This anthology contains brief biographies of 36 historical and contemporary Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) who have made lasting impacts in fields such as architecture, film, literature, music, and more.

There was a lot I liked about this book, including the diversity of the folks included. I could easily see two athletes turned authors focusing only on sports and literature, but that was not the case. There's also demographic diversity, with people from a variety of ethnic backgrounds (e.g., Hmong, Korean, Samoan, etc.), AAPI folks who have mixed heritages (i.e., Black and Asian), and people of various abilities, including physical disabilities.

Some of these folks I had never heard of before, even I recognized their contributions. Others I didn't realize were of Asian descent, having never seen their faces associated with their work. (An example of the former is Iwao Takamato, an animator who worked on Disney and Hanna Barbera properties. An example of the latter is Robert Lopez, a musician who composed "Let It Go" from Disney's Frozen, among other things.) So, I definitely appreciated that aspect of this book.

The book is organized loosely by keeping people with similar contributions and/or professions together so that politicians Tammy Duckworth and Kamala Harris share a page while authors Viet Thanh Nguyen and Min Jin Lee are combined on another page. This makes for some interesting page spreads, but the chronology is definitely a mess as a result and sometimes certain topics, such as sports, are revisited pages apart so it doesn't always make the most sense.

I also thought the book was lacking for not having an introduction beyond the inner book flap, which many readers might ignore. It just jumps right into describing one person after another (and oddly enough referring to them by first name as if the authors and/or readers are pals with the featured personages). I think the authors' notes at the end of the book are lovely, well-written reasons why this book is needed for representation, and one or both of these would have served as a perfect introduction.

The illustrations are interesting, but I'm not sure I love the style. They can be very brightly colorful and eye-catching at times, but other times they seem to be a bit lacking. I don't love, for instance, how all three of the politicians featured are seen as almost passively waving a hand as though that's all politicians could possibly do. Some of the faces, such as that of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson (on the top left of the cover as well as in an interior page), have their illustrated eyes lifted in a way that almost looks like the person is rolling their eyes. The overall effect of the illustrations is a mixed bag for me.

However, on the whole, this book is a worthwhile contribution to a classroom, home, public, or school library. I'm sure it will be trotted out for AAPI Heritage Month, but it's worth looking at year round. ( )

An illustrated compendium of extraordinary Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

The book pairs stylized portraits of each of the individuals featured with short paragraphs about their lives. Ranging from relatively lesser-known historical figures like Wong Kim Ark, a Chinese immigrant to the United States whose fight for citizenship set a precedent for over 100 years of future immigration law, and moving on to modern celebrities like wrestler-turned-actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and actor, writer, and producer Mindy Kaling, the collection includes a variety of Asian American and Pacific Islanders who influenced American history, politics, music, sports, and popular culture. This variety is not just limited to career choices; the book also features disabled individuals like activist Alice Wong and Sen. Tammy Duckworth, biracial individuals like Johnson and Vice President Kamala Harris, and individuals from ethnic groups that are often overlooked in American history, including Bangladeshis, Thailanders, Filipinos, Marshall Islanders, and Native Hawaiians. (The text does not specify whether anyone featured identifies as queer or trans.) Throughout, the prose is clear, concise, and well crafted, incorporating details that will enthrall young readers. Since there is no introduction providing context, the jump right into descriptions feels slightly abrupt. Overall, though, the book is a thoughtful and comprehensive survey of the ways in which Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have shaped, and will continue to shape, the United States. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A well-curated collection of Asian American and Pacific Islander heroes. (Picture-book collective biography. 6-10)

-Kirkus Review