ESEA Heritage Month Books for Kids: Picture Books to Share at Home

Every September, families across the UK mark East and Southeast Asian (ESEA) Heritage Month. It is a chance to celebrate the cultures, stories and people that make ESEA communities such a big part of British life. And one of the simplest ways to join in with little ones? Open a book together.

Stories help children see themselves on the page. They also help children from every background understand their classmates, neighbours and friends a little better. If you are looking for ESEA Heritage Month books for kids, here is a starting point, plus a few ideas for making reading time feel like a celebration.

ESEA Heritage Month and the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival

ESEA Heritage Month often lines up with the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival, as it did this year on 25 September. It is the perfect time to share one of the best-loved children's poems in Chinese: Quiet Night Thoughts (静夜思, jìng yè sī) by Li Bai.

Written around 1,300 years ago, the poem is just four short lines. A traveller wakes to moonlight on the floor, looks up at the bright moon and thinks of home. Children across the Chinese-speaking world still learn it by heart, and its feeling of missing family will be familiar to anyone whose loved ones live far away.

In our Festive Nursery Rhymes in Mandarin sound book, Quiet Night Thoughts is reimagined in song, so little ones can sing Li Bai's words long before they can read them.

Why ESEA representation in children's books matters

For a long time, East and Southeast Asian characters were hard to find on the shelves of UK bookshops. When they did appear, they were often side characters or stereotypes. That is changing, thanks to a growing group of authors and illustrators telling stories from their own experience.

When a child with Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Malaysian or Filipino heritage finds a character who eats the same food or celebrates the same festivals, it sends a quiet but strong message: your story belongs here. For children without that heritage, the same book opens a window into a new culture, and that builds curiosity rather than fear.

This is the thinking behind the ESEA Book Fairies project, where hundreds of books by ESEA authors have been hidden across the UK for young readers to find.

Picture books to read during ESEA Heritage Month

The Golden Mango Tree by Karen Li, illustrated by Tomoko Ngai

A little girl reflects on her family's journey from a fishing village in China, across continents, to a new life far from home. It is a gentle way to start conversations about migration, family and belonging.

The Moon Rabbit by Eva Wong-Nava, illustrated by Jason Chuang

A beautiful choice, as the Mid-Autumn Festival often falls close to ESEA Heritage Month. Jason's illustrations blend East Asian tradition with a dreamy, surreal style that children love to pore over.

Celebrating Mid-Autumn Festival by Eugenia Chu, illustrated by Y.Y. Chan

A lovely introduction to the festival for young children, with the moon, lanterns and mooncakes at its heart. Read it together on the night of the full moon and talk about how your family celebrates.

Happy Mooncake Festival, Elena! by Ding Li Stevens, illustrated by Kun Liang

A bilingual book in Chinese and English, full of warm details about family traditions. It is perfect for families who read in two languages at home.

A Love As Full As The Moon by Lucy Tandon Copp, illustrated by Sienna Youngsun Kim

Drawing on Lucy's childhood of mixed heritage, this debut picture book celebrates everyday joy and the love that connects families across cultures.

Watercress by Andrea Wang, illustrated by Jason Chin

A moving story about a girl who feels embarrassed when her parents stop to pick watercress by the roadside, until she learns what it means to them. This one suits slightly older children who are ready for a deeper chat.

Front Desk by Kelly Yang

For confident readers aged around eight and up, this novel follows Mia Tang, who helps run the front desk of a motel while her family builds a new life. It is funny, honest and full of heart.

Battle for the Jade Rabbit by Maisie Chan

Another one for confident readers, this adventure draws on the Mid-Autumn legend of the Jade Rabbit who lives on the moon. A brilliant way to keep the festival's stories going once the mooncakes are finished.

You can find out more about several of these illustrators on our Moon Fest Trail page, which spotlights ESEA creatives whose work helps children see their worlds reflected in picture books.

Add music to your ESEA reading list

Books do not have to be silent. Songs are one of the easiest ways for young children to connect with a language and culture, even before they can read. Our bilingual sound books feature Chinese classics and nursery rhymes reimagined in song, played in Mandarin at the press of a button. The lyrics are printed in Chinese characters, pinyin and English, so the whole family can sing along whatever their level.

Ways to celebrate ESEA Heritage Month at home

• Build a heritage shelf. Pick three or four books and display them face out where your child can reach them.

• Cook something from the story. If a book features mooncakes, pomelo or hairy crab, make or buy some and enjoy them while you read. Pomelo is round like the full moon, and its name, 柚 (yòu), sounds like 佑 (yòu), meaning to bless or protect. Hairy crab, 大闸蟹 (dà zhà xiè), marks the start of autumn and is eaten cold with warm ginger vinegar, a pairing that stands for balance and harmony.

• Visit your local library. Some UK libraries put together ESEA displays during the month. Ask the librarian for recommendations.

• Share your own story. Tell your child about the foods, songs or festivals from your own childhood. These memories are worth passing on.

• Pass a book on. Once you have finished a favourite, leave it somewhere for another family to find, just like the ESEA Book Fairies.

Keep the stories going all year

ESEA Heritage Month is a wonderful focus, but these stories deserve a place on your shelf in every season. A little reading and singing each day adds up to a child who feels proud of where they come from and curious about the world around them.

Ready to add a sing-along book to your collection? Browse our Chinese nursery rhyme books and find the edition that suits your family, in Simplified or Traditional Chinese.