Children’s Books Set in Asia

by Yobe Qiu

Setting: ASIA

This colorful picture book highlights the cultures of Asia's beautiful countries. Traveling through cities and capitals, kids will learn about various foods, traditions, fashions, and cultures across the continent.

Recommend for ages 2-5

This book is free on Kindle with Kindle Unlimited

These board books are designed to soothe children before bedtime while instilling an early appreciation for the world’s natural and cultural wonders. Each book stars a multicultural group of people visiting the featured area’s attractions.

Good Night Hong Kong
Setting: Hong Kong

Good Night India
Setting: India

Good Night Mumbai
Setting: Mumbai, India

Good Night Rajasthan
Setting: Rajasthan, India

Good Night Delhi
Setting: Delhi, India

Recommended for ages 1-4

by Meera Sriram

Setting: INDIA

Explore the vibrant rainbow of items for sale in a southern Indian street market. The photographs in the book were taken by the author in her hometown of Chennai, India.

Recommended for ages 3-6

by Moni Ritchie Hadley

Setting: CHINA

Tanabata Matsuri, the Star Festival, celebrates a popular folktale about two stars that reunite by crossing a bridge over the milky way.

For Keiko, her mama, and her grandmother, Tanabata is about making tanzaku wishes, taking in the colorful decorations, and eating delicious food like nagashi somen and shaved ice. But when Obaasan gets lost in the crowd, Keiko and Mama must make their own bridge to find her again―and see if their tanzaku comes true.

Recommended for ages 4-7

by Dow Phumiruk

Setting: THAILAND

Mela sets out to explore the river outside her village but quickly ends up in trouble when her little boat is swept downstream and into the dense jungle. She encounters a crocodile, a leopard, and some monkeys, offering each a prize return for helping her find her way home but the animals snatch up their rewards without helping Mela back to her village. Then, just when she's about to give up, an elephant shows Mela that kindness is its own reward.

This new fable is told with authentic Thai customs and includes an author's note with more Thai traditions and language.

Recommended for ages 4-7

by Corinee Demas Bliss

Setting: RUSSIA

A tender, old-fashioned story serves as a testament to the power of sisterly love and a celebration of matryoshkas--the beloved Russian nesting dolls.

Recommended for ages 4-7

by Laurie Krebs

Setting: CHINA

Explore China's sights, smells, and sounds in this rhyming tale about a Chinese family's journey along the Silk Road, the trade route running thousands of miles through Asia.

Recommended for ages 5-6

by Daina Ann Parackel

Setting: SOUTHERN INDIA

Born and raised in America with strong connections to their Indian roots, the author and her husband always knew they wanted to pass on the language of Malayalam to their children. From B is for bharatanatyam to K is for kudumbam and beyond, this one of a kind South Indian alphabet book teaches the language of Malayalam in English.

Each page celebrates the mouth-watering foods of Kerala, colorful Malayalee culture, and vibrant beauty of the country of India.

Recommended for ages 5-8

The Adventures of Bella & Harry is a picture book series that chronicles the escapades of a pup named Bella, her little brother Harry and their family, who travel the world exploring the sights and sounds of new cities.

Recommended for ages 4-7

Adventures of Bella & Harry: Let's Visit Beijing!
by Lisa Manzione
Setting: CHINA

Join sibling Chihuahuas, Bella and Harry, as they travel to Beijing.

Adventures of Bella & Harry: Let's Visit Jerusalem!
by Lisa Manzione
Setting: ISREAL

Join sibling Chihuahuas, Bella and Harry, as they travel to Jerusalem.

by Mari Takabayashi

Setting: JAPAN

Seven-year-old Mimiko lives in Tokyo - a busy city of color, activity, celebrations, gigantic buildings, and much more. In this book, you can follow a year’s worth of fun, food and festivities in Mimiko’s life, month by month. Learn the right way to put on a kimono and see Mimiko’s top ten favorite meals!

Recommended for ages 4-7

by Theresa Heine

Setting: NEPAL

A heartwarming story set in Nepal of two resourceful sisters who bring the safety of solar-powered light to their family.

This book includes seven pages of endnotes, including an illustrated map of Nepal, notes on Nepali daily life, and instructions for making a pizza box solar oven.

Recommended for ages 4-8

by Malala Yousafzai

Setting: PAKISTAN

This beautifully illustrated picture book tells the story of Malala Yousafzai, who, as a young girl in Pakistan, made a wish for a magic pencil. She wanted to use it to make everyone happy, to erase the smell of garbage from her city, to sleep an extra hour in the morning. But as she grew older, she saw that there were more important things to wish for, and she realized that even without a magic pencil, she could still work hard every day to make her wishes come true.

Recommended for ages 4-8

by Jeanette Winter

Setting: IRAQ

This picture book is based on a true story. In Basra, Iraq, Alia Muhammad Baker's library has been a meeting place for those who love books for the past fourteen years. Now war has come, and Alia fears that the library will be destroyed forever along with the thirty thousand books within it.

Recommended for ages 4-7

This alphabet series is a wonderful way to introduce children to countries and cultures throughout Asia.

K is for Kabuki: A Japan Alphabet
Setting: JAPAN

D is for Dancing Dragon: A China Alphabet
Setting: CHINA

T is for Taj Mahal: An Indian Alphabet
Setting: INDIA

These books are all free on Kindle with Kindle Unlimited

by Youme Landowne

Setting: LAOS

This book is the true story of Laotian American artist Malichansouk Kouanchao, whose family was forced by civil war to flee Laos when she was five.

Before the war began, Mali lived an idyllic life in a community where she felt safe and was much loved. But the coming war caused her family to flee to another country and a life that was less than ideal. But she carried the memories of home with her.

Recommended for ages 5-8

by Andrea Wang

Setting: OSAKA, JAPAN

This book blends fact and fiction as it tells the story of Momofuku Ando. After WWII, he sees long lines of people waiting for food and he believes that the world can only be peaceful when everyone, everwhere has enough to eat. He comes up with the idea to create a perfect bowl of noodles to feed hungry communities around the world.

Recommended for ages 4-8

by Jung Hee Kim

Setting: CHINA

It’s the Zhongqiu Festival and Shao Ming is given the responsibility of bringing her mother’s favorite wok to her uncle’s house for a feast that night.

Along the way, Shao Ming stops to watch the festive dragon dance—and soon realizes that she has lost the wok! How will she find it again?

This book introduces kids to the wonderful and varied cuisines of China and includes a hands-on activity for making Shrimp Dim Sum.

Recommended for ages 5-7

by Jeanette Winter

Setting: AFGHANISTAN

Young Nasreen has not spoken a word to anyone since her parents disappeared.

In despair, her grandmother risks everything to enroll Nasreen in a secret school for girls. Will a devoted teacher, a new friend, and the worlds she discovers in books be enough to draw Nasreen out of her shell of sadness?

This is a picture book in format, but the text and story are appropriate for elementary students.

Recommended for ages 5-8

by ShaoLan Hsueh

Setting: CHINA

This book features playful illustrations that make learning Chinese fun and simple by relating each character’s shape to its meaning, alongside games and activities to make learning interactive.

Recommended for ages 6-8

Each book in the The Living In... series is filled with fresh, modern illustrations as well as loads of history, geography, and cultural details. Join kids from all over the world on a globe-trotting adventure.

Grade Level: K-2

Living in South Korea
by Chloe Perkins
Setting: SOUTH KOREA

Meet Min-jun, a kid living in South Korea - a country filled with amazing cities and cutting-edge technology!

Living in China
by Chloe Perkins
Setting: CHINA

Meet Jin, a kid living in China - a country filled with ancient wonders, high-tech cities, and lots of people—more than any other country on Earth!

Living in India
by Chloe Perkins
Setting: INDIA

Meet Nisha, a kid living in India - a country filled with colorful festivals, majestic temples, and an extraordinary history!

by Steven Wolfe Pereira

The Tiny Travelers Treasure Quest Series takes its readers on a fun-filled journey to discover what makes each country special with search-and-find features on every spread.

Grade Level K-2

Tiny Travelers Lebanon Treasure Quest
Setting: LEBANON

Journey from the bustling markets in Tripoli to the ruins of Baalbek. From olive harvesting in Akkar to the lush greenery of Kadisha Valley, Tiny Travelers will enjoy getting closer to Lebanon's sights, history, and culture, making magical discoveries along the way. Each illustrated spread invites children to discover hidden "treasures" ― icons, animals, statues, instruments and more ― that make up incredible Lebanon.

Tiny Travelers Japan Treasure Quest
Setting: JAPAN

Journey from the bustling capital city of Tokyo to the beautiful festival of the cherry blossoms (or Sakura) and to the summit of Mount Fuji. Tiny travelers will enjoy getting closer to Japanese culture in all its splendor. Each illustrated spread invites children to discover hidden "treasures" - icons, animals, statues, instruments and more - that make up majestic Japan.

Tiny Travelers China Treasure Quest
Setting: CHINA

Journey from the Forbidden City to the Wuling mountains. From the cosmopolitan city of Shanghai, to the ancient Great Wall of China, Tiny Travelers will enjoy getting closer to Chinese culture while learning about what makes this country so captivating. Each illustrated spread invites children to discover hidden "treasures" - icons, animals, statues, instruments and more - that make up the rich cultural heritage of China.

Tiny Travelers India Treasure Quest
Setting: INDIA

Journey from the magical Taj Mahal to fabulous Bollywood. From the beautiful festival of color Holi, to the incredible Himalayas, Tiny Travelers will enjoy getting closer to Indian culture, making magical discoveries along the way. Each illustrated spread invites children to discover hidden "treasures" - icons, animals, statues, instruments and more - that make up incredible India.

Written and illustrated by Czech-born Miroslav Sasek, and originally published between 1962 and 1965-, these, these classic children's books are filled with charming illustrations and information making them great for children in early elementary school. While remaining true to the author's original vision, the facts on the "This is ... Today" page have been updated for the 21st century.

Grade Level: 1-3

This is Hong Kong
by Miroslav Sasek
Setting: HONG KONG

Through its pages, readers will visit Hong Kong in the 1960s, complete with roaring jets bringing in the tourists; bamboo rickshaws taking them through exotic streets fragrant with incense, roasting chestnuts, and honey-glazed Peking duck. The book will show kids gleaming Kowloon Bay framed by misty mountain ridges, then moves in for close-ups of the people of Hong Kong.

This is Israel
by Miroslav Sasek
Setting: ISRAEL

This book visits the Promised Land, a sun-drenched panorama of many hues and many traditions. From the Sea of Galilee to the Red Sea; from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem; and from Mt. Zion to King Solomon’s mines; Sasek presents the biblical glory of Israel's past and the golden hope of its future.

This book series, by Amanda Lumry, provides environmental education through a blend of photography and illustration. The fictional story is supplemented with nonfiction information.

Grade Level: K-3

Adventures of Riley: Tigers in Terai
Setting: INDIA & NEPAL

In Riley's first book, Riley and family travel to the exotic and lush Terai Arc region of India and Nepal, where there is much concern over the dwindling Bengal Tiger population and habitat.

Adventures of Riley: Project Panda
Setting: CHINA

It's "Panda-monium" in China when a rare giant panda mysteriously disappears from the world's largest panda reserve! Riley and family must face remote mountain forests, snow leopards, red pandas, and more in their desperate search for clues. When disaster strikes, Riley must act fast to save the day, and the missing panda.

Adventures of Riley: Operation Orangutan
Setting: BORNEO

Riley and family visit the rain forests of Borneo to learn how figs, fig wasps and orangutans all rely on each other for survival. Riley spots sun bears, proboscis monkeys, flying snakes and more while coming to the rescue of an orphaned orangutan!

Some of these titles are only available in hardback, but can be purchased used through Amazon for a better price. They also appears to be available through many libraries.

by Tim Egan

Setting: TOKYO, JAPAN

Dodsworth and the duck are headed for Japan! But will duck be on his best behavior in a land of customs, manners, and order? Or will Dodsworth have to say sayonara to the duck before the trip is through? 

Short sentences make it easy for newly independent readers to enjoy the journey.

Grade Level: 1-3

Setting: CHINA

This fun book explores every aspect of life for Chinese children “way back when,” from distinctive toys like a live “pet” dragonfly to hand-made lesson books to shopping at the exciting markets or strolling down the Silk Road searching for treasures. Vivid illustrations, detailed historical background, and a glossary bring this intriguing time to life for young readers.

Grade Level: 2-4

by Nie Jun

Setting: BEIJING, CHINA

Yu'er and her grandpa live in a small neighborhood in Beijing―and it's full of big personalities.

In one tale, Yu'er wants to swim in the Special Olympics, a sports competition for people with disabilities. But she and her grandpa don't have a pool! Their trick to help Yu'er practice wows the whole neighborhood. In another story, a friend takes Yu'er to a wild place full of musical insects. Later, Yu'er hears a special story about her grandparents. And in the final story, Yu'er and her grandpa show a cranky painter the sweet side of life.

Grade Level: 2-5

by Brian Bibi

Setting: VIETNAM, CAMBODIA & LAOS

What does a Nymph look like? Where is Halong Bay? What is Angkor? How do you spell ‘hello’ in Cambodian? Want to see a ‘Wonder of the World’? Discover this and more inside. This Activity Book takes a fun approach to teaching history, geography, social studies and language.

Grade Level: 1-4

Easy-to-read language and illustrations on most pages make this early chapter book series perfect for beginning readers.

Grade Level: 1-4

Flat Stanley's Worldwide Adventures #7: The Flying Chinese Wonders
by Jeff Brown
Setting: CHINA

Stanley accidentally caused twin acrobats Yin and Yang to take a tumble, right before their Chinese New Year show. Yang's foot is broken—but luckily, Flat Stanley is flexible enough to take his place. To make up for his mistake, Stanley travels to China to help out—but can he learn all their amazing tricks in time?

Flat Stanley's Worldwide Adventures #3: The Japanese Ninja Surprise
by Jeff Brown
Setting: JAPAN

Stanley and his brother, Arthur, are such huge fans of the movie star ninja Oda Nobu that they decide to send him something even better than fan mail—Stanley himself! Soon enough, Flat Stanley is in Japan, seeing the country with his idol. But when trouble surprises them, it will take a real hero to save the day.

Easy-to-read language and illustrations on most pages make this book series perfect for beginning readers.

Grade Level: 1-4

Greetings From Somewhere #4: The Mystery in the Forbidden City
by Harper Paris
Setting: CHINA

From the Great Wall to the dumplings, Ethan and Ella love China so far. When the twins get separated from their parents, they get do some exploring on their own.

As they are wandering, they happen across an ancient-looking scroll that appears to have a map on it. Being the mystery-solving duo they are, Ethan and Ella attempt to navigate the map...but they get lost in the palace. There are thousands of rooms, and they all seem to look the same!

Greetings From Somewhere #6: The Mystery of the Suspicious Spices
by Harper Paris
Setting: INDIA

Ethan and Ella venture into the bustling markets of Mumbai, India, where there are tons of beautiful sights and smells—from silky fabrics to bread being baked to jars of spices. When one of the spice sellers starts getting complaints about his saffron, he is beside himself. His spices have always been known to be the purest in the market. Ethan and Ella are on the case—and they soon discover that someone has been meddling with the spices!

by Kristin Earhart

Setting: HIMALAYAS

This is book #6 in the action-packed adventure series, Race the Wild. The team is climbing to new heights! The last leg of the race lands teams in the Himalayas, one of the most treacherous mountain ranges in the world. But when a rockslide disaster threatens an old friend, Russell and the team must decide whether to go on a rescue mission or race for the win.

Grade Level: 2-4

by A.J. Low

Setting: SINGAPORE

The Sherlock Sam series is an update of the classic Sherlock Holmes detective stories. Sherlock is a 10-year-old kid living in Singapore, and his Watson is his trusty robot companion! Each story is set in iconic Singapore locations and throughout Asia as he travels on vacation.

#1: Sherlock Sam and the Missing Heirloom in Katong

#2: Sherlock Sam and the Ghostly Moans in Fort Canning

#3: Sherlock Sam and the Sinister Letters in Bras Basah

#4: Sherlock Sam and the Alien Encounter on Pulau Ubin

There are a total of 15 books in this series, and you can find all of the titles here.

Grade Level: 2-5

The Magic Tree House and Merlin Missions book series follow a young brother and sister, Jack and Annie, on their adventures around the world and throughout history. And the Magic Tree House Fact Tracker books provide additional factual information to help kids learn more about the topics they discovered in the Magic Tree House adventure books.

Magic Tree House books are recommended for readers in grades 1-4, and the Merlin Mission books and Fact Trackers are recommended for grades 2-5.

Magic Tree House #5: Night of the NInjas
by Mary Pope Osborne
Setting: NAGASKAI, JAPAN

The Magic Tree House whisks Jack and Annie back to ancient Japan, where they find themselves in the cave of a ninja master. Will they learn the secrets of the ninja? Or will the evil samurai warriors get them first?

Magic Tree House Fact Tracker: Ninjas and Samurai
by Mary Pope Osborne and Natalie Pope Boyce
Setting: JAPAN

What did it mean to be a ninja or a samurai? Did they really have special abilities? What was life like for them in ancient Japan? Find out the answers to these questions and more as Jack and Annie track the facts.

Magic Tree House #14: Day of the Dragon King
by Mary Pope Osborne
Setting: GREAT WALL OF CHINA

The Magic Tree House transports Jack and Annie to ancient China where a powerful emperor called the Dragon King has ordered that all books be burned. Will Jack and Annie be able to save one very important book?

Magic Tree House Fact Tracker: China, Land of the Emperor's Great Wall
by Mary Pope Osborne and Natalie Pope Boyce
Setting: CHINA

Who was the Dragon King? How did he build the Great Wall? What is Chinese New Year? What are some other Chinese traditions? Find out the answers to these questions and more as Jack and Annie track the facts about Chinese history and culture.

Magic Tree House #19: Tigers at Twilight
by Mary Pope Osborne
Setting: JUNGLES OF INDIA

When the magic tree house whisks Jack and Annie off to a forest of India they find that rare tigers are being trapped by greedy poachers.

Magic Tree House Merlin Missions #6: Season of the Sandstorms
by Mary Pope Osborne
Setting: BAGHDAD, IRAQ

Jack and Annie travel back in time the desserts of the Middle East. There they meet a Bedouin tribe and learn about the way that they live. From camel rides and oases to ancient writings and dangerous sandstorms, here’s another Magic Tree House filled with all the mystery, history, magic, and old-fashioned adventure.

Magic Tree House Merlin Missions #9: Dragon of the Red Dawn
by Mary Pope Osborne
Setting: TOKYO, JAPAN

Jack and Annie are headed to a land of fierce samurai and great beauty, the capital city of Edo (now the city of Tokyo), in ancient Japan in the 1600s.

Magic Tree House Merlin Missions #17: A Crazy Day with Cobras
by Mary Pope Osborne
Setting: AGRA, INDIA

When the magic tree house takes Jack and Annie back to India over four hundred years ago to search for the jewel, they discover an amazing and exotic world filled with great danger.

Magic Tree House Merlin Missions #20: Perfect Time for Pandas
by Mary Pope Osborne
Setting: SOUTHEAST CHINA

The magic tree house takes Jack and Annie to a village in the mountains of southeast China, close to a world-famous panda reserve. But, what they don't know is that they’ve arrived on the day of a historic earthquake!

Magic Tree House Fact Tracker: Pandas and Other Endangered Species
By Mary Pop Osborne and Natalie Pop Boyce
Setting: CHINA

What do pandas eat? Where do they live? Why are snow leopards so scarce? How can we help? Find out the answers to these questions and more as Jack and Annie track the facts.

by Grace Lin

Setting: TAIWAN

Pacy's family is going to Taiwan for an entire month to visit family and to celebrate her grandmother's 60th birthday.

Pacy is excited, especially about the painting class her parents signed her up for. Then, she discovers that everything about the trip is harder than she thought it would be--she looks like everyone else but can't speak the language, she has trouble following the art teacher's instructions, and it's difficult to make friends in her class.

As the month passes by, Pacy eats chicken feet (by accident!), gets blessed by a fortune teller, searches for her true identity, and grows closer to those who matter most.

Grade Level: 3-5

by Simon Chapman

Setting: BORNEO

Simon is flying to the island of Borneo in the South China Sea. He plans to travel by boat and plane, and trek through one of the world's oldest rainforests to find orangutans in their natural equatorial habitat. He'll be sketching some of the island's 1,000s of species of trees, mammals and birds along the way.

Borneo is the third-largest island in the world and is politically divided among the countries of Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia.

Grade Level: 2-4

by John Son

Setting: ASIA

Part of Scholastic's The Seven Continents series, this book will help readers get to know all about Asia's geography, history, wildlife, and the people that live there today.

This book is filled with curriculum-relevant subjects and includes resource sections that encourage kids to learn more.

Grade Level: 3-5

There are several books in the Where Is... What Was... series that will help kids learn more about Asia. This series is recommended for grade levels 3-7 and titles include:

Where is the Taj Majal?
by Dorothy Hoobler
Setting: INDIA

The Taj Mahal may look like a palace, but it's actually a tomb and a lasting testament to one of the world's great love stories. Everything about the Taj was perfectly planned, from the white marble walls that shimmer in the sunlight and sparkle by moonlight, to the countless decorative flowers made from precious gems that still astound visitors today.

Where is Mount Everest?
by Nico Medina
Setting: NEPAL

Located in the Himalayas, Everest is the highest mountain in the world at a whopping 29,028 feet. With stories of expeditions gone wrong and miraculously successful summit climbs, climbing Mount Everest remains a daunting challenge. This book guides readers through the mountain’s ancient beginnings, first human settlers, historic climbs, and the modern commercialization of mountain-climbing.

Where is the Great Wall of China?
by Patricia Brennan Demuth
Setting: CHINA

More than two thousand years ago, with his land under constant attack from nomads, the First Emperor of China came up with a simple solution: build a wall to keep out enemies. It was a wall that kept growing and growing. But its construction came at a huge cost: it is believed that more than a million Chinese died building it, earning the wall its nickname--the longest cemetery on earth.

What Was the Bombing of Hiroshima?
by Jess Brallier
Setting: HIROSHIMA, JAPAN

By August 1945, World War II was over in Europe, but the fighting continued between American forces and the Japanese. And so it fell to a new president--Harry S. Truman--to make the fateful decision to drop two atomic bombs--one on Hiroshima and one on Nagasaki--and bring the war to rapid close. In a thoughtful account of these history-changing events, this explains the leadup to the bombing, what the terrible results of it were, and how the threat of atomic war has colored world events since.

There are several books in the Who Is... series that will help kids learn more about Asia. This series is recommended for grade levels 3-7 and titles include:

Who Is the Dalai Lama?
by Dana Meachen Rau
Setting: NEPAL

He was born Lhamo Thondup - an ordinary child - but after a series of tests he was declared the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet. At the age of 15, he was the leader of six million people who were facing the threat of a full-scale war from the Chinese. After the defeat of the Tibetan uprising, he was forced to flee to India, but he spent the next 50 years working to establish Tibet as a democratic state. His nonviolent efforts earned him a Nobel Peach Prize.

Who Is Malala?
by Dinah Brown
Setting: PAKISTAN

Malala Yousafzai was a girl who loved to learn but was told that girls would no longer be allowed to go to school. She wrote a blog that called attention to what was happening in her beautiful corner of Pakistan and realized that words can bring about change. She has continued to speak out for the right of all children to have an education. In 2014 she won the Nobel Peace Prize.

Who Was Gandhi?
by Dana Meachen Rau
Setting: INDIA

Gandhi was born in 1869 in British-occupied India. Though he studied law in London and spent his early adulthood in South Africa, he remained devoted to his homeland and spent the later part of his life working to make India an independent nation. Calling for non-violent civil disobedience, Gandhi led India to independence and inspired movements for civil rights around the world. Gandhi is recognized internationally as a symbol of hope, peace, and freedom.

Who Was Genghis Kahn?
by Nico Medina
Setting: MONGOLIA

Named Temujin at birth by his nomadic family in early Mongolia, the great Genghis Khan used his skill and cunning to create the Mongol Empire and conquer almost the entire continent of Asia. As ruler of the largest empire in human history, he was as respected as he was feared.

Who Was Bruce Lee?
by Jim Gigliotti
Setting: CHINA & HONG KONG

Bruce Lee was a Chinese American action film star, martial arts instructor, filmmaker, and philosopher. His Hong Kong and Hollywood-produced films elevated the traditional martial arts film to a new level of popularity and acclaim. Lee helped to change the way Asians were presented in American films and, in the process, he became an iconic figure known throughout the world.

by Simon Chapman

"Explorers Wanted" is an exciting new non-fiction series. Each book in the series presents the reader with an exciting expedition to tackle, and is crammed with fascinating information, gruesome details and cool facts.

Grade Level: 4-7

Explorers Wanted: In Deepest Borneo
Setting: BORNEO

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to enter deepest Borneo in search of something so rare that it is glimpsed only once every 50 years. You must scour the rainforest of deepest Borneo, an island three times the size of Great Britain, braving headhunters, snakes and hairy rhinos - before you can complete your mission to find the very rare (and very smelly!) titan arum flower. Will you survive? If anyone can help you, Simon Chapman can.

Explorers Wanted: In the Himalayas
Setting: Himalayas, INDIA & NEPAL

Here's your chance to read the mission notes from a real live Indiana Jones. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to climb Dangiroba peak, at the "roof of the world" and to find out whether the Yeti really exists. 

Explorers Wanted: In the Wilderness
Setting: SIBERIA, RUSSIA

What would it would be like to explore the Siberian taiga forests in the Siberian region of Russia on the continent of Asia? Learn information about plants, animals, climate, and terrain, and find out if you could survive.

Lonely Planet's "Not For Parents" series is packed with fascinating facts that will help tweens get to know the real inside story.

Grade Level: 4-7

Not for Parents: Asia

In this book, you'll hear fascinating tales about Samurai warriors and Bollywood legends, fabulous carpets, explosive volcanoes, and modern-day pirates. Check out cool stories about hunting with golden eagles, dog astronauts, guerilla warfare, and eccentric dictators. You'll find holy cows, purple people, some seriously tough mountain folk, and history galore.

Not for Parents: China

This book includes tales about ancient empires, martial arts, the discovery of gunpowder and the first cup of tea. Check out cool stories about ice sculptures, dust storms, bloodthirsty warriors and dragons. You'll find acrobats, fighting crickets, futuristic buildings and even some seriously weird snacks!

This book series is out of print, but you'll find lots of used copies on Amazon.

In this middle grade series of graphic novels, readers can take in all the action and excitement of cities around the globe, getting a taste of geography, culture, and history with Carmen Sandiego—the world's greatest thief!

Grade Level: 3-7

The Sticky Rice Caper
Setting; INDONESIA

Head to the island nation of Indonesia for Carmen's next caper! But just what is the mysterious lady in red after this time?

The Need for Speed Caper
Setting: DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Zoom off to Dubai for this next caper! It's up to Carmen and her crew to stop VILE from stealing a high-speed supercar to use for their evil exploits. But when an old rivalry gets in the way, can Carmen and the gang make a new plan before it's too late? High speeds and high stakes await in the City of Gold!

The Chasing Paper Caper
Setting: MUMBAI, INDIA

Head to the Mumbai, India for Carmen's next caper! It's up to Carmen and her crew to stop VILE from their evil exploits—but what is VILE after this time? 

by Jesse Blackadder

Setting: DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

This adventurous middle grade book set in Dubai is based on a true story. From deep in the Kimberley Desert comes a legend of free-roaming horses with Arabian bloodlines, who can run like the wind.

Paruku, the young stallion, flees from humans who invade his desert sanctuary, but is haunted by an ancient memory of being ridden.

Thirteen-year-old Rachel is fast outgrowing her first pony. So when her father, an equine vet, is offered the job of capturing these wild horses for the endurance stables of Sheik Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum of Dubai, Rachel travels with him into the remote desert landscape of the Kimberley.

Grade Level 3-6

by Ranya Guerrero

Setting: PHILIPPINES

Pablo is only twelve years old, but he's lived in more countries than he can count. After his parents divorced, he and his mother have moved from place to place for years, never settling anywhere long enough to call it home. And along the way, Pablo has collected more and more fears: of dirt, of germs, and most of all, of the ocean.

Now they're living in the Philippines, and his mother, a zoologist who works at a local wildlife refuge, is too busy saving animals to notice that Pablo might need saving, too. Then his mother takes in Chiqui, an orphaned girl with a cleft lip―and Pablo finds that through being strong for Chiqui, his own fears don't seem so scary.
He might even find the courage to face his biggest fear of all...and learn how to make friends with the sea.

Grade Level: 4-7

by Catherine Bruton

Setting: SYRIA

Aya is eleven years old and has just arrived in Britain with her mum and baby brother, seeking asylum from war in Syria. When Aya stumbles across a local ballet class, the formidable dance teacher spots her exceptional talent and believes that Aya has the potential to earn a prestigious ballet scholarship.

In this middle grade book set in Syria, Aya and her family must fight to remain in the country, make a home for themselves, and find Aya's father - separated from the rest of the family during the journey from Syria.

Although the present-day portions of the story are set in Great Britain, each chapter includes flashbacks to Syria before the war.

Grade Level: 4-7

by Julie Lee

Setting: NORTH KOREA

In the 1950s, 12-year-old Sora and her family live in North Korea under an iron set of rules. No travel without a permit. No criticism of the government. No absences from Communist meetings. Wear red. Hang pictures of the Great Leader. Don't trust your neighbors. Don't speak your mind. You are being watched.

This middle grade book set in North Korea is about Sora's family's plan to escape. But when a bomb changes everything, Sora and her little brother Young will have to get to Busan on their own. Can a twelve-year-old girl and her eight-year-old brother survive three hundred miles of warzone in winter?

Grade Level 4-7

by Linda Sue Park

Setting: KOREA

The Newbery Medal-winning book is about an orphaned boy in a 12th-century Korean village who dreams of becoming a master potter. When he accidentally breaks a delicate piece of pottery, he resolves to serve the master potter by embarking on a difficult and dangerous journey, little knowing that it will change his life forever.

Grade Level: 4-7

Linda Sue Park has also written several other middle grade books set in Korea, including:

When My Name Was Keoko
Kite Fighter
SeeSaw Girl

by Sandy Fussell

Setting: JAPAN

This fast-moving, action filled middle grade martial arts series is set in Japan, with travels to China in books later books. Titles include:

#1: White Crane
Niya Moto is the only one-legged samurai kid in Japan. The one school that will accept him is the Cockroach Ryu, led by the legendary Sensei Ki-Yaga. He may be an old man overly fond of naps, but Ki-Yaga is also known for taking in kids that the world has judged harshly. A warrior in his time, Ki-Yaga demands excellence in everything from sword-fighting to poetry. But can the ragtag Cockroaches make the treacherous journey to the Samurai Trainee Games, never mind take on the all-conquering Dragons?

#2: Owl Ninja
The uniquely talented samurai kids are back -- and ready to join forces with a ninja clan! Across the valley, a drumbeat echoes. For ten days, the drum will call the mountain ryus to war, including the samurai kids from the Cockroach Ryu. Only Japan’s feudal Emperor can stop the war, so Niya and Sensei Ki-Yaga set off on a grueling journey with all the Cockroaches, whose firm friendship and unusual skills must be put to the test in order to beg the Emperor to maintain peace.

#3: Shaolin Tiger
The White Tiger Temple is under threat. To help the Shaolin monks, Sensei KiYaga and the whole gang of samurai kids embark on a perilous journey across the Sea of Japan to China. Soon. they discover that getting there is only half the battle. A great danger awaits them: a former student of Sensei named Qing-Shen, China’s Warrior, now the most skilled soldier in the Middle Kingdom.

#4: Monkey Fist
The Samurai Kids are ready to travel back from China to the Cockroach Ryu, nestled in Japan's Tateyama Mountains. But then the unthinkable happens: Kyoko, one of the Cockroaches, is kidnapped. Sensei knows it is the mark of his old enemy Lu Zeng, an evil minister of the Forbidden City who is obsessed with eternal life. The Cockroaches must make a perilous journey to the Forbidden City, during which they encounter the mysterious, forest-dwelling Lin people.

Grade Level: 4-7

by Ying Chang Compestine

Setting: CHINA

This action-packed, coming-of-age middle grade book set in China weaves together fact and fiction. Thirteen-year-old Ming lives in a small village in Maoist China in the 1970s. His father is convinced that Emperor Qin’s tomb―and the life-size terra-cotta army created to serve and protect the Emperor in the afterlife―lies hidden in the hills around them.

The book includes photographs of Communist Chinese village life in the 1970s, the Great Wall, and the excavated tomb with many terra-cotta soldiers. It also features a special recipe from the story.

Grade Level: 4-7

by Ji-li Jiang

Setting: CHINA

This middle grade memoir set in China tells the story of 12-year-old Ji-li-Jiang. In 1966, she has everything a girl could want: brains, popularity, and a bright future in Communist China. But it's also the year that China's leader, Mao Ze-dong, launches the Cultural Revolution—and Ji-li's world begins to fall apart.

Over the next few years, people who were once her friends and neighbors turn on her and her family, forcing them to live in constant terror of arrest. And when Ji-li's father is finally imprisoned, she faces the most difficult dilemma of her life.

Grade Level: 5-7

by Jess Butterworth

Setting: INDIA & TIBET

This middle grade book set in India and Tibet tells a story of adventure, survival, courage, and hope in the Himalayas.

Tash, a practicing Buddhist, lives in Tibet where she must follow many rules to avoid the wrath of the occupying Chinese soldiers. Life remains peaceful as long as Tash, her family, and their community hide their religion and don’t mention its leader, the Dalai Lama.

When soldiers break into Tash’s house and seize her parents, she barely escapes. Soon she and her best friend, Sam, along with two borrowed yaks, flee across the mountains, where they face blizzards, hunger, a treacherous landscape, and the constant threat of capture. It’s a long, dangerous trip to the Indian border and safety—and not all will make it there.

Grade Level: 5-8

by Shaw Kizki

Setting: HIROSHIMA, JAPAN

Twelve-year-old Nozomi lives in the Japanese city of Hiroshima. She wasn't even born when the bombing of Hiroshima took place. Every year Nozomi joins her family at the lantern-floating ceremony to honor those lost in the bombing. This year Nozomi realizes that her mother always releases one lantern with no name. She begins to ask questions, and when complicated stories of loss and loneliness unfold, Nozomi and her friends come up with a creative way to share their loved one's experiences.

Soul Lanterns, a middle grade book set in Japan, explores what happened on August 6, 1945, and offers readers a glimpse into the rich cultural history of this country.

Grade Level: 5-8

by Mitali Perkins

Setting: BURMA (MYANMAR)

Chiko is a book-loving Burmese boy whose father, a doctor, is in prison for resisting the government.

On the other hand, Tu Reh wants to fight for freedom after watching Burmese soldiers destroy his Karenni family's home and bamboo fields.

In this middle grade book set in Burma, Timidity becomes courage and anger becomes compassion as each boy is changed by unlikely friendships formed under extreme circumstances.

Reading Level: 6-9