Best of the Best Picture Book Booklist from Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Diaspora

The Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA) prepares an annual Best of the Best Booklist that celebrates stories from across the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) diaspora. All APALA members were invited to nominate picture book titles about AANHPI communities and experiences that were published in the previous calendar year. Members of the APALA Family Literacy Focus Committee evaluated the nominations against the APALA Rubric and curated the final list. Eligible titles that earned an APALA Literature Award or Honoree designation were automatically added to the Best of the Best Booklist.

The titles depict diverse representations of heritages and cultures across the AANHPI diaspora. Some young readers may feel a personal connection to these stories, while other children will learn about lives different from their own and practice empathy. Educators, librarians, caregivers, and community members alike can refer to this list when purchasing new books, selecting titles for their young readers, and supporting educational learning and programming.