A Very Asian Guide Series

4 books • Non-Fiction • 7" x 10.5" • Ages 3+ • Full Color Illustrations
$79.80$68.84
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Get four books in the Very Asian Guide series! Filled with fun facts, each book is a unique and beautifully illustrated guide to Asian cuisine. This series was created to cultivate curiosity and empathy in kids by inviting them to explore different foods and cultures.

Includes:

  • A Very Asian Guide to Korean Food - Learn how kimchi is made or discover what makes a Korean fried chicken so crispy.
  • A Very Asian Guide to Filipino Food - Learn how adobo got its tangy flavor or about the vibrant purple Filipino vegetable that is used in desserts around the world.
  • A Very Asian Guide to Vietnamese Food - Learn why fish sauce is so important to Vietnamese cuisine or what makes bánh khọt so crunchy and irresistible.
  • A Very Asian Guide to Indian Food - Learn how to eat with your hands or about all the different combinations of chaat.
Shipping Information

Please allow 1-2 business days for us to process your order. Shipping times and rates will depend on the shipping method selected at checkout. 

USPS Media Mail: 2-8 business days
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Fun facts about food and culture!
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Diverse characters represented
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Pronunciation guide for each dish
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Kid-friendly recipes in the back
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A Very Asian Guide Bundle

$15.96

PER BOOK

Add to Cart
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MIN JIN LEE
author of Free Food for Millionaires and Pachinko, a finalist for the National Book Award

“There are countless reasons to love Korean culture, but one standout reason is its amazing cuisine. A Very Asian Guide to Korean Food is delicious.”

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PHIL YU
author of RISE: A Pop History of Asian America from the Nineties to Now

“Forget ‘stinky lunchbox’ moments. We're not doing that anymore. Korean food is here, it's delicious, and it's meant to be shared. This book is a celebration of some of my favorite dishes, and I guarantee it will make your mouth water.”

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VIKRAM SUNDERAM
James Beard Award-Winning Chef at Rasika

A Very Asian Guide to Indian Food is about the intricacies and importance of food in our lives. A must read for every child as they attempt to navigate their Indian roots in a Western world."

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VICKY NGUYEN
Anchor NBC News Daily

“The beautiful illustrations and mouth-watering descriptions bring Vietnamese food to life for readers of all ages. I wish I had this in my school library when I was a kid."

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SARAH PARK DAHLEN
associate professor in the School of Information Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

“This book is inviting in all the best ways. It is exactly the kind of book I wish I had had when I was a child and that I wish I had for our daughter when she was younger. It will delight children everywhere.”

Why We Love This Series

This series was started started by author Michelle Li, who started a global movement of unity with the viral hashtag #veryasian after she received a racist voicemail in response to her sharing on-air the Korean foods she eats. Since the release of her first book, A Very Asian Guide to Korean Food, we have released more books in the series covering a range of cuisines and cultures, sharing food and joy to kids and adults alike!

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Michelle Li
Author
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Sunnu Rebecca Choi
Illustrator
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Cat Nguyen
Author
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Kim Thai Nguyen
Illustrator
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Amira Humes
Author and Illustrator
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Julie Ajinkya
Author
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Aditi Kakade Beaufrand
Illustrator

Michelle Li is an award-winning, veteran journalist who co-launched The Very Asian Foundation in January 2022 alongside friend and fellow journalist Gia Vang. Her #veryasian response to a racist voicemail became a global movement of unity. Michelle spent years supporting adoptees through heritage camps and volunteer tours to Korea. She also launched a program to support Missouri children in foster care. All of this led to a congressional award in 2010. Michelle's journalistic work - often dealing with race or gender inequity - has been honored with a national Peabody Award, several national Murrows, and multiple regional Emmys. Michelle lives in St. Louis with her family.

Sunnu Rebecca Choi is an award-winning Korean/Canadian illustrator & printmaker based in London. Her goal is to create art that inspires people to connect with their inner selves and find joy within themselves. Her work is often inspired by various movements, thoughts, emotions and social issues we encounter. Her work is a documentation of life, covering small daily events to more significant moments. Her art is a way of looking back on the past, appreciating the present, and thinking of a better future.

Cat Nguyen is a native of Houston, Texas and the daughter of two Vietnamese refugees. When she became an aunt and later a mom, Cat searched high and low for books in English about Vietnamese food and traditions without much success. She decided to write a book for Vietnamese-American families like her own. Cat works as a lawyer focusing on education and civil rights. She is a co-founder of VietLead, a non-profit that aims to connect and protect communities of color. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband, daughter, son, and their two cats.

Kim Thai Nguyen is a Vietnamese-American artist, currently based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Kim is most passionate about communicating and connecting with others through illustration and design. She especially loves drawing characters and food while using delicate lines and bright colors. She hopes her artwork in A Very Asian Guide to Vietnamese Food helps readers of all ages learn more about her culture and gather inspiration for their next meal.

Amira Humes is a Filipino-Black illustrator, pattern artist, and food enthusiast based in Milwaukee. She has no fear in embracing her inner child and loves bright, bold colors and appreciating the things in life that feel magical. In her art, she enjoys illustrating food and embraces the unique beauty of the endless cultures the world holds.

Julie Ajinkya is a mom, equity advocate and professor of public policy who works to make sure that college is a true possibility for any student who wants to pursue a higher education. She was born and raised in New Jersey, but grew up traveling between the U.S. and India, where much of her large, extended family lives. She enjoys cooking and creating and lives in Washington DC with her partner and two boys.

Aditi Kakade Beaufrand is an Indian illustrator based in France. She likes experimenting with bright and happy colours. She grew up reading fairytales, watching animated films imagining adventure stories. Likewise her style is an embodiment of her Indian heritage and western culture. She loves animals and taking long walks on the beach but is never too far from a pencil and paper to draw her perception of the world.

What Readers Are Saying

Amazing

My kids are obsessed with this book. They love being able to put a more accessible picture and story to some of the foods they eat and why we eat them. And now they can point out which foods they want to eat when my mom comes to visit.

Rora Bart
I'm obsessed

I’m obsessed with these books! Food, culture, and travel is big in our home and exposing our baby to the world is really important to us. Plus, they’re a joy to read to her.

Amber
Love

Love the art and the context - written well! This will be a gift for my foodie friend and her girls.

Jasmine
Such fun books!

Bought these for my son and love how colorful they are! The foods, descriptions, and illustrations make everything seem delicious. We were especially thrilled to find recipes in the back and I look forward to re-reading our books and cooking the foods when he’s a bit older. For reference, he’s currently 4.5 months but is still able to engage with the books during our reading time. We hope that more beautiful cultures and foods will be represented in future books!

Kendra S
Perfect for kids!

Great gifts for adventurous eaters!

Robin Lee

Customer Reviews

Based on 9 reviews
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A
Anita

Love the illustrations and how educational the books are on different Asian cuisines. I keep them on my coffee table because they are so pretty!

A
Amber

I’m obsessed with these books! Food, culture, and travel is big in our home and exposing our baby to the world is really important to us. Plus, they’re a joy to read to her.

J
Jasmine

Love the art and the context - written well! This will be a gift for my foodie friend and her girls.

K
Karla

We love these books

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Tram Nguyen
Asian cookbooks

The books are lovely, but my son is 12 years old and there were not enough recipes. I was hoping to have more recipes like PHO. The books are definitely for a younger population