Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

Did you know that May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month? If you're looking for ideas on how to celebrate this unique and diverse culture, check out the SERC Library, where you'll find items such as:

Teaching about Asian Pacific Americans: Effective activities, strategies, and assignments for classrooms and communities, edited by Edith Wen-Chu Chen and Glenn Omatsu (IM 973.049522 WEN)
This invaluable 316-page guide is chock full of ideas to incorporate into your classroom, ranging from simple writing exercises to ideas for exploring your local city's Chinatown. In addition to activities, it also provides basic background information on the culture and history of the various ethnic groups that fit under the broader term Asian Pacific Americans.


Round is a mooncake: A book of shapes, by Roseanne Thong. Illustrated by Grace Lin (YP F THO)
This colorful 36-page picture book teaches and reinforces children's knowledge of shapes by having the young protagonist look at the objects that surround her. From the square-shaped tofu and radish cakes to the round paper lanterns and cups of Jasmine tea, the author and illustrator take the reader on a sweet little journey while also providing a valuable cultural lesson, complete with a glossary for the more unfamiliar terms.


Sixteen years in sixteen seconds: The Sammy Lee story, by Paula Yoo, illustrations by Dom Lee (YP B LEE)
This 32-page biography tells the story of Dr. Sammy Lee, the first Asian American to win an Olympic gold medal. Despite having to struggle against discrimination in his younger years as a Korean American, Dr. Lee pursued his dream of becoming an Olympic diver, and this moving story highlights his impressive life and accomplishments.



A kid's guide to Asian American history: More than 70 activities, by Valerie Petrillo (IM 973.0495 PET)
This handy 244-page book offers a wide variety of kid-friendly activities designed to teach and celebrate Asian American culture and history. Along with guidance for more commonly known aspects of Asian American culture, such as writing a haiku poem or conducting a Japanese tea ceremony, there are also more obscure offerings, such as how to cook Bibingka, a tradtional dessert of the Philippines and how to play pov pob, a Hmong ball-tossing game.

What better way to celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month than with a book or two?? See you at SERC!