Even though I was born and raised in India, it is only recently that I have come to think of myself as ‘Asian American.’ In having complicated feelings about my sense of belonging to the Asian American community, I’m not alone. In 1998, Temple University Press published a collection of essays that offered a “spirited dialogue” on the extent to which South Asian Americans are—and ought to be—included within Asian America. Since then, our understanding of the term has evolved from its origins in 1968 to become a broader designation for a wide range of people. 

Today,  Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) describes a diverse and fast-growing population of 24 million Americans that includes roughly 50 ethnic groups with roots in more than 40 countries. There is no way that a single book list can do justice to the diversity and complexity of what it means to be AAPI. Rather than trying, I have chosen instead to focus this selection of books on a part of my Asian (and, I guess, Asian American) background that I cherish: grandparents. 

My grandparents were a big part of my life growing up. As the children of working parents, my brother and I were shipped off every summer to my father’s parents where we’d spend weeks of unadulterated fun with our cousins, driving our grandparents crazy with our antics. When my father passed away, my mother’s mother moved in and lived with us during my teen years. From her, I learned how to read and write Tamil, how to make rasam, and how a kind word could bring the sun out from behind the clouds. 

This book list is an ode to grandparents everywhere: the ones in my family and, I hope, the ones in yours. These books tell the stories of visits to and from home countries, of shared cooking adventures that keep family recipes alive, of building bonds across language (and other) barriers, and, also, of aging, loss, and grief. It is my wish that these books and the book-sharing experiences they inspire will help us honor the grandparents in our lives. 

Of course, grandparent relationships are not unique to AAPI families. And even for AAPI cultures, this list of books is far from comprehensive. Whether or not you think of yourself as AAPI—and whether or not you’re a grandparent—I hope you’ll share your favorite titles with us so we can grow this book list together.  

I’ll Go and Come Back

Written by Rajani LaRocca
Illustrated by Sara Palacios

When Jyoti visits her grandmother, she is at first overwhelmed by the differences between India and her home. Soon, though, she is able to form a bond with Sita Pati. When it’s time to leave, Jyoti is sad, but then she remembers that in Tamil, people don’t say goodbye, they say “I’ll go and come back.”  Sure enough, Sita Pati visits Jyoti the following summer and the pair continue to create special memories together.

When Lola Visits

Written by Michelle Sterling
Illustrated by Aaron Asis

When Lola visits, the whole family gathers to cook, eat, and share in their happiness of another season spent together. Yet as summer transitions to fall, Lola must return home—but not without a surprise for her granddaughter to preserve their special summer a bit longer.

Tomatoes for Neela

Written by Padma Lakshmi
Illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal

Neela loves cooking with her mother (Amma); it makes her feel closer to her grandma (Paati) who lives far away in India. As Neela and Amma buy tomatoes and prepare Paati’s famous sauce together, they find a way for Paati to share in both the love and the flavors of the day.

Hot, Hot Roti for Dada-ji

Written by F. Zia
Illustrated by Ken Min

Learning that hot roti, an Indian bread, used to make his grandfather as strong as an ox, Aneel decides to check out the roti’s power for himself. He prepares a batch of hot, hot roti, much to the delight of his grandfather.

My Paati’s Saris

Written by Jyoti Rajan Gopal

Illustrated by Art Twink

Another exciting day with Paati (Grandma) begins with a host of fun activities in preparation for the upcoming party; threading flowers into garlands, shopping in the market, and cooking sambar together. Through it all, Paati’s saris bring her grandson comfort, whether he’s wrapped in its colors for dress-up or clutching its folds for comfort.

Drawn Together

Written by Minh Lê
Illustrated by Dan Santat

When a young boy visits his grandfather, their lack of a common language leads to confusion, frustration, and silence. But as they sit down to draw together, something magical happens—with a shared love of art and storytelling, the two form a bond that goes beyond words.

Tofu Takes Time

Written by Helen H. Wu
Illustrated by Julie Jarema

When Lin makes tofu with her grandmother, she learns that it not only takes time, but also the whole universe: seeds from the soil and sunshine, cloth from thread and fiber, books of words and pictures, and most of all, it takes spending lovely time with her beloved grandmother.

Hundred Years of Happiness

Written by Thanhhà Lai
Illustrated by Nguyen Quang, Kim Lien

An lives with her parents and grandparents, and she loves her family’s Vietnamese traditions. But An’s grandmother has become distant and forgetful. An and her family hope that by cooking a special treat that dates back to her grandparents’ wedding, it will help to awaken her grandmother’s memory.

Love in the Library

Written by Maggie Tokuda-Hall
Illustrated by Yas Imamura

Set in Minidoka, a war relocation camp in the desert, this book tells the true story of how the author’s grandparents met and fell in love in the library. The book also includes a photo of the real Tama and George along with an afterword and other back matter for readers to learn more about a time in US history that followed the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

The Yellow Suitcase

Written by  Meera Sriram
Illustrated by Meera Sethi

When her grandmother passes away, Asha travels with her parents to India for the funeral. Upon seeing the empty yellow suitcase used for gifts to and from Grandma, Asha becomes even sadder. But, when she discovers a gift left behind just for her, Asha realizes that the memory of her grandmother will live on forever.