Hold That Thought! by Bree Galbraith (grades 1-3)

Hold that Thought is a picture book by Bree Galbraith celebrating discovering yourself, and being true to who that is. In it, the non-binary main character Finn has an amazing idea.. but they just can't seem to figure out how to describe it. As they begin to share it with their friends, they discover that not everyone is always receptive to brand new ideas, and finding the confidence to believe in them anyway can take a little work. But, as each kid in Finn's class finds the confidence to share who they really are, their courage-and the result-is inspiring. A book about confidence, creativity, and staying true to yourself.

Bree Galbraith (she/her) is a local Vancouver author, who has written many fantastic picture books about fining ways to make positive change in the community. You may recognize her name from the popular new early chapter book series "Wednesday Wilson," about a fiesty young entrepreneur with two moms. Illustrator of Hold that Thought, Lynn Scurfield (she/they) is a mixed media artist based out of Toronto, Ontario. You can see more of their stunning artwork at http://www.lynnscurfield.com/.

The Lost Pardner by Charles Badger Clark ( grades 4-6)

Badger Clark was an American cowboy and poet, as well as the first laureate of South Dakota for poetry. The Lost Pardner is only one of the many poems that came from of the Old West's primarily queer and BIPOC inhabitants, The Lost Pardner encapsulates the atmosphere on the American Frontier-- one in which marginalized people risked life and limb to live and love freely. Throughout the 19th and 20th Century, puritanical influences on popular culture have tried to erase the existance and impact that queer people have had on the formation of cornerstones of western culture, but surviving art such as this poem exist to prove otherwise. Clark memorializes his relationship and grief in this eulogy to one of his lovers who perished while working in deadly conditions, a lucky one out of the thousand nameless LGBTQ2S+ and BIPOC people who met a similar fate.

Our Work is Everywhere by Syan Rose (grades 7-9)

A decade in the making, Syan Rose’s book Our Work is Everywhere: an Illustrated Oral History of Queer and Trans Resistance is exactly as the name suggests– an ode and undeniable evidence of the mark that queer people have made on history. However, instead of writing about the more well-known accomplishments made by queer people (such as Alan Turing’s Enigma Machine, the pirates of the 16th century who pioneered social equality, and historical figures such as Emperor Ai of Han, Alexander the Great, and the many Two-Spirit spiritual leaders in pre-colonial Anishinaabemowin communities), Syan Rose redefines the word “work” to include the wide range of personal experiences that American queer and trans individuals have had. Swaddled in surrealist imagery, this record touches on themes of family, mental health, disabilities and more. An incredibly empathetic look into the complex lives of Queer and Trans Americans today, Our Work is Everywhere is an expertly crafted visual and verbal portrait of many different faces.

Sarah Rosenblatt, better known as Syan Rose, is an innovative voice in topics such as ancestral history and queer liberation. Rose’s work combines both written and visual language in mediums such as graphic novels, posters, and logo designs.

A Supermarket in California by Allen Ginsberg (grades 10+)

Allen Ginsberg is celebrated as one of the great queer voices of all time in writing. In 1943, while studying at Columbia University, Ginsberg befriended William Burroughs and Jack Kerouac, and the trio later established themselves as pivotal figures in the Beat Movement.

Julian is a Mermaid by Jessica Love (grades 1-3)

Jessica Love is an American theater actress, author, and illustrator. She is best known for her debut children's picture book Julián is a Mermaid, which has won the Stonewall Book Award and Klaus Flugge Prize. All of her books are LBTQ+ friendly, including, Julián Is a Mermaid. It is an American children's picture book that tells the story of a boy who wants to become a mermaid and participate in the Coney Island Mermaid Parade. Love first began writing the book in 2014 while she worked as an actress, and it was published in 2018 by Candlewick Press.

The Best at It by Maulik Pancholy (grades 4-6)

The Best At It tells the story of seventh grader Raoul Kapoor as he struggles to start middle school in Indiana. Attempting to follow his grandfather's advice, Raoul attempts to find the thing that he is good at and become the best at it. But there's just one problem. Raoul doesn't feel like he is good at anything. While trying to find his way alongside his best friend, Chelsea, Raoul must also navigate an entirely different issue, his growing feelings for his classmate Justin. Published in October 2020, The Best At It is also a Stonewall Honor Book.

Maulik Pancholy is an actor who graduated with an MFA from Yale University and whose credits range from 30 Rock to Phineas and Ferb. In 2014, he was named to then President Barack Obama's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. He is also the Chair and Co-Founder of Act to Change, a non-profit organization devoted to fighting bullying. The Best At It is his debut novel.

Over the Edge , Over Again by Frank Falisi (grades 7-9)

Frank Falisi’s essay, Over The Edge, Over Again examines the Pirates of The Caribbean franchise as a framework for how we, the people, should move against corrupt government systems. The origins of piracy reflect a history of empowerment through anarchism. Being vessels with the power to escape civilizations on land, pirate ships served small societies on their own. This enabled marginalised individuals to escape the culture of racism and hegemonic patriarchy on land, giving them the space to exercise control over their own lives. Falisi’s piece looks at our beloved heroes of the silver screen, as well as those of history and how their practices of activism can be applied in a modern day context.

An actor and writer originally from New Jersey, Frank Falisi has worked for the online music and film "webzine" Tiny Mix Tapes. He is currently working towards an MFA in creative writing at Florida Atlantic University and works as a staff writer for the online literary journal Bright Wall/Dark Room.

The Necessary Hunger by Nina Revoyr (grades 10+)

First published in 1997, The Necessary Hunger tells the story of Japanese American Nancy Takahiro and African American Raina Weber, two high school basketball players in their senior year of high school. Though rivals, Nancy and Raina must learn to live together, literally, when Raina's mother moves in with Nancy's father. Nancy also must learn how to navigate her growing romantic feelings for Raina. Set in inner-city Los Angeles, The Necessary Hunger tackles issues of friendship, racial identity, and the struggles LGBTQ+ teenagers face in a society that does not wholly accept them for who they are.

Nina Revoyr is a Japanese-American author who has published six novels. Her books have won the Ferro Gumbly Award, the Lambda Literary Award, and are frequently listed in community and campus book lists. Revoyr is also a visiting professor at Cornell University and Pomona College, among other post-secondary institutions in the United States.

I Dream of Popo by Livia Blackburne (grades 1-3)

Written by Livia Blackburne and illustrated by Julia Kuo, both of Taiwanese heritage, I Dream of Popo is a heartfelt and authentic immigrant story by the author herself. Surrounding Blackburne's own personal experiences moving with her family to America and leaving her grandmother behind, this picture books entails a roller coaster of emotions, from wholesome grandmother-granddaughter love to a nostalgic departure filled with fleeting connections and longing memories. Blackburne employs simple yet emotionally impactful phrases to highlight her special connection with her grandmother, reflecting how even the subtle details have shaped her childhood and familial bonds.

Born in Taipei, Taiwan, and brought up in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Livia Blackburne is a New York Times bestselling author for the Midnight Thief and Rosemarked duologies. She earned an AB in biomedical sciences at Harvard and MIT, and received her PhD in cognitive neuroscience. She wrote her first novel while researching the neuroscience of reading, and has switched to full time writing ever since.

For a Daughter Who Leaves by Janice Mirikitani (grades 4-6)

Mirikitani's poem "For a Daughter Who Leaves" sets the scene of the speaker's daughter who is about to get married and is wearing slippers that use the same thread that has patched up sentimental items in her childhood. The mother recounts her experience watching her daughter grow up and reflects on the woman that now stands in front of her before walking down the aisle. The thread in the wedding slippers and thus also the girl's first silk jacket represent the mother's love for her and the continuance of her care as she hands her daughter off to her new partner.

Born in Stockton, California, Janice Mirikitani is the author of five books and has served as the second Poet Laureate of San Francisco in 2000. She was a survivor of the Japanese American incarceration during the second World War and also founded San Francisco's Glide Memorial Church center for social justice with her husband.

Tame by Sarah Howe (grades 7-9)

TW: descriptions of parental neglect and intimate partner abuse

Originally published in her anthology “Loop of Jade” Sarah Howe’s poem Tame describes the intergenerational trauma caused by misogynistic family dynamics– a pattern that has historically affected Chinese families to a disproportionate degree. With a PHD in Renaissance Literature from Christ’s College Cambridge, Howe seamlessly blends her Western and Eastern cultural influences by framing her understanding of misogyny (as influenced by her life in London, UK) through the narrative of a popular Chinese folktale. A visceral, yet whimsical tale of the “unwanted daughter”, Howe’s poem is an ode to all the unnamed, unloved girls whose wings were clipped before they even realised they could fly.

Salt Fish Girl by Larissa Lai (grades 10+)

Larissa Lai's literary and academic pursuits span countries and continents; born in California, she grew up in Newfoundland and studied in Norwich, England, Calgary, Alberta and at UBC in Vancouver. She directs The Insurgent Architects' House for Creative Writing in Calgary and writes both poetry and novels, typically within the genres of magical realism and speculative fiction. Her novels The Tiger Flu and Salt Fish Girl present dystopian futures from the perspective of the Other, and her poetry collections includes Sybil Unrest, Automaton Biographies and The Iron Goddess of Mercy.

Dear Juno by Soyung Park (grades 1-3)

Soyung Pak is an Ezra Jack Keats Award winning children's book author. Her previous works include Sumi's First Day of School, A Place to Grow, and Dear, Juno. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Master of Education. She lives in New Jersey with her family. Juno's grandmother writes in Korean and Juno writes in drawings, but that doesn't mean they can't exchange letters. From the photo his grandmother sends him, Juno can tell that she has a new cat. From the picture he makes for her, Juno's grandmother can tell that he wants her to come for a visit. So she sends Juno a miniature plane, to let him know she's on the way. This tender tale won the author an Ezra Jack Keats award, and is a perfect introduction to the concept of foreign cultures and far-off lands.

Stand Up, Yumi Chung! by Jessica Kim (grades 4-6)

One lie snowballs into a full-blown double life in this irresistible story about an aspiring stand-up comedian. On the outside, Yumi Chung suffers from #shygirlproblems, a perm-gone-wrong, and kids calling her "Yu-MEAT" because she smells like her family's Korean barbecue restaurant. On the inside, Yumi is ready for her Netflix stand-up special. Her notebook is filled with mortifying memories that she's reworked into comedy gold. All she needs is a stage and courage. Instead of spending the summer studying her favorite YouTube comedians, Yumi is enrolled in test-prep tutoring to qualify for a private school scholarship, which will help in a time of hardship at the restaurant. One day after class, Yumi stumbles on an opportunity that will change her life: a comedy camp for kids taught by one of her favorite YouTube stars. The only problem is that the instructor and all the students think she's a girl named Kay Nakamura--and Yumi doesn't correct them. As this case of mistaken identity unravels, Yumi must decide to stand up and reveal the truth or risk losing her dreams and disappointing everyone she cares about.

Raincoat by Ada Limon (grades 7-9)

Ada Limón is the USA’s 24th Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry for 2022-2023. “Ada Limón is a poet who connects,” Congressional Librarian Hayden said. “Her accessible, engaging poems ground us in where we are and who we share our world with. They speak of intimate truths, of the beauty and heartbreak that is living, in ways that help us move forward.” Ada Limón was born in Sonoma, California, in 1976 and is of Mexican ancestry. She is the author of six poetry collections, including “The Carrying” (Milkweed Editions, 2018), which won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Poetry; “Bright Dead Things” (2015), a finalist for the National Book Award and the National Books Critics Circle Award; “Sharks in the Rivers” (2010); “Lucky Wreck” (Autumn House, 2006); and “This Big Fake World” (Pearl Editions, 2006). She earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from New York University and is the recipient of fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the New York Foundation for the Arts, the Provincetown Fine Arts Work Center, and the Kentucky Foundation for Women.

Rise: A Pop History of Asian America by Jeff Yang et al. (grades 10+)

Parts scrapbook, love letter, memoir, and textbook, Rise: A Pop History of Asian America provides an overview and an analysis of the past three decades of Asian American artists, celebrities, and voices in contemporary society as well as the obstacles and challenges many Asian Americans have had to overcome and still face to this day. It serves as a celebration of all things Asian American, from Lucy Liu to Olivia Rodrigo, and a celebration of the diversity of stories that come from Asian Americans.

This monumental volume was the result of three main editors, Jeff Yang, Phil Yu, and Philip Wang. Jeff Yang graduated from Harvard University in 1989 and is a member of the Asian American Journalists Association. In the 1990's, he was the editor of A Magazine, which was the most widely circulated Asian American magazine in the United States. Phil Yu is the creater of the blog Angry Asian Man and has an M.A. in Critical Studies from USC Film School. In 2011, he received a Public Image Award from Asian Americans Advancing Justice. Philip Wang is one of the founding members of Wong Fu Productions, a YouTube channel with more than 3.2 million subscribers and close to 600 million views. Wong Fu Productions featured actors such as Randall Park, Anna Akana, and Simu Liu.

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