May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month and Mother’s Day is just around the corner. Here are books to celebrate the AAPI mothers and grandmothers in our community!

A Big Mooncake for Little Star by Grace Lin. Little Star loves the delicious Mooncake that she bakes with her mama. But she’s not supposed to eat any yet! What happens when she can’t resist a nibble?

Hair Oil Magic by Anu Chouhan. Meenu loves Magic Hair Days, when Mommy mixes sweet-smelling oils together and massages the potion into Meenu’s scalp and hair. It always leaves Meenu with a fuzzy, magical feeling. And after bath time, when Mom washes the oils out, Meenu’s hair is soft and shining. When Meenu decides one day to mix the oils without any help, she discovers something’s wrong: No matter how many oils she mixes, the magic just isn’t there! What is she missing? But when Mommy comes to help, massaging Meenu’s head, the fuzzy, magical feeling returns! Was it really in the oils, or something else?

Like the Moon Loves the Sky by Hena Khan, illustrated by Saffa Khan. With vibrant illustrations and prose inspired by the Quran, this charming picture book is a heartfelt and universal celebration of a parent’s unconditional love.

Mommy’s Hometown by Hope Lim, illustrated by Jaime Kim. A young boy loves listening to his mother describe the place where she grew up, a world of tall mountains and friends splashing together in the river. Mommy’s stories have let the boy visit her homeland in his thoughts and dreams, and now he’s old enough to travel with her to see it for himself. But when mother and son arrive, the town is not as he imagined. Skyscrapers block the mountains, and crowds hurry past. The boy feels like an outsider–until they visit the river where his mother used to play, and he sees that the spirit and happiness of those days remain.

The Ocean Calls: A Haenyeo Mermaid Story by Tina Cho, illustrated by Jess X. Snow. Dayeon wants to be a haenyeo just like Grandma. The haenyeo dive off the coast of Jeju Island to pluck treasures from the sea–generations of Korean women have done so for centuries. To Dayeon, the haenyeo are as strong and graceful as mermaids. To give her strength, Dayeon eats Grandma’s abalone porridge. She practices holding her breath while they do the dishes. And when Grandma suits up for her next dive, Dayeon grabs her suit, flippers, and goggles. A scary memory of the sea keeps Dayeon clinging to the shore, but with Grandma’s guidance, Dayeon comes to appreciate the ocean’s many gifts.

Once Upon a Sari by Zenia Wadhwani, illustrated by Avani Dwivedi. Avani is having a wonderful time looking at all of her mother’s saris, but she soon realizes she’s made a big mess. When her mom comes in, Avani expects a scolding, but instead, her mom sits down with her and tells her about the memories associated with each sari- memories of weddings and celebrations, memories of when and where the sari came from. And, in case of one very special sari, memories that were passed down from her parents and grandparents.

One Day by Johanna Ho, illustrated by Faith Pray. One Day is a mother’s ode to her baby boy–she shares her hopes and dreams for her son as she envisions him exploring the world. Her son will be courageous and kind, powerful and curious, and blaze his own trail. He will know that it is okay to cry, or be scared, or uncertain. Above all, he will know that he is more than enough exactly as he is.