Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month starts next week, and we look forward to commemorating the occasion with films, book discussions, and a variety of programs. Listen to the sitar, learn to play Mahjong, practice the art of suminagashi (paper marbling), and much more. Read on for details about upcoming events and recommended AAPI titles from our collection. We hope you will join us for the festivities!

PROGRAMS

• Asian American Film Festival at Fairfield Library
  • May 1, 6 – 7:45PM: Better Luck Tomorrow (2002, R, 101 min.)
  • May 15, 6 – 8PM: Monsoon Wedding (2001, R, 114 min.)
  • May 22, 6 – 7:30PM: Dim Sum: A Little Bit of Heart (1985, PG, 84 min.)

• DIY Lei for Mother’s Day
  • Monday, May 6, 3:30 – 4PM at Gayton
  • Create a lei for Asian American and Pacific Islander Month and for the mothers, grandmothers, and mother figures in your life. In Hawaiian culture, a lei is a garland or wreath, and the giving of a lei represents love and appreciation. All supplies will be provided. Books on Hawaiian culture will be available for checkout. We are unable to accommodate group visits for this program. Please call the library to arrange something special for your group.

• Chinese Games: Mahjong
  • Tuesday, May 7, 3 – 4:30PM at Gayton
  • Learn to play the popular tile game Mahjong. This four-player game has similarities to the card game rummy. While multiple variations on the rules exist, we will learn a basic version and will not be focusing on scoring. This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Library.

• Traditions of India
  • Saturday, May 11, 11AM – 4PM at Twin Hickory
  • In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, experience traditional sights and sounds of India through games, activities, and hands-on art practice. Sponsored by the Friends of the Library. Festivities will include:

• 11AM – 12PM: Sitar with Dr. Suman Sharma: In this featured Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month event, experience traditional Indian music with a lecture demonstration on the sitar and accompanying tabla (Indian drum) from the award-winning musician and recording artist Dr. Suman Sharma.

• 2 – 4PM: The Art of Henna: In this featured Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month event, learn about the history and culture of Henna from local artist Sadia Ahmed. All are welcome, although registered participants will have the opportunity to leave with their very own unique henna design. Henna is a plant-based dye that lasts for several weeks; please consider this as you register. Ingredients will be discussed and available at the program. Registration required. All participants receiving henna application must sign a waiver, which will be handed out before the workshop begins.
• Paper Marbling
  • Tuesday, May 21, 4:30 – 5:30PM at Twin Hickory
  • Learn more about the history of this art form, which is known as suminagashi in Japan and ebru in Turkey. Then, create your own marbled paper using an ink-floating technique. All materials will be provided. Registration required.

• Drawing Anime
  • Tuesday, May 21, 6 – 7PM at Gayton
  • Learn how to draw in an anime style. We will go over techniques and break down different styles used in anime and manga. Supplies will be provided; no experience is required.

BOOK DISCUSSIONS

• Libbie Mill LGBTQIA+ Book Discussion
  • Tuesday, May 7, 7-8PM at Libbie Mill and online via Webex
  • A Tiny Upward Shove by Melissa Chadburn

• Tuckahoe Afternoon and Evening Fiction Book Discussion
  • Thursday, May 9, 1-2PM and 7-8PM at Tuckahoe
  • Joan is Okay by Weike Wang

• Gayton Afternoon Book Discussion
  • Monday, May 13, 1-2PM at Gayton
  • Miracle Creek by Angie Kim

• Glen Allen Book Discussion
  • Tuesday, May 14, 7-8PM at Glen Allen
  • Gold Diggers by Sanjena Sathian

COLLECTION

PICTURE BOOKS

• Anzu the Great Kaiju by Benson Shum
• Bindu’s Bindis by Supriya Kelkar
• Dragon Noodle Party: A Story of Chinese Zodiac Animals by Ying Chang Compestine
• Gibberish by Young Vo (also available on Hoopla)
• Holding On by Sophia N. Lee
• Lift by Minh Lê
• Night Market Rescue by Charlotte Cheng
• The Ocean Calls: A Haenyeo Mermaid Story by Tina M. Cho
• Punky Aloha by Shar Tuiasoa
• Spicy Spicy Hot! by Lenny Wen

KIDS

• Amina’s Voice by Hena Khan (also available on Hoopla)
• City of Dragons series by Jaimal Yogis (also available on Hoopla)
• Hamra and the Jungle of Memories by Hanna Alkaf (also available on Hoopla)
• Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly (also available on Hoopla)
• It’s Boba Time for Pearl Li! by Nicole Chen (also available on Hoopla)
• Kapaemahu by Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu
• The Lion Queen: Rasila Vadher, the First Woman Guardian of the Last Asiatic Lions by Rina Singh (also available on Hoopla)
• Nikhil Out Loud by Maulik Pancholy (also available on Hoopla)
• Troublemaker by John Cho
• We Are Here: 30 Inspiring Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Who Have Shaped the United States by Naomi Hirahara

TEENS

• All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir
• Boys Run the Riot series by Keito Gaku
• Brown Boy Nowhere by S. Briones Lim
• Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan (also available on Hoopla)
• Dragonfruit by Makiia Lucier
• Flip the Script by Lyla Lee (also available on Hoopla)
• The Forest of Stolen Girls by June Hur
• The Infinity Particle by Wendy Xu
• Kween by Vichet Chum
• Magic Has No Borders by Samira Ahmed (also available on Hoopla)
• The Night Marchers & Other Oceanian Stories: A Cautionary Fables & Fairytales Book edited by Kate Ashwin
• Onibi: Diary of a Yokai Ghost Hunter by Cecile Brun
• She is a Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran
• TJ Powar Has Something to Prove by Jesmeen Kaur Deo
• Wrong Side of the Court by H.N. Khan

ADULTS

• Apsara Engine by Bishakh Som (also available on Hoopla)
• The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff
• Bibliolepsy by Gina Apostol (also available on Hoopla)
• Every Drop is a Man’s Nightmare: Stories by Megan Kamalei Kakimoto
• Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
• Exit West by Mohsin Hamid
• Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki
• The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa
• Minor Feelings by Cathy Park Hong
• The Rajes series by Sonali Dev (also available on Hoopla)
• The Rebel and the Kingdom: The True Story of the Secret Mission to Overthrow the North Korean Regime by Bradley Hope
• The Resisters: A Novel by Gish Jen
• Slow Noodles: A Camodian Memoir of Love, Loss, and Family Recipes by Chantha Nguon
• The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen (also available on Hoopla)
• The Understory by Sangsuk Saneh