As the founder of 12 x 12, I am so disheartened by the dramatic rise in Anti-Asian racism in the Western world, and in the U.S. in particular. The tragic deaths of six Asian-American women in an Atlanta mass shooting last week is a grim reminder that we have a great deal of work to do to #StopAsianHate. 12 x 12 stands in solidarity with the Asian members of our community (which is really a family) and their right to be safe and have their voices heard.

As a children’s book author, I believe the best way to eradicate racism in all its forms is to educate children. The best way to educate children is to give them a multitude of books that showcase and celebrate the diversity in our country and our world. I also believe it’s critical that children read books written by authors from their own cultures in order ensure representation, and to foster empathy, acceptance, and understanding among those outside those cultures.

For all of these reasons, I am sharing a list of picture books written and/or illustrated by our Asian 12 x 12 members. Some were released in 2020, and some are yet to come in 2021 and available for pre-order. They are all fantastic books you can share with the children in your lives. If you don’t have children, consider purchasing and placing them in Little Free Libraries in your area. Another way you can support these authors is to request your library purchase these books (if they don’t already have them in their catalogues).

Please also consider donating to Stop AAPI Hate. Remember, we are all one human family, and we owe it to our children to show them we stand for equality for all.

2020

Everyday Ninja
Leila Boukarim (Author) Barbara Moxham (Illustrator)

Released 2/18/20

When Kareem and Wei spot a ninja at the park, they wonder if they’ve got what it takes to be side-kicking, backflipping, somersaulting ninjas, too. But when the ninja does a perfect arabesque, the boys are in for a big surprise.

Live to Inspire : Sahara’s Special Senses
by Eva Wong Nava (Author), Debasmita Dasgupta (Illustrator)

Released 3/6/20

Sahara Khan is a determined, strong, and courageous girl. She has an epic vision of becoming a chef and nothing can stop her. Find out how Sahara develops her senses and learns to use them in the kitchen. Join her in an epic journey of self-discovery and empowerment.

Two Bicycles in Beijing
Teresa Robeson (Author) Junyi Wu (Illustrator)

Released 4/1/20

One, two; yi, er. Side by side, two bicycles, Lunzi and Huangche, come out of the factory. Side by side, they watch the city of Beijing from their shop window. Then a young girl comes in and buys Huangche, rolling him away from Lunzi! With the help of a delivery boy, Lunzi begins an epic race to find her friend that introduces readers to all the sights and sounds of Beijing.

Grandpa Grumps
Katrina Moore (Author) Xindi Yan (Illustrator)

Released 4/7/20

Daisy’s Yeh-Yeh is visiting for the first time from China, and Daisy is so excited to meet him! She has big plans for all the fun they’ll have together, like tea parties and snow angels, but when Yeh-Yeh arrives, Daisy finds him less jolly than she imagined. Throughout the week, she tries all sorts of things to get him past his grumpiness. Will she be able to make him smile before he goes home?

Grandmother School
Rina Singh (Author) Ellen Rooney (Illustrator)

Released 5/5/20

Every morning, a young girl walks her grandmother to the Aajibaichi Shala, the school that was built for the grandmothers in her village to have a place to learn to read and write. The narrator beams with pride as she drops her grandmother off with the other aajis to practice the alphabet and learn simple arithmetic. A moving story about family, women and the power of education–when Aaji learns to spell her name you’ll want to dance along with her.

Women in countless countries continue to endure the limitations of illiteracy. Unjust laws have suppressed the rights of girls and women and kept many from getting an education and equal standing in society. Based on a true story from the village of Phangane, India, this brilliantly illustrated book tells the story of the grandmothers who got to go to school for the first time in their lives.

Invent-a-Pet
Vicky Fang (Author) Tidawan Thaipinnarong (Illustrator)

Released 6/2/20

Katie is an ordinary girl who longs for an extraordinary pet–something more spectacular than a simple goldfish. Then one day Katie comes home to find a gift from her mother: a mysterious machine designed to help her create that one-of-a-kind creature. Each time she feeds different items into the machine, out comes a marvelously colorful new animal–like a purple monkey, rainbow-spotted horse, and green bunny! But none of them is just right. Through trial and error, Katie figures out the formula for her absolutely perfect SURPRISE pet.

Mama’s Waves
Chandra Ghosh Ippen (Author) Erich Ippen (Illustrator)

Released 9/3/20

Ellie’s mom did not come for their visit, and Ellie is stuck in a cloud of sadness and anger as she tries to understand why. Fortunately, Miss K. and Ellie’s Uncle Finny are there to help her. Using the metaphor of a wave, they help Ellie talk about and understand her mother’s ups and downs, recognize and hold on to loving memories, and know that she is not alone.

Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali: The Accidental Doctor
by Eva Wong Nava (Author), June Ho (Author), Debasmita Dasgupta (Illustrator)

Released 9/29/20

Meet Siti Hasmah, a little girl, who wants to be a journalist, in a period when not every girl was sent to school. Watch what happens to her, her family, and country when World War II strikes. Walk in her footsteps as she graduates from university and goes on to save the lives of many Malaysian women and children. See what she finally ends up becoming.The Woman Who Shaped Asia series aim not just to educate but also to motivate. These stories celebrate the amazing accomplishments of women from the region. Their remarkable strength in the face of adversity and sheer determination make it possible for their dreams to be fulfilled, no matter how big! They remind our young readers that great things are accomplished by people who were once little, just like them.

Raja’s Pet Camel: The Magic of Hope
Anita Nahta Amin (Author) Parwinder Singh (Illustrator)

Released 10/1/20

Raja has always wanted a pet like the kids in his school books, but, in India, animals work. They aren’t for play. Nevertheless, when Raja stumbles upon a scared, baby camel, he takes him home and makes him his own pet. It’s not long before there are smashed pots, broken fences, and a big mess everywhere. Kamal is a wild camel with wild ways and Raja’s father is not pleased. “We don’t have time for camels. We’re too busy herding goats.” Raja loves his new pet but his father is fed up with the mess and determined to sell him at the next fair. Will Raja find a way to keep Kamal or will they lose each other forever?

111 Trees: How One Village Celebrates the Birth of Every Girl
Rina Singh (Author) Marianne Ferrer (Illustrator)

Released 10/6/20

In a small village in India, a boy grows up to make a huge difference in his community by planting trees to celebrate the birth of every girl. Based on a true story, this book celebrates environmental sustainability, community activism and ecofeminism. This is the story of Sundar Paliwal, who is from a small Indian village ruled by ancient customs. As he grows to be a man, Sundar suffers much heartbreak and decides it is time for change to come to his village. Sundar is determined to live in a place where girls are valued as much as boys and where the land is not devastated by irresponsible mining. Sundar’s plan? To celebrate the birth of every girl with the planting of 111 trees. Though many villagers resist at first, Sundar slowly gains their support. And today, there are over a quarter of a million trees in his village, providing food, water and opportunities for women to earn a living. His efforts have turned a once barren and deforested landscape into a fertile and prosperous one where girls can thrive. Based on true events in the life of Sundar Paliwal, and written in collaboration with him, Rina Singh’s uplifting story shows how one person can make a difference in a community. Beautiful illustrations by Marianne Ferrer sensitively bring the evolution of the village to life. With strong links to the science curriculum, this book offers lessons on environmental awareness, sustainability and stewardship, as well as the concept of ecofeminism. It also explores ideas of social development, community and culture, and the character education traits of responsibility and cooperation. A thoroughly researched author’s note with photographs and more information about the village of Piplantri is included.

Seven Golden Rings: A Tale of Music and Math
Rajani Larocca (Author) Archana Sreenivasan (Illustrator)

Released 10/27/20

In ancient India, a boy named Bhagat travels to the Rajah’s city, hoping to ensure his family’s prosperity by winning a place at court as a singer. Bhagat carries his family’s entire fortune–a single coin and a chain of seven golden rings–to pay for his lodging. But when the innkeeper demands one ring per night, and every link snipped costs one coin, how can Bhagat both break the chain and avoid overpaying? His inventive solution points the way to an unexpected triumph, and offers readers a friendly lesson in binary numbers–the root of all computing.

2021

I Am a Bird
Hope Lim (Author) Hyewon Yum (Illustrator)

Released 2/2/21

I am a bird. Ca-Caw! Ca-Caw!

Every day, a little girl rides to school on the back of her father’s bike. As they twist and turn through the streets, the little girl spreads her arms like wings and sings her birdsong for all to hear. But when they pass a strange woman in blue who carries a mysterious bag, the girl goes quiet until the woman is out of sight. One day, when they’re running late, the little girl discovers what the woman does with her bag each morning–a surprise that transforms her wariness into a feeling of kinship to be celebrated. Hope Lim’s simple text and Hyewon Yum’s delicate, expressive illustrations create a touching story that encourages readers to embrace our similarities rather than focus on our differences.

Best Friend in the Whole World
Sandra Salsbury (Author)

Released 3/1/21

Roland lives a quiet life filled with books, music, and tea parties for one, but sometimes he feels rather lonely. When Roland finds the perfect companion in Milton (Good listener! Enjoys music! Also alone!), he is overjoyed. It’s okay that Milton is just a pine cone; they have so much in common. But clues start popping up in the woods, suggesting someone else might be missing their best pine cone friend. Roland must decide if it’s worth leaving someone else in their loneliness to keep Milton in his life.

Bracelets for Bina’s Brothers
Rajani Larocca (Author) Chaaya Prabhat (Illustrator)

To be released 4/20/21

For the Hindu holiday of Raksha Bandhan, Bina is determined to make beaded bracelets for her brothers all by herself. She finds out which colors her brothers like and dislike and sets to work. Working with her every-other-one beading pattern causes Bina to discover something new about patterns–and her brothers.

Storytelling Math celebrates children using math in their daily adventures as they play, build, and discover the world around them. Joyful stories and hands-on activities make it easy for kids and their grown-ups to explore everyday math together. Developed in collaboration with math experts at STEM education nonprofit TERC, under a grant from the Heising-Simons Foundation.

Whole Whale
Karen Yin (Author) Nelleke Verhoeff (Illustrator)

To be released 5/1/21

One hundred unusual animals try to squeeze into the pages of this raucous rhyming tale. But will there be room to fit a whole blue whale? The humorous ending features an expansive double gatefold and educational endnotes list the 100 animals in the book.

My Tree
Hope Lim (Author) Il Sung Na (Illustrator)

To be released 5/4/21

A young boy, recently arrived from Korea, finds a glorious plum tree in his new backyard. It reminds him of a tree his family had back home, and he names it Plumee for the deep purple plums on its branches. Whenever the boy is homesick, he knows he can take shelter in Plumee’s tall branches.

And when a storm brings the old tree down, he and his friends have all kinds of adventures on its branches, as it becomes a dragon, a treehouse, and a ship in their imaginations. But soon it’s time to say goodbye when the remains of the tree are taken away. Before long, a new plum tree is planted, new blossoms bloom, and a new friendship takes root.

How to Wear a Sari
Darshana Khiani (Author) Joanne Lew-Vriethoff (Illustrator)

To be released 6/22/21

Being a little kid isn’t always fun and games. Sometimes, it’s downright annoying.

When a little girl tires of being treated like she’s TOO little, she sets out to prove to her family that she can do ANYTHING she puts her mind to . . .

. . . including putting on a colorful, twinkly, silky sari. Sure, they’re long and unwieldy–but that only means her family will be even more impressed when she puts it on all by herself.

Naturally, there are some hiccups along the way, but she discovers that she’s not the only one in her family who has set out with something to prove, with hilariously chaotic results.

Dancing in Thatha’s Footsteps
Srividhya Venkat (Author) Kavita Ramchandran (Illustrator)

To be released 6/30/21

On Sundays, Varun has his karate lesson, and his sister Varsha heads to dance school with their grandfather. One weekend, Varun reluctantly accompanies his sister to her lesson. Bored of waiting, he peeks into the classroom, and almost immediately, he is fascinated by the rhythm and grace of bharatanatyam, a dance from India that Varsha is learning to perfect. Varun tries a few moves at home in secret because…well, boys don’t dance, do they? His grandfather is not so sure. Will Thatha be able to convince Varun to dance in his footsteps?

Manatee’s Best Friend
Sylvia Liu (Author)

To be released 6/30/21

Becca Wong Walker may be so shy that most people at school think she doesn’t speak at all, but why should she care? She has more important things to worry about. Missy, the manatee who visits the dock in Becca’s backyard, and Becca’s only friend, hasn’t been seen for a long time. When Missy finally does return, she has a new baby with her Becca wants to be excited, but more than ever inconsiderate boaters are speeding through the river, putting the lives of Missy and her baby in terrible danger.

One day, Becca spots a dolphin in the river too. By bonding over the dolphin and manatees, Becca finally starts to make friends at school. But when Becca takes a video that goes viral, it seems like it will be harder than ever to save the manatees… and trying might just tear Becca’s new friendships apart.

My Little Golden Book about Kamala Harris
Rajani Larocca (Author) Ashley Evans (Illustrator)

To be released 8/31/21

Help your little one dream big with a Little Golden Book biography all about the first female Vice President Kamala Harris The perfect introduction to nonfiction for preschoolers

This Little Golden Book about Kamala Harris–the first woman, first African American woman, and first Indian American woman to be elected Vice President of the United States–is an inspiring read-aloud for young girls and boys.

Tu Youyou’s Discovery: Finding a Cure for Malaria
Songju Ma Daemicke (Author) Lin (Illustrator)

To be released 10/1/21

Tu Youyou had been interested in science and medicine since she was a child, so when malaria started infecting people all over the world in 1969, she went to work finding a treatment. Trained as a medical researcher in college and healed by traditional medicine techniques when she was young, Tu Youyou started experimenting with natural Chinese remedies. The treatment she discovered through years of research and experimentation is still used all over the world today.