BookDragon Fiction

Miracle on 49th Street by Mike Lupica

13 Dec, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Audio, Fiction, Middle Grade Readers, Nonethnic-specific, Young Adult Readers

As much as this time of the year makes me sooooo cranky with too much focus on the frantic buy-buy-buy messages all around us, it also makes me a total mushpot for...

The Angel of Galilea by Laura Restrepo, translated by Dolores Koch

12 Dec, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Adult Readers, Fiction, South American, Translation

A magazine reporter, referred to as "La Monita, Blondie" – because of her "mass of blond hair" thanks to her Belgian grandfather – is sent to cover an angel sighting in the Bogotá...

The Runaway Wok by Ying Chang Compestine, illustrated by Sebastià Serra

11 Dec, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Children/Picture Books, Chinese, Chinese American, Fiction

To commemorate a dear friend's birthday, today's title had certain content requirements: something about a new year, obedient children (every parent's dream-birthday wish!), delicious food, giggly humor, all wrapped up in colorful packaging. Thankfully,...

Replay by Sharon Creech

09 Dec, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Audio, Fiction, Middle Grade Readers, Nonethnic-specific

His name is Leonardo, he'll answer to Leo, but he's most often called "sardine" by his nearest and dearest because several years ago, "Leo got squashed in a corner and cried ...

Brain Camp by Susan Kim and Laurence Klavan, art by Faith Erin Hicks, color by Hilary Sycamore

08 Dec, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Fiction, Graphic Title/Manga/Manwha, Korean American, Middle Grade Readers, Nonethnic-specific, Young Adult Readers

Checking my inbox yesterday, I received quite a flurry of emails highlighting the latest announcement that Chinese students are outscoring all other students in international standardized testing, with their U.S. counterparts ranked 23 or...

Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok

06 Dec, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Adult Readers, Audio, Chinese American, Fiction, Hong Kongese

I didn't actually read most of Jean Kwok's debut novel, but Grayce Wey who read it to me made it un-put-downable. Wey's gentle, lilting accent which fades in and out depending on...

Buddha’s Orphans by Samrat Upadhyay

05 Dec, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Adult Readers, Fiction, Nepali, Nepali American

First off, Samrat Upadhyay is one of my favorite short story-tellers. His debut Arresting God in Kathmandu remains one of the most memorable collections I've ever read, and a quote from the review I...

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

02 Dec, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Adult Readers, Audio, European, Fiction, Jewish, Middle Grade Readers, Young Adult Readers

Given the somber subject matter of this title, I realize this probably verges on sacrilegious, but no disrespect is intended in any way ...

The Year of the Rabbit: Tales from the Chinese Zodiac by Oliver Chin, illustrated by Justin Roth

01 Dec, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Children/Picture Books, Chinese American, Fiction

How did 2010 whoosh by so quickly? Is it really December already? Since 'next year' is just a month away, take a sneak peek at 2011 with baby Rosie! With her especially huge...

Sweet Moon Baby: An Adoption Tale by Karen Henry Clark, illustrated by Patrice Barton

30 Nov, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Children/Picture Books, Chinese American, Fiction

Oh my, oh my ...

The Playwright by Daren White, art by Eddie Campbell

28 Nov, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Adult Readers, Australian, Fiction, Graphic Title/Manga/Manwha

The unnamed playwright here is one lonely man. He "lodges" in Uncle Ernie's spare room as his own family stopped talking to him in 1978 when his screenplay "based upon his older, retarded brother" aired...

MAOH: Juvenile Remix (vol. 1) original story by Kotaro Isaka, story and art by Megumi Osuga, translated by Stephen Paul

26 Nov, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Fiction, Graphic Title/Manga/Manwha, Japanese, Translation, Young Adult Readers

Ando, now in 11th grade, is more or less going through the motions of fitting in: "If I said I didn't feel empty inside for putting up an act ...

Mirror by Suzy Lee

23 Nov, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Children/Picture Books, Fiction, Korean

A lone little girl looks up to see a reflection of herself on the other page. Surprised, she checks again with just one eye, making sure the reflection is still there. No longer alone,...

Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine

22 Nov, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Absolute Favorites, Fiction, Middle Grade Readers, Nonethnic-specific, Young Adult Readers

I fully admit that had Mockingbird not won the National Book Award for Young People's Literature last week, I probably wouldn't have read it. I'll also tell you that by page 9, I...

Toriko (vol. 1) by Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro, translated by Christine Dashiell, adapted by Hope Donovan

21 Nov, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Fiction, Graphic Title/Manga/Manwha, Japanese, Middle Grade Readers, Translation, Young Adult Readers

We've all heard the stories of palate-adventurers willing to go to extreme lengths to try some of the most ...

Bakuman 1 by Tsugumi Ohba, art by Takeshi Obata, translated by Tetsuichiro Miyaki

18 Nov, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Fiction, Graphic Title/Manga/Manwha, Japanese, Middle Grade Readers, Translation, Young Adult Readers

At 14, Moritaka Mashiro figures he's "just going to live a normal life." For a teenager, that translates into "getting into a good high school, a good college and a good company to work...

Shadow by Suzy Lee

17 Nov, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Children/Picture Books, Fiction, Korean

Here's unforgettable testimony to the endless possibilities of childhood imagination, brought to the page by the phenomenally inventive Korean-born, Singapore-based Suzy Lee. Surrounded by the usual basement detritus, a little girl climbs on top...

Willow Run by Patricia Reilly Giff

14 Nov, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Audio, Fiction, Middle Grade Readers

Whether a soldier or a civilian, no one ever escapes the consequences of war. While those on the fighting front face the greatest risks, those left behind have excruciating challenges, as well. Two-time Newbery...

Mirror by Jeannie Baker

12 Nov, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Absolute Favorites, Adult Readers, Australian, Bilingual, Children/Picture Books, Fiction, Middle Grade Readers, Moroccan, Young Adult Readers

The simplicity of Australian author/artist Jeannie Baker's latest title makes it simply stupendous. Open the book and you have two halves on either side, the left which begins in English, and right which...

Dengeki Daisy (vol. 1) by Kyousuke Motomi, translated by JN Productions

10 Nov, by Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center in Fiction, Graphic Title/Manga/Manwha, Japanese, Translation, Young Adult Readers

Teru Kurebayashi is pretty much all alone in the world. Her parents are gone, and her beloved older brother is dead … but before his tragic too-early passing, he left her with a...