Asian Booklist

An accessible, engaging and essential introduction to the British empire for readers aged 9+, by bestselling author of Empireland, Sathnam Sanghera. You've probably heard the word 'empire' before. Perhaps because of the Roman empire. Or maybe even the Star Wars films. But what about the British Empire? Why don't we learn much about this? And what even is an empire, anyway? This book will answer all the important questions about […]

At four years old, Dr Faiza Shaheen was told by her mum that one day she would attend the University of Oxford. As the daughter of a car mechanic attending state schools, the odds were low, but she worked hard and succeeded. Today, she’s a leading statistician and standing for election as a Member of Parliament. Why do we glorify success as personal triumph like this? These narratives purposely erase […]

Have you ever wondered why, as Britain becomes more diverse, so many of our leaders come from the same narrow pool? Can it be acceptable in 2023 that there are no ethnic minority chief constables, only one CEO in the top 50 NHS Trusts and no permanent secretaries in the civil service? Nazir Afzal knows what it’s like to break the glass ceiling, challenge prejudice and shake up predominantly white […]

Brown Girl Like Me is an inspiring memoir and empowering manifesto that equips women with the confidence and tools they need to navigate the difficulties that come with an intersectional identity. Jaspreet Kaur unpacks key issues such as the media, the workplace, the home, education, mental health, culture, confidence and the body, to help South Asian women understand and tackle the issues that affect them, and help them be in […]

A darkly comic, boundary-pushing debut following an adrift Pakistani translator in London who attends a mysterious language school which boasts complete fluency in just ten days, but at a secret, sinister cost. Anisa Ellahi dreams of being a translator of 'great works of literature,' but instead mostly spends her days subtitling Bollywood movies, living off her parents’ generous allowance, and discussing the 'underside of life' with her best friend, Naima. […]

The story of a Queendom set in an alternate colonial India, blending Frances Hardinge with Kipling's Kim. A debut rich in fantasy, friendship and faith, and an original adventure that sparkles with storytelling magic. Fierce orphan gir, Minou Moonshine lives with her grandmother on a makeshift barge in the shadow of the General's palace. Under the tyrant's rule, life in Moonlally is hard: the monsoons have failed and worship of […]

When you design your baby's face on a computer it becomes harder to recognize your own. How much is your Face worth? Schuyler and Madeleine Burroughs have the perfect Face--rich and powerful enough to assure their dominance in society. But in Schuyler and Maddie's household, cracks are beginning to appear. Schuyler is bored and taking risks. Maddie is becoming brittle, her happiness ever more fleeting. And their menial is fighting […]

'They recognized that they were all existing in a perfect moment, and eventually it would have to end. Other times it felt like it would always be this way.' These Impossible Things charts the dreams and disappointments of a group of British Muslim women; Jenna, Kees and Malak. They have been friends for years: the three of them together against the world. Yet one night changes everything between them and […]

The UK was once a huge global superpower. Bigger than the Roman Empire. Bigger than the Incas, Mayas, Aztecs, Mughal, Ottoman or any other European, Asian, African or American power. Its influence was felt in countries all over the world, but it didn't just affect countries over there. It affected everything about the islands we live on today. It affected the language we speak, the food we eat, the buildings […]

Do you ever look up at a cloud and think, where do those come from again? Do you know your molluscs from your mammals and your rocks from your minerals? Have you forgotten what the non-edible version of the Milky Way is, and did you ever know what a force was? Why Don't Things Fall Up? will gently remind you of everything you definitely learnt once upon a time, but […]

How do you talk to someone who doesn't want to talk to you?What happens in the brain when we're having a good conversation?What have smartphones done to how we connect? Conversations are broken. And while effective dialogue is supposed to lead to greater fulfilment in our personal and professional lives, all the scientific evidence points towards us sharing fewer interactions than previous generations. From ever decreasing face-to-face meetings to echo […]

In the lakes, the wolf queen sharpens her spear.In the mountains, an ancient girl opens an eye.In the forest, an orphan is summoned by the trees.Our story has begun … Ysolda has lived her life in the shadow of the wolf queen's tyrannical rule but, safe in her forest haven, she has never truly felt its threat. Until one day when a mysterious earthquake shakes the land and her older […]

Three siblings. Three promises. Three lifetimes of saying all the wrong things… Since their mother’s death, siblings Imran, Sumaya and Majid have drifted in three very different directions, trying to live up to the last promises they each made to her. But when a viral news piece throws an unwanted spotlight on the family, they’re drawn back into each other’s lives for the first time in years. With the media […]

How we interpret emotions and act on them has been heavily gendered, as far back as Ancient Greek and Roman times, and - despite improvements in societal equality - continues to be today. In Hysterical, Dr Pragya Agarwal delves into history and science to determine the truth about our notions of innate differences between the male and female experience of emotions. She examines the impact this has on men and […]

A captivating, powerful and luminous story from a bestselling, award-winning author about a mother, a daughter and the great Greenland shark. Wrapped up in mesmerising illustrations and presented as a deluxe hardback, this is a perfect gift for the holiday season, for 9+ fans of Philip Pullman, Sally Gardner and Frances Hardinge. The shark was beneath my bed, growing large as the room, large as the lighthouse, rising from unfathomable […]

You want to be just like her. But do you really know her? Rani has always felt like an outsider. First growing up among her white, wealthy peers. And now next to her successful, child-free friends. From the tiny rented flat she lives in with her family, she imagines being the kind of woman who owns the beautiful house across the street. Then Natalie moves in. With her expensive clothes, […]

The hilarious, myth-busting survival guide to the human body from TikTok's favourite General Surgeon. Though the odds are stacked against us, the human body has an extraordinary tendency to survive. Here, Dr Karan Rajan explains the weird and wonderful bodily functions that keep us going, and offers practical advice to help you thrive. Full of everyday health hacks to worry less and live better, This Book May Save Your Life […]

Nik has lots of questions about his late father but knows better than to ask his mother, Avani. It's their unspoken rule. When his grandfather dies, Nik now has the opportunity to learn about the man he never met. Armed with a key and new knowledge about his parents' past, Nik sets out to unlock the secrets that his mother has been holding onto his whole life. As the carefully […]

In the wake of an insignificant battle between two long-forgotten kingdoms in fourteenth-century southern India, a nine-year-old girl has a divine encounter that will change the course of history. After witnessing the death of her mother, the grief-stricken Pampa Kampana becomes a vessel for a goddess, who tells her that she will be instrumental in the rise of a great city called Bisnaga - literally 'victory city' - the wonder […]

In the lakes, the wolf queen sharpens her spear.In the mountains, an ancient girl opens an eye.In the forest, an orphan is summoned by the trees.Our story has begun … Ysolda has lived her life in the shadow of the wolf queen's tyrannical rule but, safe in her forest haven, she has never truly felt its threat. Until one day when a mysterious earthquake shakes the land and her older […]