Locations & Hours
Library Cards
(847) 985-4000
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. We have organized several programs to celebrate the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. Our staff has curated an incredible list of books for all ages to deepen their understanding of this heritage, which has greatly enriched our shared history.
Events
Adult
Coffee and Coloring with Mandalas
Fridays, May 23, 30 • Location and times vary
Enjoy a light social hour of coffee and adult coloring with mandalas. Mandala coloring has ancient roots in Buddhist and Hindu cultures, where mandalas were created as sacred symbols and meditative tools.
Saturday, May 24 • 1-2 p.m. • Central Rasmussen Room
Join us to listen to the ambient sounds and vibrations from crystal singing bowls, Tibetan singing bowls, Tingsha Bells, and other instruments to tap into your deeper consciousness, creating a sense of calm, peace, and relaxation.
Youth
バイリンガルお話し探検家 / Japanese Bilingual Story Explorers
Friday, May 16 • 4-5 p.m. • Central Craft Room • 5-9 years
Enjoy popular stories, songs, and activities in Japanese and English. This month's story: The Battle of the Monkey and the Crabs.
Simple Hand Sewing: Sashiko (9-12 years)
Saturday, May 31 • 3-4 p.m. • Central Craft Room • 9-12 years
Learn and practice Sashiko, a type of functional embroidery from Japan.
Booklists
Picture Books
Love in the Library by Maggie Tokuda-Hall
10 Blocks to the Big Wok by Ying-Hwa Hu
A Child's Introduction to Asian American and Pacific Islander History by Naomi Hirahara
Lolo’s Sari-Sari Store by Sophia Lee
Bilal Cooks Daal by Aisha Saeed
Aloha Everything by Kaylin Melia George
The Truth About Dragons by Julie Leung
Bindu’s Bindis by Supriya Kelkar
Eyes that Speak to the Stars by Joanna Ho
Watercress by Andrea Wang
Elementary
A Spoonful of Time by Flora Ahn
Clairboyance by Kristiana kahakauwila
Mabuhay! by Zack Sterling
You Are Here: Connecting Flights edited by Ellen Oh
We Are Here: 30 Inspiring Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have Shaped the United States by Naomi Hirahara
Ruby Lost and Found by Christina Li
Parachute Kids by Betty Tang
When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller
The Other Side of Tomorrow by Tina Cho
Junior High
This Door is Open: Stories of Celebration and Community by 11 Desi Voices
The Last Rhee Witch by Jenna Lee-Yun
City of Dragons by Jaimal Yogis
Karthik Delivers by Sheela Chri
Troublemaker by John Cho
Finding Junie Kim by Ellen Oh
It’s Boba Time for Pearl Li! By Nicole Chen
Teen
Lunar New Year Love Story by Gene Luen Yang
Halfway There by Christine Mari
Gloria Buenrostro is Not My Girlfriend by Bradon Hoang
Magic Has No Borders edited by Sona Charaipotra and Samira Ahmed
The Space Between Here and Now by Sarah Suk
Dragonfruit by Makila Lucier
In Limbo by Deb Lee
They Call Us Enemy by George Takei
Adult
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
A History of Buring by Janika Oza
Lies and Weddings by Kevin Kwan
Rise: A Pop History of Asian America from the nineties to now by Jeff Yang
Late Bloomers by Deepa Varadarajan