7 Books by Asian Authors I Recommend

Hello, everyone! I hope you’re doing well. Happy Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month! (More like end of the month at this point). I’ve been drafting this post for a really long time, and I finally got it done. Today I have a list of books by Asian authors that I enjoyed and recommend.

I just want to note that it’s important to read books by Asian authors year-round, not just in May.

Red Scarf Girl ~ Ji-Li Jiang

This historical fiction memoir tells the story of Ji-Li Jiang*, a twelve-year-old girl who grew up during the Cultural Revolution. It’s not a light read, I will admit, but there’s a lot of good things to learn out of this book. The Cultural Revolution was not a pleasant time and Ji-Li Jiang presents the events that were sad but unfortunately happened.

*Fun Fact: In China, they say the last name before the first name. So officially, the name would be Jiang Ji-Li.

Representation

Chinese cast

Content Warnings

beatings, suicide, torture

Pie in the Sky ~ Remy Lai

Pie in the Sky is a funny and heartwarming middle grade novel. The pictures, drawn by Lai herself, are amazing. Jingwen, his little brother Yanghao, and his mother have recently moved to a new country. Speaking little to no English, the world feels like he’s landed on an alien planet. In a way, he has.

This book made me laugh a lot, but it was also very moving. Jingwen’s way of dealing with his father’s unexpected death is to make all the cakes from Pie in the Sky, the bakery his dad was planning to open before he passed. 

Representation

Chinese cast

Content Warnings

loss of loved one (mentioned)

Stacey Lee’s Books

You probably already know that I love Stacey Lee’s books, because I mention her quite a lot. These aren’t the only books by her, but they’re the only ones by her that I’ve read. All of these are historical fiction novels, with casts of strong, Chinese female protagonists. Stacey Lee’s writing is also amazing; it paints pictures and makes things come alive.

Under a Painted Sky is about life during the late 1840s. After an accident that leaves her fearing for her life, Samantha escapes from Missouri with the help of Annamae, a runaway slave. Together, they head for the Oregon Trail. But life is dangerous there, so they disguise themselves as Sammy and Andy, two boys headed for the California gold rush. When they cross a band of cowboys, they unexpectedly become allies.

I loved the bond between Samantha and Annamae, and the friendships that they make with the cowboys. Also the bravery that the two girls had to disguise themselves as boys and face all the dangerous.

Outrun the Moon is set in 1906 during the San Francisco earthquake. Fifteen-year-old Mercy Wong, living in Chinatown, manages to bribe her way into St. Clare’s School for Girls, a school off-limits to all but the wealthiest white girls. But getting in was the easiest part. And then disaster strikes.

This novel shows how kindness, generosity, courage, and teamwork are needed to survive and get through a difficult situation. When the SF earthquake hit, around 3,000 people were killed and even more were left homeless. Mercy shows us what is needed in order to work together and get through challenging times. (My Review)

The Downstairs Girl takes place in Atlanta, 1890. Jo, who previously had a job at a milliner’s, works as a lady’s maid for the daughter of one of the wealthiest men in the city. After hearing that the Focus, her main newspaper, is losing subscribers, she takes it upon herself to become an agony aunt, under the pen name Miss Sweetie. Her column gains popularity, but when she uses her writing to address social ills in their society, she isn’t prepared for the backlash that follows.

I love Jo’s kindness and compassion in this story. She isn’t afraid for what she believes in. She still stood tall even through all the racism and sexism that people like her had to endure back then. (My Review)

Under a Painted Sky Representation

Chinese MC, African-American MC

Under a Painted Sky Content Warnings

sexual assault, racial slurs

Outrun the Moon Representation

Chinese cast

Outrun the Moon Content Warnings

death of loved ones

The Downstairs Girl Representation

Chinese MC, multiple POC side characters

The Downstairs Girl Content Warnings

racism, sexism, violence, assault

The Beast Player Series ~ Nahoko Uehashi

The Beast Player Series is an incredible fantasy story. The novels follow Elin, who’s ten in the first book. Her family is in charge of caring for the water serpents that form the major part of the kingdom’s army. But then some mysteriously die, and Elin’s mother is executed as punishment. At the last moment, she manages to send Elin to safety. It turns out that Elin can communicate with these creatures, as well as the flying beasts.

This duology was a lot of fun to read. I loved Elin’s bravery and her creativity. She was dedicated and determined throughout all of it. The world building was also done really well. The only thing I didn’t like was the age jumps. Each age jump went up four years, so it was hard to envision Elin so much older each time.

Representation

Hard to tell. It’s a fantasy book, and it’s all a different world.

Content Warnings

death of loved one (on-page), violence

The Epic Crush of Genie Lo ~ F.C. Yee

This is actually the first book in a series, but I haven’t read it, so I’m only speaking for this book. I read a long time ago, and I honestly don’t remember a whole lot about it, but I do remember really enjoying it. I haven’t read many books that include Chinese mythology, but this one does, and it’s so good!

Representation

Chinese-American MCs

Content Warnings

physical fights, violence

Have you read any of the books I mentioned? What are some other books by Asian authors you enjoy?
Chat with me in the comments below!