Middle 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.

A First Time for Everythingby Dan Santat
Genre: Memoir
Format: Graphic Novel
Published: 2023


Call Me Adnanby Reem Faruqi
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Format: Novel in Verse
Published: 2023
Dream, Annie, Dreamby Waka T. Brown
Genre: Historical Fiction
Audiobook available!
Published: 2022
A Duet for Homeby Karina Yan Glaser
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Audiobook available!
Published: 2022
Enlighten Meby Minh Lê
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Format: Graphic Novel
Published: 2023


Exclusion and the Chinese American Storyby Sarah SoonLing Blackburn
Genre: Nonfiction
Published: 2023
Family Style: Memories of an American from Vietnamby Thien Pham
Genre: Memoir
Format: Graphic Novel
Published: 2023
Golden Girlby Reem Faruqi
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Format: Novel in Verse
Published: 2022
Hope in the Valleyby Mitali Perkins
Genre: Historical Fiction
Published: 2023
Jennifer Chan is Not Aloneby Tae Keller
Genre: Fiction
Audiobook available!
Published: 2022
Karthik Deliversby Sheela Chari
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Audiobook available!
Published: 2022

The Last Mapmakerby Christina Soontornvat
Genre: Fantasy
Audiobook available!
Published: 2022
Let's Make Dumplings!: A Comic Book Cookbookby Hugh Amano
Genre: Nonfiction - Cookbook
Format: Graphic Novel
Published: 2021
Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese Americanby Laura Gao
Genre: Memoir
Format: Graphic Novel
Published: 2022
My Sister's Big Fat Indian Weddingby Sajni Patel
Genre: Fiction
Published: 2022
The Partition Projectby Saadia Faruqi
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Published: 2024
The Secret Battle of Evan Paoby Wendy Wan-Long Shang
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Audiobook available!
Published: 2022



Shaktiby SJ Sindu
Genre:Fantasy
Format: Graphic Novel
Published: 2023
Shining a Light: Celebrating 40 Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Who Changed the Worldby Veeda Bybee
Genre: Biography Collection
Published: 2023


Tales of a Seventh-Grade Lizard Boyby Jonathan Hill
Genre: Fantasy
Format: Graphic Novel
Published: 2022


This is How I Rollby Debbi Michiko Florence
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Published: 2023
A Thousand Steps Into Nightby Traci Chee
Genre: Fantasy
Audiobook available!
Published: 2022



Troublemakerby John Cho
Genre: Historical Fiction
Audiobook available!
Published: 2022

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.