Yes We Will--Asian American Heroes

Starred review from July 22, 2022

Gr 2-4-Dancers. Gymnasts. Politicians. Inventors. Actors. Rock stars. These are just a few of the Asian Americans readers meet in Yang's clear and concise commemoration of 200 years of accomplishments and contributions. Every spread features a sentence or two in the first-person plural that explains a featured person's achievements, illustrated by a different illustrator (credited to the side of each picture) and a one-sentence biography. Scene by scene, the spreads are varied, yet build to a cohesive whole. All of the art is striking. Shreya Gupta's lines flow to match the musical output of Yo-Yo Ma, and H.E.R. Sujean Rim's pastel watercolors complement the fashions of Vera Wang and the elegant ballet of Lia Cirio. Kitkat Pecson's bold colors celebrate author Jenny Han and activist Amanda Nguyen. Also depicted are Kamala Harris, Sandra Oh, and Peter Tsai, inventor of the N95 mask. Text and art combine to make this a perfect read-aloud book. For those interested in diving deeper, back matter includes expanded biographies of all featured subjects. Readers will learn about a variety of incredible figures, and will surely want to know more. VERDICT A must-have book for all collections, offering an array of personalities and contributors under Yang's thoughtful gaze.-Chance Lee Joyner

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Starred review from April 15, 2022
A celebration of the achievements of Asian Americans. Succinct text and the combined talents of diverse artists bring vibrancy and color to the portrayal of Asian American pioneers. A cold, mountainous landscape greets readers as Chinese workers toil on the transcontinental railway. It is explained that many immigrated to America for opportunity, and a small caption reveals that 20,000 workers endured perilous working conditions. Though Asian American immigrants were told "to get out" and that "they couldn't stay," the trailblazers on a subsequent list have shown how they have broken barriers and thrived in rebuke. Every illustration is unique in scope and style to match the spotlighted individual. Dan Santat offers dynamic lighting and perspective as basketball player Jeremy Lin goes in for a slam-dunk. Sujean Rim renders abstract portraits with splashes of color for designer Vera Wang and ballet dancer Lia Cirio. Kitkat Pecson gives an eye-popping portrayal of author Jenny Han and activist Amanda Nguyen, while Julia Kuo evokes warmth in an intimate family dinner scene for author, activist, and chef Padma Lakshmi. The list includes individuals of East Asian, Southeast Asian, and South Asian backgrounds in the fields of STEM, art, politics, and advocacy. While brief captions give the name and a quick overview of each subject's achievements, more detailed biographies are included in the author's note. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A radiant tribute to groundbreakers to inspire the next generation. (Collective biography. 5-8)

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Starred review from May 1, 2022
Preschool-Grade 2 *Starred Review* This sure-to-inspire offering by best-seller Yang features a parade of Asian American changemakers throughout the decades, as well as a history lesson on relatively little-known yet crucial contributions of Asians to the U.S. In a sweeping manner, Yang's story covers everything from the Chinese immigrants who helped build the first transcontinental railroads and the discrimination they faced to the superstars in succeeding generations, making advancements in everything from sports to politics and fashion. There are the ultrafamous like Vice President Kamala Harris and basketball great Jeremy Lin, but readers also get to know the likes of skyscraper architect I. M. Pei, astronaut Franklin Chang-D�az, and Peter Tsai, inventor of the N95 mask. Seeing all the accomplishments compiled in one place, in so many fields, gives the sense that history was--and is still being--made. The book itself is something of a parade of achievement, as each illustration is done by a different Asian American artist. The pages are colorful and action packed as well as poignant; there are images, for example, of the government's incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII. With the recent rise of violence toward Asian Americans, this book and others like it are an antidote--and can show readers how Asian Americans helped make the U.S. great.

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