Fighting to ­Belong!: Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander History from the 1700s Through the 1800s

Gr 6 Up–Middle school students Padmini, Sammy, Joe, and Tiana visit the local history museum for their group project on AANHPI (Asian Americans, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders). Accompanied by Kenji, a tour guide at the museum, they embark on an incredible journey through time where they discover key events in AANHPI history. Kenji starts the history journey with the arrival of the “Manilamen” (Filipino immigrants) in the 18th century, followed by various momentous events spanning the next 150 years in the United States. These are supplemented with rich artifacts, comprehensive notes, and commentaries. The challenges and contributions of AANHPI people are an integral part of the development of United States, yet they are often not viewed as part of American history and are frequently excluded in American schools. This short, fantastic, and fast-paced graphic novel will fill in that missing piece, providing readers a living history of AANHPI.