Hahn is the author of 10 books of poetry and was born in Mount Kisco, New York. She earned a BA from the University of Iowa and an MA in Japanese literature from Columbia University. She is the winner of the Pen/Voelcker Award for Poetry and the American Book Award among many others. Her work has been associated with the mode of "contemporary zuihitsu" in the hopes of remaining honest to the reader.

Eyes that Speak to the Stars by Joanna Ho (Grades 1-3)

Author Joanna Ho writes stunning children's literature that speaks to the heart and experience of being an Asian child in North America. Her passion for inclusion and self-love is evident in her beautiful book, Eyes that Speak to the Stars. In it, a young boy realizes that his eyes don't look the same as his friends' and begins to reflect on that. He hurts from feeling different, and shares this with his Baba. Baba lifts his spirits, sharing stories of their culture and ancestors - those who have the same eyes. "My eyes that rise to the skies and speak to the stars are visionary. They are Baba and Agong and Di-Di. They are me. And they are powerful."

Joanna Ho is the daughter of immigrants from Taiwan and China, born in Minnesota. She has written other critically-acclaimed books such as Eyes that Kiss in the Corners and Playing at the Border: A Story of Yo-Yo Ma, and you can learn more about her and her upcoming picture book at https://www.joannahowrites.com/ . She also shares book recommendations and reviews on her instagram account, @joannahowrites

Eyes that Kiss in the Corners by Joanna Ho (Grades 1-3)

A young Taiwanese girl notices that her eyes look different from her friends’. she starts to wish that her eyes looked more like her friends' until she realizes that her eyes are like her mother's. Eyes that kiss in corners is an indie #1 bestseller and is written by Joanna Ho, who is a writer and educator with a passion for anti-bias, anti-racism and equity work.

Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim (Grades 4-6)

Six Crimson Cranes tells the story of Shiori'anma, a princess in the land of Kiata, who must conceal her forbidden magical abilities. When she loses control of it during the morning of her betrothal ceremony, her stepmother, Raikama, who is also a secret sorceress, banishes her and transforms her six brothers into cranes. Raikama warns Shiori'anma that for each word she speaks, one of her brothers will die. Alone and silent, Shiori'anma must now find a way to untangle a conspiracy that threatens her kingdom and her home.

Elizabeth Lim began her journey as a writer by writing fan fiction for Sailor Moon and Star Wars. After graduating from Harvard with a degree in Music and East Asian Studies, she completed both a Master's in Music and a Doctorate in Music Composition from Julliard. Six Crimson Cranes is her fifth YA novel.

Pebble Swing by Isabella Wang (Grades 7-9)

Pebble Swings is the debut poetry collection of local poet Isabella Wang. Drawing on her family history and lived experiences as an immigrant to Canada, Wang's poetry confronts her family history's entanglement with China's Cultural Revolution as well as the tragedy of losing her identity by growing further and further away from her roots. The poems also celebrate the little things about living in Vancouver and contain poems written to other poets such as Natalie Lim, winner of the CBC Poetry Prize in 2018.

Isabella Wang is the editor of Room magazine. Born in Shendong, she immigrated to Canada from Beijing at the age of seven and she is currently an undergraduate student at Simon Fraser University. Over twenty of her poems have been selected for publication in various magazines and anthologies and her poetry has also been short-listed as finalists for publications such as ARC Magazine, The Malahat Review, and The New Quarterly.

Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning by Cathy Park Hong (Grades 10+)

Part essay, part memoir, and part cultural criticism, Cathy Park Hong's Minor Feelings draws on her lived experiences of growing up as a Korean immigrant in the United States. She creates the term "minor feelings" to articulate the cognitive dissonance immigrants feel between American optimism and the limitations, both visible and invisible, of contemporary western society. Hong explores this conflict and tension through dark humour, sharp analysis, and personal experiences as a writer in the United States.

Minor Feelings was a Pulitzer Prize Finalist and a National Book Critics Circle Award Winner. It was also listed as one of the best books of the year in 2020 by various publications and organizations. Cathy Park Hong has won the Windham-Campbell Literature Prize and, in 2021, was listed as one of Time Magazine's 100 most influential people for her work in advocacy of Asian American women.

If Instead of A Person by Ti’yuqtunat (Courtney Defriend) (grades 1-3)

Indigenous author, Ti’yuqtunat (Courtney Defriend), presents this beautiful picture book told in rhyming verse. Imagine if you weren't a person--but were a tree instead! Would it change how you look at the world?

Writing prompt: Imagine you are a plant or animal and write a poem from that plant or animal's point of view!

Out of Wonder by Kwame Alexander (grades 4-6)

Out of Wonder is a stunning book of poetry that celebrates... poets! Newbery Award winning author Kwame Alexander, along with Chris Colderley and Marjory Wentworth, present original poems that pay homage to twenty famed poets who have made the authors' hearts sing and their minds wonder. Learn about famous poets in this book, then dive into reading some of their works too!

Writing prompt: Write an ode poem that celebrates your favourite author.

Kome's Story by Roy Miki (grades 7-9)

It is hard to say if Roy Miki is better known for his literary output, which is both prodigious and significant, or for his activism. In the 1980s, Roy Miki became a well-known figure in the eventually successful Redress movement, a fight for concessions and recognition from the Canadian government for the internment of Japanese-Canadian citizens during WWII. His poetry varies widely in its subject matter, but this poem, "Kome's Story", looks at the effects of the internment camps of Canadian families.

Acceptance Speech After Setting the World Record in Goosebumps by Andrea Gibson (grades 10+)

Andrea Gibson is a contemporary slam poet who's risen to international fame online through video content. The artist focuses on gender identity in their work.

My talk is good by Khodi Dill (grades 1-3)

Hailing from Nassau, Bahamas by way of Moose Jaw and Saskatoon, Khodi Dill is a writer, educator and spoken word artist whose approach to children's poetry is rooted in his love of hip-hop and its complex, rhythmic vernacular. Seeking to shatter stereotypes and give children faith in the power of their own words, Dill's poem "My Talk is Good", from his book, "Weclome to the Cypher", presents language as flexible, creative and boundless.

Thirteen Moons on the Turtles Back by Joseph Bruchac (grades 4-6)

A writer of more than 120 works of poetry and fiction, Joseph Bruchac claims Abenaki heritage and has focused his work since 1971 on exploring that identity. His collection of poems, "Thirteen Moons on Turtle's Back: A Native American Year of Moons" is a series of thirteen legends told through poetry, and are couple with beautiful illustrations created by Thomas Locker.

Enigma by Andrea Thompson (grades 7-9)

Andrea Thompson has been publishing and performing her work for over twenty-five years. Thompson is co-author of Other Tongues: Mixed-Race Women Speak Out, and author of the novel Over Our Heads. Thompson teaches through CAMH and University of Toronto’s School of Continuing Studies. She is an editor at Brick Books and Artistic Director of Brick's online spoken word showcase, Brickyard. Thompson’s work was featured in the anthology Best Canadian Poetry: 2020, and she is the recipient of the 2021 Pavlick Poetry Prize. Her collection, A Selected History of Soul Speak, was published by Frontenac House in the fall of 2021.

In Which the Devil Asks Me for My Name by Hazem Fahmy (grades 10+)

Hailing originally from Cairo and now located in Austin, Texas, Pushcart-nominated poet Hazem Fahmy is the author of Red//Jild//Prayer and more recently, Waiting for Frank Ocean in Cairo. His work explores themes of gender, family relations and "the attempt to find meaning outside the confines of the state". "In Which the Devil Asks Me for My Name" explores the power of names and naming, who wields that power and who suffers because of it.

The Thing About Bees by Shabazz Larkin (Grades 1-3)

A beautiful, poetic argument for learning to understand the things that frighten us, "The Thing About Bees" centers on a father's relationship with his son as he explains why bees--the objects of the boy's fear--are so important to people and to the world. It is a book written to inspire wonder by author and fine artist Shabazz Larkin, writing with "an unconditional love" for both his son and the bees.

The Duelling Duo by Joseph Coelho (Grades 4-6)

Joseph Coehlo grew up in the last village in London - Roehampton. “I don’t recall wanting to be a writer when I was little. '' Joseph says, “Writers were special people who existed elsewhere… they didn’t exist in Roehampton.” His earliest memory of writing a poem was from when he was in grade three. “There was a poetry competition. I wrote a poem about the life of a performing bear, chained and made to dance… it was titled “Unbearable” alas the judges were not that impressed.” Despite his loss in the competition Joseph continued to write. At university he studied archaeology but despite spending a lot of his time in a different field Joseph still wrote poems and even started directing and writing plays. His career is as illustrious and varied as his poetry. One day Joseph discovered a poetry course at Battersea Arts Centre. He continued writing and performing his poetry, one day dreaming of becoming a published author. His very first poetry collection Werewolf Club Rules was published in 2014 and he has been steadily writing and performing ever since.

Walking Both Sides of an Invisible Border by Alootook Ipellie (Grades 7-9)

Alootook Ipellie was an Inuit poet born in Nuvuqquq on Baffin Island, in what is now known as Nunavut. Throughout his youth, Ipellie moved all around the country to live with family members and in foster homes. Despite his incredible talent, he was discouraged from pursuing artistic studies in high school. He went on to become an internationally known journalist, Inuktitut translator, graphic artist, and cartoonist. Issues of colonialism, spirituality, and the navigation of cultural identity are threaded throughout his work. Ipellie died of a heart attack in 2007.

Eat Salt | Gaze at the Ocean by Junie Désil (Grades 10+)

Haitian-Canadian poet Junie Désil grew up with immigrant parents in Montreal, and now lives in British Columbia. Her work in this book explores the experience of blackness as it relates to sovereignty, using the metaphor of the Haitian zombie. The violence of the ocean crossing and enslavement are countered by a "cure", implied in the collection's title, and the powerful language of Désil's poetry itself.