Families who loved Peiling and the Chicken-Fried Christmas by Pauline Chen often look for books with a similar feel. These 20 recommendations were selected for their similarity in style, theme, and reading level.
Reach for this book when your child feels the pressure of the 'lunchbox moment' or worries that their family traditions make them stand out in the wrong way at school. Peiling Wang is a fifth grader who desperately wants a 'normal' American Christmas, complete with a tree and a turkey, rather than her family's traditional Taiwanese celebration. Her journey navigates the tricky waters of wanting to fit in while respecting a father who views assimilation as a betrayal of their heritage. It is a warm, relatable story for ages 8 to 12 that tackles the internal conflict of children in immigrant families. Parents will appreciate how it validates a child's desire for belonging without devaluing their cultural roots. It provides a perfect bridge for discussing why families do things differently and how to find pride in one's unique identity.
