May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. If you have been following me for a while, you know that I have been doing a book a day for AAPI Heritage Month for a few years. Here all of the books now here so you can reference them easily throughout the year instead of having to scroll back through socials, and if you want to incorporate them during AAPIHM (or any other time of year!) you can! Download a PDF with all the book links here. I’ve also linked at least one video for EACH book! As always, preview videos before showing to your class to make sure they fit your situation.
Full disclosure: some affiliate links. I get a small kickback and it won’t change your price. No pressure!
1. The Music Inside Us: Yo-Yo Ma and His Gifts to the World
Culture: French Chinese
Author: James Howe
Illustrator: Jack Wong
ISBN: 978-1419755217
Buy the book on Amazon
Use: Biography/Musician feature
Video: Yo-Yo Ma: The Jam Session on Sesame Street https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRixaQ4hpEI
Yo-Yo Ma on Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gqww3nnycgo
The Swan with Lil Buck (Memphis Jookin’) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJT-HHlyN4k
Hush Little Baby with Bobby McFerrin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GczSTQ2nv94
2. We Are Palestine
Culture: Palestinian
Author: Reem Kassis
Illustrator: Noha Eilouti
ISBN: 978-1623715762
Buy the book on Amazon
Use: Culture – Showcase a musical culture
Video: Traditional music of Palestine https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUL1lrv5cH4&t=61s
The Mesmerizing Sound of the Oud https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLbQcs3W0Bs
Rahim AlHaj NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osf1gckzf70
3. A Concert in the Sand
Culture: Jewish in Tel Aviv
Author: Rachella Sandbank, Tami Shem-Tov
Illustrator: Avi Ofer
ISBN: 978-1512400991
Buy the book on Amazon
Use: Talk about orchestras and flash mob orchestras.
Video: Achinoam Nini & the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaJWP296W7o
Achinoam Nini, known professionally as Noa, is an Israeli singer-songwriter, percussionist, poet, composer, and human rights activist.
4. Little Golden Book: Blackpink
Culture: Korean
Author: Jessica Yoon
Illustrator: Honee Jang
ISBN: 979-8217123605
Buy the book on Amazon
Use: Biography/Musician feature
Video: How You Like that https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioNng23DkIM
5. A Song for Cambodia
Culture: Cambodian
Author: Michelle Lord
Illustrator: Shino Arihara
ISBN: 978-1620142288
Buy the book on Amazon
Use: Biography/Musician feature. This book is about Arn Chorn-Pond. “Arn Chorn-Pond is a musician, survivor of the Cambodian genocide, human rights activist, and founder of Cambodian Living Arts and Living Arts International.” Source
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1Lg-W91y7k&t=3s
6. Quiet Time with My Seeya
Culture: Sinhalese
Author, Illustrator: Dinalie Dabarera
ISBN: 978-1250824271
Buy the book on Amazon
Use: Culture – Showcase a musical culture
Video: Traditional Shri Lanken Dance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqNmhNTnmY4
Sinhala Classical Songs Collection: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bN0LiY0as30&t=3s
7. Suki’s Kimono
Culture: Japanese
Author: Chieri Uegaki
Illustrator: Stéphane Jorisch
ISBN: 978-155337752
Buy the book on Amazon
Use: Culture – Showcase a musical culture
Video: Most Famous Traditional Japanese Instruments https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bliJ-yT6crE
Musical Instruments of Japan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNEp84PVYes
Playing the Musical Dragon, The Koto: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpQ8bXZdeCQ
WASAI: The art of Japanese Kimono Making (2025 Documentary) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onrYyrEW3HU
8. Kapaemahu
Culture: Hawaiʻin
Author: Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer, Joe Wilson
Illustrator: Daniel Sousa
ISBN: 978-0593530061
Buy the book on Amazon
Use: Culture – Showcase a musical culture
Video: Queen Lili’uokalani – Aloha’Oe https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1bIxMYPlas
Ana Vee – Hawai’i https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-a45e5hedY
9. I am a Bon Dancer
Culture: Japanese
Author: Brandi-Ann Uyemura
Illustrator: Amy Matsushita-Beal
ISBN: 978-0823452200
Buy the book on Amazon
Use: Culture – Showcase a musical culture
Video: Learn how to Japanese Bon Dance “Coal Mine” folk song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZbGxJzXB8M
Bon Odori – Obon festival https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g58qwUQtoG8
10. Tutu Makes a Lei
Culture: Hawaiʻin
Author: Kuana Torres Kahele
Illustrator: Anneth Lagamo
ISBN: 978-1617104015
Buy the book on Amazon
Use: Kuma Kuana Torres Kahele is a Hawaiian composer, educator, choreographer and recording artist. This book would be a wonderful pair to talk about traditional hula teaching, the kuma tradition in hula instruction, and what hula dancing actually looks like.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkQPoNW1UhE
Making a Lei https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFcw1nG5djk
11. I Dance
Culture: Filipino
Author: Diana Rañola
Illustrator: Christine Almeda
ISBN: 978-0823458387
Buy the book on Amazon
Use: Culture – Showcase a musical culture
Video: Itik-Itik https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIs__DJpCt0
Pangalay https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51cEsGcxOec
Singkil https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jW6tc1GLfE
12. Music of the Bells
Culture: Indian
Author: Anitha Rao-Robinson
Illustrator: Chaaya Prabhat
ISBN: 978-0593624371
Buy the book on Amazon
Use: Culture – Showcase a musical culture
Video: Kathak Dance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBYqv21c0Yk
13. We Sing From the Heart: How The Slants® Took Their Fight for Free Speech to the Supreme Court
Culture: Chinese
Author: Mia Wenjen
Illustrator: Victor Bizar Gómez
ISBN: 978-1636550879
Buy the book on Amazon
Use: Biography/Musician feature
Video: Advocate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eL3ndlZ64co
Family https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XlUFghEI3g
14. The Girl Who Heard Music
Culture: Rapa Nui
Author: Marni Fogelson, Mahani Teave
Illustrator: Marta Álvarez Miguéns
ISBN: 978-1728262314
Buy the book on Amazon
Use: Biography/Musician feature, Culture – Showcase a musical culture
Video: Reo Topa https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkpJku0rtEQ
PBS Feature on Mahani Teave: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pr-9hZ6hhG8
Song of Rapa Nui: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFWldMWHxcI
15. Hot Hot Roti for Dada-Ji
Culture: Indian
Author: Farhana Zia
Illustrator: Ken Min
ISBN: 978-1620143520
Buy the book on Amazon
Use: Culture – Showcase a musical culture
Video: 40 Musical Instruments of India https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwJ5FMx86Qg
10 Interesting Musical Instruments of India https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mYfs1kfNo4
16. One and Only Googoosh
Culture: Iranian
Author, Illustrator: Azadeh Westergaard
ISBN: 978-0593114636
Buy the book on Amazon
Use: Biography/Musician feature
Video: Man Amadeam گوگوش – من آمدم https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxvUQ1PSqfs
17. Music of the Mountains
Culture: Pakistani
Author: Sabrina Shah
Illustrator: Manal Mirza
ISBN: 979-8888593660
Buy the book on Amazon
Use: Culture – Showcase a musical culture
Video: Achhe Banne – Instrumental By Salamat Hussain https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpLErYxE6GU
Pakistani National Anthem on Rubab (Rabab) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgu-hnlWrpY
18. Under the Cherry Blossom Tree (An Old Japanese Tale)
Culture: Japanese
Retold by: Allen Say
ISBN: 978-0395845462
Buy the book on Amazon
Use: Folk song pair with Sakura
Video: Sakura on Koto https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDTp_YQizqE
19. Pau: the last song of the Kaua’i ʻōʻō
Culture: Kauaian
Author, Illustrator: Tony Piedra, Mackenzie Joy
ISBN: 978-1536219494
Buy the book on Amazon
Use: Tie with use of bird song in classical music. https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/classical-music-inspired-by-birdsong/
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRaC2Rx3BVY&t=15s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDRY0CmcYNU
20. Shell Song
Culture: Japanese – Internment
Author, Illustrator: Sharon Fujimoto-Johnson
ISBN: 978-1665938679
Buy the book on Amazon
Use: Culture – Showcase a musical culture
Video:
Haruko Sakakibara – Music for Japanese American Internment: We Had to Go Part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T83XUul9gqU
We Had to Go Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJrw-HLYUUw
We Had to Go Part 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYtqtS9nCwY
21. My Grandfather’s Song
Culture: Vietnamese
Author: Phùng Nguyên Quang
Illustrator: Huynh Kim Liên
ISBN: 978-0593488614
Buy the book on Amazon
Use: Culture – Showcase a musical culture
Video: Traditional music example 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PrSp5J1-rM
Traditional music example 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BieMdOAZjsI
Musical Instruments of Vietnam https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uj3V4tHKo-k
22. Ano-ano ang Nakikita?
Culture: Filipino
Author: Miriam B. Factora Ph.D.
Illustrator: Allan Torres Alejo Jr.
ISBN: 978-6218416086
Buy the book on Amazon
Use: Folk Song – Sheet and recorded music comes with the book!
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eis_xcYNVbI
23. Little Golden Book: BTS
Culture: Korean
Author: Jan Ann
Illustrator: Hyesung Park
ISBN: 978-0593904428
Buy the book on Amazon
Use: Biography/Musician feature
Video: Dynamite https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdZLi9oWNZg
24. Holding On
Culture: Filipino
Author: Sophia N. Lee
Illustrator: Isabel Roxas
ISBN: 978-1534494459
Buy the book on Amazon
Use: Culture – Showcase a musical culture
Video: Nora Aunor – Pearly Shells https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VBW-S0SR6Q
Basil Valdez – Ngayon at Kailanman – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2M_hivHnc8Y
25. Music Everywhere
Culture: Various
Author: Maya Ajmera, Elise Hofer Derstine, Cynthia Pon
ISBN: 978-1570919367
Buy the book on Amazon
Use: Everyone makes music
Video: Kids Connection Makes Music – Instruments Around the World https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFjUzGTbGEk
Music Around The World https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9BPVwCsLMQ
26. Melodic Animals ABC: A-Z of South Asian Musical Instruments
Culture: Various
Author: Nirja Desai
ISBN: 979-8218601676
Buy the book on Amazon
Use: Instruments
Video: Playlist of Southeast Asian music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fl4VNvAVeJA&list=PLbaC_Qp2LVVr-wp6pnEIJbFhTzgdNaaFT
Southeast Asian Musical Instruments https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nw28QCTtfeA
Chicago South Asian Music Ensemble https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-FBqzO__ac
27. The Sound of Silence
Culture: Japanese
Author: Katrina Goldsaito
Illustrator: Julia Kuo
ISBN: 978-0316203371
Buy the book on Amazon
Use: Found Sounds, Importance of silence in music
Video: The Everyday Ensemble – Found Sound Composition – Azurah https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPU3NefyktQ
Symphonic Urban Noise https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RAN6m9TTUY
Found Sounds: Making Music With Typewriters, Vegetables and Toy Pianos https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5X8z1wxZ3pk
John Cage 4’33” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wehyqv5tWc
28. The Most Beautiful Thing
Culture: Hmong
Author: Kao Kalia Yang
Illustrator: Khoa Le
ISBN: 978-1541561915
Buy the book on Amazon
Use: Culture – Showcase a musical culture
Video: Hmong singing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRDSuDEjq-4
Hmoob Nkauj Qub (Old Hmong Songs) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hmdm7dWPzqE
Hmong Qeej: An Instrument And Symbol Of Cultural Identity https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lW43A_faXX8
The Music of the Hmong People of Laos: https://folkways.si.edu/boua-xou-mua/the-music-of-the-hmong-people-of-laos/world/music/album/smithsonian
29. Happy Songkran Day!
Culture: Thai
Author, Illustrator: Dow Phumiruk
ISBN: 978-1984836014
Buy the book on Amazon
Use: Holiday/Culture
Video: Rerng Songkran https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lcRjXxqIcU
Songkran in Thailand, traditional Thai New Year festival https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RbC3BvrH9s
30. Tikong-Tiko (Very Crooked)
Culture: Filipino
Author: Miriam B. Factora Ph.D.
Illustrator: Jenzon Lopez
ISBN: 978-6218416130
Buy the book on Amazon
Use: Folk Song – Sheet and recorded music comes with the book! Also have students create their own “crooked” vocal explorations!
Video: Filipino Version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFtp8TGCQtw
Bikolano Version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDPTHt0EQXM
31. I am Golden
Culture: Chinese American
Author: Eva Chen
Illustrator: Sophia Diao
ISBN: 978-1250842053
Buy the book on Amazon
Use: Culture – Showcase a musical culture. (in this case, a blend of Chinese and American culture)
Video: Chinese American Bear – All the People https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1qWWVvICjI
Hotel California on Chinese Guzheng https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gf6v59c5yuY
The Sound Of Silence | NiNi Music + Joy (Asian Folk Cover) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOm1-PFsLv0
Cup of Solid Gold (1st Chinese National Anthem) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_CQK02oEbw
Get all the links in one place
Download a PDF with all the links for listening for free here:
TpT: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/2026-Asian-American-Pacific-Islander-Book-List-16181934
My Website: https://mrsstouffersmusicroom.com/product/2026-asian-american-pacific-islander-book-list/
I hope this has given you some great ideas for Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month and all year round! If you want a few more in depth pictures of each book, make sure you follow me on Facebook or Instagram so you can see the preview pics as I post them. As always, you can see even more books and books from past years on The Ultimate Music Ed Booklist.
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