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I first read Ms. Hempel Chronicles by Sarah Shun-lien Bynum in my early 20s, when Mom recommended it to me. It was the first time I read something with a mixed Asian protagonist and by a mixed Asian author. I loved the book for its lightness of touch, its subtle humor and the way it keeps things moving, mirroring the protagonist’s smart, reserved, wryly funny personality. I saw my own experience in the way her race comes up here and there, in sometimes frustrating, sometimes confusing ways, as she’s out there living her life, but it’s only one of many aspects to her. I never thought explicitly about representation growing up; I didn’t have language for it yet, other than a vague sense that most of life was inarticulable. But when I read this book something clicked for me, the idea that it might actually be possible to describe my thoughts, feelings, experiences, inner life, including but not limited to as a mixed Asian person. -Kayla Min Andrews, fiction and nonfiction writer, edited and helped release her mother’s posthumously published novel The Fetishist, by Katherine Min #AAPI

I knew I would get delicious recipes from “The Memory of Taste” but authors and chefs Tu David Phu and Soleil Ho surprised me with their beautifully written book about how our parents used their sensibilities, frugality, and practical approach to making delicious Vietnamese food that is accessible and nostalgic. If you want to learn about Vietnamese culture, flavors, and families, as well as how to make these amazing dishes, this book has it all. I’m Vicky Nguyen, author of the NYT Best Selling memoir Boat Baby about my family’s journey from Vietnam to America. #AAPI

Stories have been at the heart of every lineage, history and culture throughout the ages—so it remains a marvel (not really) that such stories are only recently being stocked on our shelves. As we celebrate AAPI Heritage Month this May, I'm eager to see the many novels (because there are many now! or my vampire heist novel with a Sri Lankan protagonist would be very lonely!) spotlighted across the internet. When I first heard of Sabaa Tahir and her debut, it was 2014. I was 21, and this is the ARC she gifted me. Her stories are beautiful and cruel, vividly reflecting the suffering of much of the world today, but I was drawn to her more so because I hadn't met a South Asian author before, let alone one who was Muslim, and when we connected on social media, it made me strangely emotional, fiercely proud and deeply inspired. I had been writing for a couple years at that point, wondering if it was possible to ever land a book deal of my own, and it was incredible to see AN EMBER IN THE ASHES received so well. Being an author of color means running the publishing gamut on hard mode, but Sabaa broke through multiple barriers and continues to do so today—I mean, she was recently crowned the first Muslim woman to win the National Book Award! A force to be reckoned with! —Hafsah Faizal, A TEMPEST OF TEA

I fell in love with Lang Leav's poetry back in high school. Her poetry rings with hard truths, deep love and emotion and a power that ignited the flame of self-love and necessary sacrifice for the greater good of my happiness. I still adore her poetry and the fact that I was exposed to it during my formative years definitely embedded in me aspects of my personality I've come to love and respect. - Genesis, Lead Barista-Social Media Expert from B&N West Hartford #poetrymonth

Hello, I'm Chelsea Abdullah, the author of the Sandsea Trilogy! Growing up, I yearned for positive, nuanced Arab representation in the Fantasy genre. One of the books I wished I'd had as a teenager was Rochelle Hassan's THE BURIED AND THE BOUND, a magical Young Adult portal fantasy that casually puts an Arab character, Aziza El-Amin, front and center. Featuring an endearing ragtag found family, a menagerie of trickster fae, and layers of enchanting magic, this series opener is a thrilling romp from beginning to end—a favorite of mine in the fae fantasy subgenre! #arabamericanheritagemonth

There’s a moment in Between the World and Me where Ta-Nehisi Coates defends his son from a white man threatening to call the cops. I wasn’t a father yet when I read it—just someone’s son. But that scene helped me understand what my own parents were up against, raising kids in a country where tolerance for Arabs was up for debate. Now I’m on the other side. A baba to Arab children. And that scene guts me in a whole new way. It’s my turn to navigate what it means to raise them—especially now, in the shadow of a genocide in Palestine. Coates gave me a vocabulary for that fear. He gave me permission to be honest with my kids. Between the World and Me still sits on my shelf as a reminder that a father’s love is a special kind of resistance. - Aymann Ismail, author of Becoming Baba: Fatherhood, Faith, and Finding Meaning in America #arabamericanheritagemonth

Growing up in Jordan, I read a lot, but Muslim or Arab voices were few and far between. We had books written about us, but not by us. And unfortunately Arab and Muslim representation is still far from mainstream. Even though I read books like 'Angels in America' by Tony Kushner and 'Beloved' by Toni Morrison, and could relate to some aspects of them, it wasn’t until Persepolis that I truly saw myself reflected in literature. Marjane Satrapi wrote about growing up in a war zone and using humor to rebel. I understood that world and knew what it was like to look for quiet ways to resist. That was the first time I really got to see a character that looked like me and that I could connect with. I’ve read this graphic novel countless times, and it opened my eyes to the incredible power that books can have in helping us understand ourselves and the world and just to let us know, we aren't alone. - LUMA MUFLEH, author of From Here #arabamericanheritagemonth

Growing up, I rarely saw myself positively represented in books. I was well into my 30's when I read Malaka Gharib's memoir It Won't Always Be Like This and I can honestly say, as a first generation Arab American, it was the first time I felt actually seen in a story. Malaka, like me, is also half Egyptian, and after her parents' divorce, she spends a summer in Egypt struggling to connect with her Egyptian roots. I couldn't put this graphic novel down. Malaka perfectly captures the complexity of being caught between two cultures and provides closure in her revelation that change is inevitable. - HUDA FAHMY, author of HUDA F? graphic novels

I came across Mary Oliver just before a major transition period in my life. The moment I first read her work, I knew she would become—and forever remain—a foundational figure in my new life. Somehow, she put into words the thoughts and feelings that I was unable to find the words for. The way she captures the natural world and humanity's existence in it is simply unmatched. I will forever be grateful for the art she gave the world, for the words she gave to me. - Hannah, Store Manager at B&N West Hartford #poetrymonth

When I was in high school, my mother gave me a copy of “In the Eye of the Sun” by Ahdaf Soueif. It was the first time I read a book by an Egyptian woman writing in English. It was a revelation, and I quickly devoured every book she has ever written. One of my favorites is the short story collection “I Think of You.” Her characters, mainly Arab women, have such rich interior lives. They defy every attempt to categorize or limit them. I am reminded of those women whenever I catch a whiff of night-blooming jasmine–of their longings, their secrets, and their surprises in a world that is constantly underestimating them. - Aisha Abdel Gawad, author of Between Two Moons #arabamericanheritagemonth