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An Asian American A to Z: A Children’s Guide to Our History was written by Cathy Linh Che and Kyle Lucia Wu.

"R is for railroad," the Transcontinental Railroad, which was built by Chinese workers. "Without those men, we couldn’t take those trains, but history books left out all their names! Next time you ride a train, think of what they’ve done. We reclaim history by remembering each one."

"S is for soups, how they slurp, how they soothe. There are so many kinds that you can choose."

From The Asian Reporter, V35, #5 (May 5, 2025), page 11.

By Cathy Linh Che & Kyle Lucia Wu

Illustrations by Kavita Ramchandran

Haymarket Books, 2023

Hardcover, 40 pages, $18.95

By Jody Lim

The Asian Reporter

An Asian American A to Z: A Children’s Guide to Our History, written by Cathy Linh Che and Kyle Lucia Wu and featuring illustrations by Kavita Ramchandran, explores Asian American history. Its target audience is children, but it’s a book that people of all ages could learn from. It’s full of people, movements, culture, historical information, and more. It may also make you think. And act.

Starting on the first page with "A is for Asian American," An Asian American A to Z establishes the inclusivity of all Asian cultures: "… a name for us all, collective and true." Under B — beginning — readers are asked, "In 1776, the US was formed. Did you know Asians arrived years before?"

C — civil rights — follows with powerful words: "For equal treatment and protection from laws — many marched and struggled for the cause. Asian Americans everywhere owe much of our fight to the brave ones who first stood up for civil rights."

Under F — first — accompanied by colorful drawings of Bruno Mars, Sunisa Lee, and Padma Lakshmi, we read, "So many have been bold enough to walk a new line." The authors follow up with, "What new lines would you like to chart? You can walk a new path, one lit by your heart."

Under M — movies — with images of actress Anna May Wong, filmmaker Mira Nair, and comedian Hasan Minhai, we’re asked, "Are there any parts that you want to play? Your name could be up there in lights one day."

The hard work of Asian Americans is mentioned as well. "R is for railroad," the Transcontinental Railroad, which was built by Chinese workers. "Without those men, we couldn’t take those trains, but history books left out all their names! Next time you ride a train, think of what they’ve done. We reclaim history by remembering each one."

Inspiring and important messages are also found throughout the book: Under H — hotel — "Heroes don’t give up if they don’t win right away"; under I — intersectionality — we read about "honoring all parts of someone, respecting who they are, however they come."

Under J — Japanese American — the authors pose good questions accompanied by images of a World War II incarceration camp: "120,000 were placed in incarceration camps in a blink. Most were of US citizens, which makes you think: What does it mean to be a citizen here? Don’t we all deserve to be free without fear?"

Annoying questions people are often asked are mentioned as well. To this the authors say: "Q is for questions, which you may be asked, about where you’re from, or your parents, or past. But you don’t have to answer! It’s fine not to say! You belong, and you never need to explain."

I, of course, read An Asian American A to Z to my nephew, now a first-grader, who enjoyed all of the drawings and absorbed the information presented with each letter of the alphabet. He was unable to narrow down which was his favorite illustration (he liked all of them), but asked many questions. At the end of the book, we found a glossary that provided further information about the topics, concepts, and people we read about in the book.

Authors Cathy Linh Che and Kyle Lucia Wu have created an educational and inspirational book. Purchase your own copy or check out An Asian American A to Z from a library to learn more about Asian American history and possibly also be inspired to "walk a new line."