Connecticut State Department of Education

Teacher of the Year Ceremony
Due to inclement weather, the Teacher of the Year Ceremony has been postponed to December 16, 2025 from 5-7pm. Doors will open at 4pm. The Ceremony will take place at the Bushnell Theater in Hartford, and the order of events will remain the same.

Teaching Asian American and Pacific Islander Studies


Book recommendations


Book recommendations for professional learning content knowledge

Book recommendations for content knowledge

  • Asian American Histories of the United States (Catherine Ceniza Choy)
  • Asian American Dreams (Helen Zia)
  • The Making of Asian America: A History (Erika Lee)

Book Recommendations with Students

Grades K-1
  • Always Anjali by Sheetal Sheth
  • Amy Wu and the Perfect Bao by Kat Zhang (Lexile: 490)
  • Bee-Bim Bop! by Linda Sue Park
  • Bilal Cooks Daal by Aisha Saeed (Lexile: 520)
  • Cora Cooks Pancit by Dorina K. Lazo Gilmore and Kristi Valiant (Lexile: 600)
  • Drawn Together by Minh Lê and Dan Santat (Lexile: 310)
  • King Sejong Invents an Alphabet by Carol Kim (Lexile: 810)
  • A Map into the World by Kao Kalia Yang
  • 'Ohana Means Family by Ilima Loomis
  • The Ugly Vegetables by Grace Lin (Lexile: 520)
Grades 2-3
  • A Different Pond by Bao Phi (Lexile: 620)
  • Amazing: Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Who Inspire Us ALL by Maia Shibutani, Alex Shibutani, Dane Liu, and Aaliya Jaleel (Lexile: 1020)
  • Asian-Americans Who Inspire Us by Analiza Quiroz Wolf
  • The Boy & the Bindi by Vivek Shraya and Rajni Perera
  • Eyes That Kiss in the Corners by Joanna Ho and Dung Ho (Lexile: 610)
  • Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say (Lexile: 650)
  • I Am An American: The Wong Kim Ark Story by Martha Brockenbrough with Grace Lin and Julia Kuo
  • I Dream of Popo by Livia Blackburne (Lexile: 510)
  • Jasmine Toguchi: Drummer Girl by Debbi Michiko Florence (Lexile: 590)
  • Jasmine Toguchi: Mochi Queen by Debbi Michiko Florence (Lexile: 560)
  • Magic Ramen: The Story of Momofuku Ando by Andrea Wang (Lexile: 590)
  • The Many Colors of Harpreet Singh by Supriya Kelkar (Lexile: 530)
  • Maya Lin: Artist-Architect of Light and Lines: Designer of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial by Jeanne Walker Harvey (Lexile: 800)
  • The Mindy Kim series by Lyla Lee
  • The Most Beautiful Thing by Kao Kalia Yang
  • My Footprints by Bao Phi (Lexile: 630)
  • The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi (Lexile: 590)
  • Niki Nakayama: A Chef's Tale in 13 Bites by Debbi Michiko Florence (Lexile: 570)
  • Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist by Julie Leung (Lexile: 890)
  • Shining Star: The Anna May Wong Story by Paula Yoo (Lexile: 970)
  • Watercress by Andrea Wang (Lexile: 610)
  • Where's Halmoni? by Julie Kim (Lexile: 320)
  • The Year of the Dog (A Pacy Lin Novel, 1) by Grace Lin (Lexile: 690)
Grades 4-5
  • American as Paneer Pie by Supriya Kelkar (Lexile: 840)
  • Amina's Voice by Hena Khan (Lexile: 800)
  • Cilla Lee-Jenkins: The Epic Story by Susan Tan and Dana Wulfekotte (Lexile: 880)
  • Cilla Lee-Jenkins: Future Author Extraordinaire by Susan Tan and Dana Wulfekotte (Lexile: 940)
  • Cilla Lee-Jenkins: This Book Is a Classic by Susan Tan and Dana Wulfekotte (Lexile: 870)
  • Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee (Lexile: 780)
  • Fish for Jimmy: Inspired by One Family's Experience in a Japanese American Internment Camp by Katie Yamasaki (Lexile: 880)
  • Fred Korematsu Speaks Up by Laura Atkins & Stan Yogi (Lexile: 930)
  • Front Desk by Kelly Yang (Lexile: 640)
  • Green Lantern: Legacy by Minh Le (Lexile: 590)
  • Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly and Isabel Roxas (Lexile: 690)
  • The House That Lou Built by Mae Respicio (Lexile: 660)
  • I'm Ok by Patti Kim (Lexile: 670)
  • Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhhà Lại (Lexile: 800)
  • Keep It Together, Keiko Carter by Debbi Michiko Florence (Lexile: 560)
  • The Legend of Auntie Po by Shing Yin Khor (Lexile: 390)
  • Measuring Up by Lily LaMotte (Lexile: 360)
  • Project Mulberry by Linda Sue Park (Lexile: 690)
  • Stand Up, Yumi Chung! by Jessica Kim (Lexile: 620)
  • Stanford Wong Flunks Big-Time by Lisa Yee (Lexile: 650)
  • Stargazing by Jen Wang (Lexile: 510)
  • Surfer of the Century: The Life of Duke Kahanamoku by Ellie Crowe (Lexile: 980)
  • This is How I Roll by Debbi Michiko Florence (Lexile: 650)
  • Troublemaker by John Cho
  • Unidentified Suburban Object by Mike Jung (Lexile: 830)
  • Where The Mountain Meets The Moon by Grace Lin (Lexile: 810)
Grades 6-8
  • Almost American Girl by Robin Ha
  • American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang (Lexile: 530)
  • An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir (Lexile: 680)
  • The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui (Lexile: 600)
  • Displacement by Kiku Hughes
  • Farewell to Manzanar by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston & James D. Houston (Lexile: 1040)
  • Finding Junie Kim by Ellen Oh
  • I Was Their American Dream by Malaka Gharib (Lexile: 490)
  • They Called Us Enemy by George Takei (Lexile: 680)
Grades 9-12
  • A Different Mirror for Young People by Ronald Takaki, adapted by Rebecca Stefoff (Lexile: 1120)
  • Made in Asian America: A History for Young People
  • Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning by Cathy Park Hong
  • On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
  • We The Gathered Heat Asian American and Pacific Islander Poetry, Performance, and Spoken Word edited by Franny Choi, Bao Phi, No'u Revilla, and Terisa Siagatonu
  • When the Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka (Lexile: 810)