Asia Culture

On April 24, 1975, the last flight out of Saigon, Vietnam carried over 400 people to the United States, six days before Saigon’s surrender to the North Vietnamese Army. Kristen Giang was a little girl, on that flight with family, and here in this story she shares all the emotions of the decision to flee from the perspective of someone eight years old; Playing a game of space-explorers to protect herself and her sister’s eyes from tear gas; sneaking a stuffed animal into the family’s overstuffed suitcase for comfort.

When aspiring photographer Dylan Moore is invited to join his best friend Rohit Lal on a family trip to India, he jumps at the chance to embark on an exciting journey just like their Lord of the Rings heroes, Frodo and Sam. But each boy comes to the trip with a problem: Rohit is desperate to convince his parents not to leave him behind in Mumbai to finish school, and Dylan is desperate to use his time in India to prove himself as a photographer and to avoid his parents' constant fighting. Keeping their struggles to themselves threatens to tear the boys apart.

Take an alphabetical exploration of the people, geography, animals, plants, history, and culture of Russia! The Country ABCs series makes learning about countries and cultures as simple as A to Z.

Travel to China. Find out the facts about this country in Asia.

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is a brilliantly realistic journey back to an era of Chinese history that is as deeply moving as it is sorrowful. With the period detail and deep resonance of Memoirs of a Geisha, this lyrical and emotionally charged novel delves into one of the most mysterious of...

Tara is one of the lowest class, untouchable, and works as a maid in Kolkata, India. Her boss, a Brahmin, is the highest class, and Tara must accept her position in life inside India's caste system. After hearing encouraging words from her grandfather in his pottery shop, she learns to accept her reality. Will Tara accept the forgiveness from her boss for the prejudice during a deathly illness?

Two brothers, Heung Bu and Nol Bu, lived as neighbors. One spring day when the brothers were out planting, Heung Bu finds a wounded swallow. He nurses it back to health and is rewarded with a single pumpkinseed. Heung Bu plants the seed and is rewarded for his kindness. Nol Bu, jealous of his brother’s good fortune, seeks out a wounded swallow of his own. Will he be rewarded like his brother?

Hyun Mi travels with her family to witness a miracle of nature—a land pass between islands!

Two ancient Chinese rulers govern their kingdoms in very different ways. When Jen Fu attacks with brute force, Wu Ti fights back with cleverness. The battle is about to begin!

Pu Yi, a spoiled but lonely child emperor, learns to ride a bicycle with the help of his tutor, hoping it will impress his aloof father.

“A sprightly and clear-eyed testimonial to the value of globalization” (The Wall Street Journal) as seen through six surprising everyday goods—the taco salad, the Honda Odyssey, the banana, the iPhone, the college degree, and the blockbuster HBO series Game of Thrones. Trade allows us to...

Sona Sharma's house is full of three generations of people who joke often and argue sometimes. Relatives come over unannounced, the phone rings frequently, and friends drop by all the time. Then one day, Amma tells Sona that she is going to have a baby. Is that good? Sona isn’t so sure. She doesn’t want to share her room or her things with a new baby, not to mention the attention of Amma, Appa, Thatha, and Paatti. And despite Amma's assurance that the sky always has room for new stars, Sona doesn’t feel stretchy or big-hearted like the sky.

Once, in a tiny village in India, a boy lived in an old house with his grandfather. They loved to do everything together—growing mangoes, making paper boats to float in the monsoon rains—but what they loved most of all was to paint. The boy and his grandfather filled their home with art. Some days, they would invite the village children to join in. They didn’t have much, but they had each other, and a loving bond that would always keep them together.

Travel to India. Find out the facts about this country in Asia.

Bactrian camels roam grasslands and rocky deserts. Learn all about these rugged travelers and their habitats in Camels.

Bengal tigers silently stalk their prey. Learn all about these sneaky night hunters and their habitats in Bengal Tigers.

Yank! The giant panda strips bamboo leaves with its sharp claws. Weighing more than 300 pounds, this is one huge bear! Listeners are introduced to physical features, behavior, habitat, and life cycle to find out why giant pandas are awesome!

Giant pandas munch on bamboo. Learn all about these gentle bears and their habitats in Giant Pandas.

Rhinoceroses graze on grass and leaves. Learn all about these powerful creatures and their habitats in Rhinoceroses.

Orangutans swing through rain forest trees. Learn all about these clever apes and their habitats in Orangutans.