The AAPI community is vibrant, diverse, and full of stories to be told. With the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes, it’s never been more important to be educated on issues Asian Americans face every day and exposed to different cultures.

May is Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. It’s an opportunity to learn about the history and experiences of the AAPI community and recognize the contribution Asian Americans have made to our culture. One way for students to explore the history, traditions, and experiences of the AAPI community is to read books that feature Asian American characters. 

In Pippa Park Raises Her Game, I included some of my favorite Korean snacks and dishes, from sweet walnut cakes filled with red bean to comforting kimchi-jjigae. In Pippa Park Crush at First Sight, Pippa is back with a whole batch of new problems—like Royal party hosting duties and a confusing love triangle—but at least one thing is the same: there is no lack of delicious food!

For both me and Pippa (the protagonist of my middle grade books Pippa Park Raises Her Game and Pippa Park Crush at First Sight), this was always an emotional time. From anxieties about making a good first-day impression to excitement about extracurriculars, here are three sentiments Pippa and I share the night before returning to school.  

Crispy jeon, delicious japchae, and sweet Asian pears are just the tip of the iceberg of mouth-watering foods served on one of Korea’s most important holidays, Chuseok. So, in honor of the holiday, I’ll give y’all the rundown on some of the foods both Pippa and I eat on Chuseok...

Hispanic Heritage Month runs from September 15 to October 15 and one way to celebrate is to read books written by Hispanic-identifying authors. To get you started, we've put together a list of books we recommend for various age ranges that teach kids the importance of language, culture, identity, and belonging. 

Making new friends can be hard, especially if you’re nervous about going back to school. Luckily, Pippa Park—the relatable heroine of Pippa Park Raises Her Game by Erin Yun—has a few effective ways to make new friends.

There are not many books that make me ugly cry in public, but Tae Keller’s When You Trap a Tiger is one of them. Sentimental, bittersweet, and beautifully told, this Newberry Award-winning book can be devoured in one sitting. I did just that, and I hope that you will too. (PLUS: Request a free poster!)

June is Pride Month, a time to celebrate LGBTQ+ identity and raise awareness of issues faced by the community. In honor of Pride Month, we’ve picked some of our favorite middle grade books that highlight the diverse experiences within the LGBTQ+ community, written by authors who identify as LGBTQ+. 

Get to know these amazing stories about inclusivity and being your truest self. Happy Pride!

As a kid, I was a voracious reader. Fantasy, realistic fiction, thrillers, mysteries, I read them all. Each week, I would beg my parents to take me to the local library, and each time I would leave with a stack of books almost as tall as me. Despite this, it wasn’t until college that I found books with Korean protagonists. I had moved into a wider pool of novels, adding translations and adult literature to the mix. When I was younger, I just didn’t see that many middle-grade or young adult books with Korean leads.

For my debut novel, Pippa Park Raises Her Game, I followed a pretty unconventional path. Instead of writing my book and then querying literary agents, Fabled Films Press put out a call for submissions for stories inspired by Great Expectations as part of a broader initiative to reimagine classic literature from different perspectives. Immediately, ideas churned in my mind, and I thought about almost nothing but how to update the iconic Dickens novel into a modern middle-grade book. 
 

April 6th is National Student-Athlete Day! In Pippa Park Raises Her Game, twelve-year-old Pippa Park is obsessed with basketball. Because of this, people often ask me if I played basketball in middle school, too. The answer is yes.... but I wasn’t nearly as good as Pippa is! Nowadays, the only sport I can handle is typing really fast. In honor of past times, I wanted to share my own experience on the court as well as explain why I chose basketball for Pippa’s passion.  
 

April is National Poetry Month! These inspiring middle-grade books are written in verse, meaning that, unlike traditional novels, these stories are written in the form of poetry. This month, try something different and pick up one of these excellent reads!

March is Women's History Month! This month (and every month), empower your child and celebrate the contributions of women throughout history with these children's books for young readers of all ages.

Songs have a way of capturing every emotion and even bringing back memories. Here are some K-pop songs inspired by the themes of the Pippa Park series that we think Pippa would listen to!

Black History Month is celebrated every February to honor the history and achievements of generations of African Americans. Uplift and appreciate Black voices by spending this month (and beyond!) with children's books by Black authors. We've picked out some of our favorites to get you started.

Korean American Day is celebrated every year on January 13. It commemorates the arrival of the first Korean immigrants to the United States in 1903 and celebrates the many contributions of Korean Americans. Today, we’d like to recognize Korean American authors (including our very own Erin Yun) by highlighting their new and upcoming middle-grade releases. These reads will surely delight middle-grade readers—not just today, but all year round!
 

Whenever I'm having a particularly gloomy day, I find myself gravitating toward middle grade novels. Even though middle school can be a vicious time in real life, middle-school-aged characters in these books often show such compassion and capacity for growth that I always finish each novel with a little hope in my heart.