Japan:

Picture book list (True Stories):

• Niki Nakayama: A Chef’s Tale in 13 Bites

• Tea with Milk

• Love in the Library

• Hokusai’s Daughter

• Magic Ramen: The Story of Momofuku Ando

• My Lost Freedom: a Japanese American World War II story

• Thirty Minutes Over Oregon

• Write to Me: Letters from Japanese American Children to the Librarian They Left Behind

• A Boy Named Isamu: A Story of Isamu Noguchi

• The Peace Tree from Hiroshima: The Little Bonsai with a Big Story

• Eliza’s Cherry Trees: Japan’s Gift to America

• The Inker’s Shadow (an autobiographical account in picture book format; it’s pretty long, so best for older kids and up!)

• Fish for Jimmy: Inspired by One Family’s Experience in a Japanese American Internment Camp

• Cool Melons - Turn to Frogs!: The Life and Poems of Issa

• A Bowl Full of Peace: A True Story

• Peace is a Chain Reaction: How World War II Japanese Balloon Bombs Brought People of Two Nations Together (best for middle school and up)

• The Favorite Daughter

• Kozo the Sparrow

• Grandfather’s Journey

• Manjiro: The Boy Who Risked His Life for Two Countries

• Tonbo (Semiautobiographical)

• Drawing from Memory (Autobiographical and best for older teens and adults due to mildly mature themes)

• It Began with a Page: How Gyu Fujikawa Drew the Way

Picture book list (Fiction):

• Flowers from Mariko

• Sumo Kitty

• Luna and the Moon Rabbit

• Words to Make a Friend

• The Star Festival

• Suki’s Kimono

• Miso Magic

• The Little One

• Yoko’s Paper Cranes

• The Wakame Gatherers

• Basho and the River Stones

• Sato the Rabbit

• Chirri and Chirra

• Chirri and Chirra, The Snowy Day

• Chirri and Chirra, in the Tall Grass

• The Sign Painter

• Kamishibai Man

• Natsumi

• Hana Hashimoto, Sixth Violin

• The Way We Do It in Japan

• Wabi Sabi

• My First Book of Haiku Poems

• Tokyo Night Parade

• Natsumi’s Song of Summer

• I Am Able to Shine

• Erika-San

• The Sound of Silence

• Sumo Joe

• The Phone Booth in Mr. Hirota’s Garden

• The Boy of the Three-Year Nap

• The Bracelet

• Ojichan’s Gift

• Chibi Samurai Wants a Pet: An Adventure with Little Kunoichi the Ninja Girl

• Sashiko’s Stitches

• Little Kunoichi: The Ninja Girl

• Ba-chan the Ninja Grandma: An Adventure with Little Kunoichi the Ninja Girl

• Birdsong: A Story in Pictures

• The Perfect Sushi

• Kenta and The Big Wave

• Calling the Wind

• The Boy in the Garden

• A Place Where Sunflowers Grow

• Sakura’s Cherry Blossoms

• Umbrella

• Kiyoshi’s Walk

• The Mochi Makers

• How My Parents Learned to Eat

Picture book list (Factual):

• The Discovery of Ramen: The Asian Hall of Fame

• Japanese Celebrations for Children: Festivals, Holidays, and Traditions

• All About Japan: Stories, Songs, Crafts and Games for Kids

• I Live in Tokyo

• Jimi’s Book of Japanese: A Motivating Method to Learn Japanese (Hiragana)

• My First Book of Japanese: 800+ Words & Pictures

Picture book list (Folk Tales):

• Peach Boy and Other Japanese Children’s Favorite Stories

• Urashimo Taro and Other Japanese Children’s Favorite Stories

• Japanese Children’s Favorite Stories: Anniversary Edition

• Folk Tales from Japan: Fables, Myths and Fairy Tales for Children

• The Crane Girl

• The Last Kappa of Old Japan

• The Beckoning Cat

• Kuan Yin: The Princess Who Became the Goddess of Compassion

• The Hungriest Boy in the World

• Three Samurai Cats

• Gon, the Little Fox

• The Tale of the Mandarin Ducks

• The Boy from the Dragon Palace

Chapter book list:

• A Jar of Dreams

• The Complete Story of Sadako Sasaki: and the Thousand Paper Cranes

• The Cat Who Went to Heaven

• While I Was Away

• Dodsworth in Tokyo (Elementary)

• Giji and Ojiji series (Young readers)

• A Place to Belong

Graphic novels:

• Stealing Home

• Sue and Tai-Chan