High School

The Berkeley Unified School District stands with the Asian-American and Pacific Islander community. This reading list promotes books published in recent years that are devoted to uplifting Asian-American and Pacific Islander history, celebrating heritage, affirming identity, and promoting antiracism. Sharing these books is one part of our effort to develop anti-racist consciousness with and for our youth and ensure they know they are not alone.

The All-Americanby Joe Milan Jr.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Published: 2023
An Arrow to the Moonby Emily X.R. Pan
Genre: Magical Realism
Published: 2022

Beating Heart Babyby Lio Min
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Published: 2022
Beauty Besharamby Lillie Vale
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Published: 2022
Chasing Pacquiaoby Rod Pulido
Genre: Sports / Realistic Fiction
Published: 2023
Chiara in the Darkby Maya Chhabra
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Format: Novel in Verse
Published: 2022
Debating Darcyby Sayantani Dasgupta
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Audiobook Available
Published: 2022
Dragonfruitby Makiia Lucier
Genre: Fantasy
Published: 2024

Family Style: Memories of an American from Vietnamby Thien Pham
Genre: Memoir
Format: Graphic Novel
Published: 2023
Flip the Scriptby Lyla Lee
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Audiobook Available
Published: 2022
Foul Lady Fortuneby Chloe Gong
Genre: Historical Fiction / Fantasy
Audiobook Available
Published: 2023
The Fox Maidensby Robin Ha
Genre: Fantasy /Historical Fiction
Format: Graphic Novel
Published: 2024
The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Seaby Axie Oh
Genre: Fantasy
Audiobook Available
Published: 2022
Hollow Firesby Samira Ahmed
Genre: Mystery
Audiobook Available
Published: 2022
Imposter Syndrome and Other Confessions of Alejandra Kimby Patricia Park
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Audiobook Available
Published: 2023
In Limboby Deb JJ Lee
Genre: Memoir
Format: Graphic Novel
Published: 2023
Last Night at the Telegraph Clubby Malinda Lo
Genre: Historical Fiction
Audiobook Available
Published: 2021

Love From Mecca to Medinaby S.K. Ali
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Audiobook Available
Published: 2022
The Love Matchby Priyanka Taslim
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Audiobook Available
Published: 2022
Luck of the Titanicby Stacey Lee
Genre: Historical Fiction
Published: 2021
Lunar New Year Love Storyby Gene Luen Yang
Genre: Supernatural / Romance
Published: 2024
Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese Americanby Laura Gao
Genre: Memoir
Format: Graphic Novel
Published: 2022
Monstrous: A Transracial Adoption Storyby Sarah Meyer
Genre: Memoir
Format: Graphic Novel
Published: 2023
Our Missing Heartsby Celeste Ng
Genre: Dystopia
Published: 2022

Piece by Piece: The Story of Nisrin's Hijabby Priya Huq
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Format: Graphic Novel
Published: 2023


Queen of the Tilesby Hanna Alkaf
Genre: Mystery / Thriller
Audiobook Available
Published: 2022

Rise: A Pop History of Asian America from the Nineties to Nowby Jeff Yang
Genre: Nonfiction
Published: 2022

A Scatter of Lightby Malinda Lo
Genre: Fantasy
Audiobook Available
Published: 2022
She is a Hauntingby Trang Thanh Tran
Genre: Horro
Audiobook Available
Published: 2022

The Silence that Binds Usby Joanna Ho
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Audiobook Available
Published: 2022
Sunny G's Series of Rash Decisionsby Navdeep Singh Dillon
Genre: Realistic Fiction / Humor
Audiobook Available
Published: 2022

This is Not a Personal Statementby Tracy Badua
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Audiobook Available
Published: 2023
This Place is Still Beautifulby Xixi Tian
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Audiobook Available
Published: 2022

A Thousand Steps into Nightby Traci Chee
Genre: Fantasy
Audiobook Available
Published: 2022
Throwbackby Maureen Goo
Genre: Science Fiction
Published: 2023

When Can We Go Back to America? Voices of Japanese American Incarceration During World War IIby Susan Kamei
Genre: Nonfiction
Published: 2021

How do I read these books?

Many of these books are available through Berkeley school libraries as a physical and/or ebook. For more information about any of these books, or to check one of them out, ask your school librarian.

For more information and instructions on accessing ebooks and audiobooks, visit our Digital Books page.

At a time when so many small businesses are struggling to keep their doors open, we also encourage folks to support our local bookstores: 

Ashay by the Bay, Bandung Books, Eastwind Books, Marcus Books, Moe’s Books, Mr. Mopps, Books Inc., Pegasus Books and Mrs. Dalloways.