Celebrate AAPI Heritage Month with Teen Titles

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. To celebrate, I’m highlighting titles written by Asian authors, including one upcoming release to look out for this summer!

Have you ever written a letter or drafted an email that you never intended to send? High school senior Sadie sure has! In I Hope This Doesn’t Find You by Ann Liang, Sadie avoids conflict in her real life by writing scathing emails aimed at everyone who crosses her. When Sadie’s angry drafts are unexpectedly sent, her social life falls apart. Her academic rival and subject of many an email, Julius, just might be the one to help Sadie pick up the pieces. Check this one out if you are a recovering people-pleaser or someone who replays situations in their head while reciting what they wish they said.

And the River Drags Her Down by Jihyun Yun is an atmospheric horror novel that weaves Korean folklore with life in a coastal town. Soojin is bereft after her older sister Mirae drowns in the river that runs through their small town. The women in her family have the ability to resurrect the dead, but all her life Soojin was warned never to bring back anything other than small animals. I’m sure you can see where this is going! Unable to cope with her grief, Soojin brings back Mirae to devastating consequences. Pick this one up if you are in the mood for a reflective book that deals with grief and familial relationships wrapped up in a waterlogged aesthetic.

Finally, keep an eye out for Nest of Tongues by Randy Ribay, which is set to be published in August 2026. Nest of Tongues follows Lily and Caleb, siblings forced to hide the fact that they are manananggals, a Filipino mythical creature similar to a vampire. When a monster hunter targets members of their community, the siblings must confront the lies told about manananggals while they decide whether to flee or fight. This book promises to be more, well, horrible, than the previous horror book. Read this if you are a vampire-obsessed reader looking for your next thrill. After I heard Randy Ribay speak at a conference, I added Nest of Tongues to my list of this summer’s anticipated titles. Stop by and tell me what you think if you pick this one up in August! If you can’t wait that long, check out one of Randy Ribay’s earlier works.

Are you interested in exploring an aspect of Korean culture? Grab a friend and head to the library on Saturday, May 16th from 1 - 2 pm for the teen Let’s K-Pop Party! We’ll have Korean snacks, strawberry pop drinks, and all your favorite k-pop music videos! Register to attend through the events calendar on our website. Teen events are open to young people in the 7th-12th grades.

Today’s blog post was written by Gigi Broyles, Teen Services Librarian at RHPL.