How we’re staying connected this week

[What we're loving this Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage month.]( [View In Browser]( [Penguin Random House]( [What's Connecting Us This Week]( [What's Connecting Us This Week]( Hi book lovers! My name is Christine and I work in marketing for Penguin Random House. I hope you all are staying safe and healthy. I know that for me, during these scary times, books have been more of a source of comfort for me than ever. This month is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage month and as an Asian American woman, I’m reflecting on how my fellow Asian Americans are dealing not only with the pandemic but also xenophobia. I admit that I myself have been nervous about stepping outside my home, fearful of being blamed for something I can’t and don’t want to hide: my ethnicity. I believe that books connect us not only with each other but also to one of the only ways you can truly walk in another person’s shoes. I hope my picks are illuminating, entertaining, and that you learn something new! What I'm Reading [Good Talk]( [Good Talk]( By Mira Jacob I just started this graphic novel memoir and before I knew it, I was two thirds of the way through. It deals with issues that face interracial families, immigrants, and what it means to be American in a very approachable way: through conversations that Mira has with her son, her husband, and her parents. [Buy Now]( [Buy Audio]( [Buy Ebook]( [The Downstairs Girl]( [The Downstairs Girl]( By Stacey Lee I thoroughly enjoyed this historical YA novel about seventeen-year-old Jo Kuan who is a lady’s maid in Atlanta by day, but is an advice columnist by night. I often shy away from historical novels, nervous about the racism that was a clear part of the past, but this book won me over with its realistic yet uplifting depiction. [Buy Now]( [Buy Ebook]( [Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist]( [Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist]( By Julie Leung A picture book recommendation, you say? Let’s face it, most of us have young kids in our orbit. And this is the perfect picture book—it highlights Tyrus Wong, the artist responsible for the revolutionary look of Disney’s Bambi, who has mostly been ignored by history. [Buy Now]( [Buy Ebook]( [Ayesha At Last]( [Ayesha At Last]( By Uzma Jalaluddin I’m closing out on a more light-hearted note with this romance, which can be described as a Muslim Pride and Prejudice. If that doesn’t make you want to read it, I don’t know what will. [Buy Now]( [Buy Audio]( [Buy Ebook]( What I'm Watching: Never Have I Ever I joined what seems to be the rest of America in watching Mindy Kaling’s newest Netflix series, Never Have I Ever, and I couldn’t help but binge all 10 too-short episodes in two days. I loved both of her essay collections, [Why Not Me?]( and [Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)]( so it was no surprise I enjoyed watching Indian American teen Devi juggle love interests and friendships while coming to terms with her father’s death. [Books Connect Us Live]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Pinterest]( [Instagram]( [Unsubscribe]( | [Manage Preferences]( | [Terms of Use]( | [Privacy Policy]( Penguin Random House LLC 1745 Broadway, NY, NY 10019 ©2020 Penguin Random House LLC