This is a book that will change lives. Immensely readable and intensely relatable, Made in Asian America details the depth and breadth of Asian American history, spanning centuries, wars, laws, and social movements in a way that’s accessible to readers, young and old. In doing so, Lee and Soontornvat show that although our story may have begun a long time ago, our current dreams and struggles remain deeply connected not only to the ongoing promise of equality and justice in this country but also to our fellow marginalized communities as we all fight for that promise to be redeemed.” — Traci Chee, author of Printz Honor Book We Are Not Free
“This book is the missing piece—a book I desperately needed as a child, a book that would have given me a sense of place in the world, a feeling of belonging, the comfort of connectedness. Christina Soontornvat and Erika Lee's powerful book corrects centuries of erasure and shines a light on the Asian American story, on our story. Groundbreaking, deeply moving and empowering, Made in Asian America: A History for Young People is one of the most important books I've ever read.” — Supriya Kelkar, award-winning author of Ahimsa and And Yet You Shine: The Kohinoor Diamond, Colonization, and Resistance
“Made in Asian America is moving, educational, and engaging—what history for middle graders must be. This book on how Asian Americans transformed the United States will transform readers. It is that good.” — Ibram X. Kendi, #1 New York Times bestselling co-author of Stamped (for Kids): Racism, Antiracism, and You
“This is the book I wished I'd had when I was younger. That I wished my children had had in middle school and I'm so grateful for its existence now. A powerful, inspiring, and necessary history of the Asian American experience that has long been ignored, filled with amazing stories of our young people working to change the world for the better. This book is a gift.” — Ellen Oh, founding member of We Need Diverse Books and acclaimed author of Finding Junie Kim
“Clear, engaging, and passionate: a must-read, not just for young readers, but for anyone with a love of the U.S. and a hope for what it could be at its best." — Linda Sue Park, Newbery Medalist and New York Times bestselling author of A Long Walk to Water
"Made in Asian America tells the necessary history of the heartbreak and hope that has marked and made possible the diversity of the Asian American experience. It is a tender telling of the painful truths that govern race in this country, and an inspirational sharing of how different individuals and communities have shifted the possible. This is a work that can cultivate greater equity in the hands of everyone who understands that our histories are united." — Kao Kalia Yang, author of The Song Poet
"This is history as you've never learned before (but should have). It will open your eyes to connections between people and timelines, past and present. It will challenge stereotypes and narratives that have for too long erased Asians from the stories and histories of nations we helped to build. Most importantly, it will inspire readers to find their own power to shape the future. Masterfully written in a way only Christina Soontornvat can, this book makes history engaging and accessible to young readers. This book is an absolute must read in every home and classroom." — Joanna Ho, New York Times bestselling author of Eyes that Kiss in the Corners
"An eminently readable, consciousness-raising U.S. history told from a fresh perspective." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Despite tragedies and injustices, readers will discover centuries of courage, survival, and resilience that also shaped what it means to be Asian American today. As compelling and thoughtful as it is necessary." — Booklist (starred review)
"Revelatory." — School Library Journal (starred review)
"Lee and Soontornvat use engaging individual narratives, accessible language, and many photographs to create this much-needed, personal look into Asian American history...Fascinating and essential." — Book Riot
“Powerful. . . . Made in Asian America isn’t just about the past. It’s about the history being made right now by young people, inspired by the Asian Americans who came before them to ensure that our stories are not only heard, but also remembered.” — Paula Yoo, The New York Times Book Review
★ 05/01/2024
Gr 6 Up—Acclaimed historian Lee and Newbery Honoree Soontornvat offer an exemplary narrative on the complex and mostly untold history of people of Asian descent in the United States. The authors make history come alive and dispel harmful stereotypes by thoroughly examining events barely taught in history class, such as the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act, Chinese immigrants' role in the Gold Rush and transcontinental railroad, and Japanese concentration camps during WWII. Readers are presented with the stories of young people who experienced those events themselves. It's the in-depth discussion of people and subjects in Asian American history that are rarely covered that is even more impactful. Afong Moy was the first known Asian woman in the United States and was exploited as an "Oriental" curiosity. Wong Kim Ark, Mary Tape, and Bhagat Singh each took their citizenship cases to the Supreme Court on separate occasions with different and sometimes devastating results. Balancing the many other vile examples of racism and xenophobia that Asian Americans have faced are stories of triumph, including those of actors Anna May Wong and Bruce Lee, Congresswoman Patsy Mink, and author Jenny Han. The compelling text is broken up with additional context from informative sidebars, black-and-white photos, reproductions, and graphs. Back matter includes source notes, a bibliography, and an index. VERDICT Revelatory. Shelve this alongside Howard Zinn's A Young People's History of the United States and Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz's An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States for Young People for a more complete understanding of American history.—Shelley M. Diaz
★ 2024-01-19
This adaptation of Lee’s The Making of Asian America(2015) fills a considerable gap in American history.
Historian Lee and Soontornvat, an acclaimed author for young people, establish the relevance of their work by opening with recent events: examples of everyday anti-Asian racism experienced by contemporary teens, the escalation of hate crimes during the Covid-19 pandemic, and the absence of Asian American history in school curricula. They then jump back to the 13th-century Western fascination with the “Orient” and the evolution of these attitudes. This context lays the groundwork for understanding the perceptions of Asian Americans as “other,” a running theme alongside issues such as the continual struggle for civil rights and the broad range of diverse experiences within Asian America. While the book covers events in roughly chronological order, some chapters explore broader topics—the model minority myth and evolving perceptions of Asian women, for example. The authors present many well-known events (Japanese American incarceration, the 1992 L.A. Koreatown riots) through the lens of ordinary young people; these relatable narratives create a compelling tapestry of stories, and the rich photos offer additional context. The authors’ resonant message is that “Asian American history is not made up of one single story. It’s many. And it’s a story that you have to know if you want to understand the history of America.”
An eminently readable, consciousness-raising U.S. history told from a fresh perspective. (authors’ notes, source notes, bibliography, image credits, index) (Nonfiction. 9-14)
