Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
Celebrate Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month!
Each May, we celebrate the important contributions of Asian and Pacific Islanders to America's history and future.
This week we focus on Asian/Pacific American authors and illustrators.
Gyo Fujikawa: Author, Illustrator & Trailblazer
This week, we are celebrating Gyo Fujikawa, a Japanese American artist, illustrator, trailblazer, rule breaker, dog lover, AND bookmaker.
She is most famous for her book, Babies, published in 1963. It was one of the first books to show characters of different races, including Asian, Black, and White. Her publisher told her it could hurt the book's sales, but Gyo didn't care. Her publisher was wrong: Babies went on to sell nearly 2 million copies in the United States alone! Gyo helped break the color barrier in publishing.
It Began with a Page: How Gyo Fujikawa Drew the Way.webmRead Aloud: It Began With a Page: How Gyo Fujikawa Drew the Way
Explore Asian/Pacific American Authors and Illustrators
The Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature is given out annually. The winners are announced at the Youth Media Awards - the same event where the Caldecott and Newbury Award winners are announce.
The award promotes Asian/Pacific American culture and heritage and is awarded based on literary and artistic merit. The award offers three youth categories including Picture Book, Children’s Literature and Youth Literature.
Looking for a good book to read? Check out one of these award APALA winning and honor books from your school or public library.
Picture Books
Novels
Wait! There's more!
Check out Sora's Asian & Pacific Islander Heritage Month collection to borrow a fabulous ebook or audiobooks! Remember to choose Brookline Public Schools & log on with your PSBMA account.
