8 Children's Books about Malaysia

My middle daughter did her study abroad in Singapore, so she was able to visit Malaysia a few times. I, sadly, was only able to see her in Singapore, but Malaysia is on my bucket list.

I started making book lists for Asian countries a decade ago. At that time, I could only find two books on Malaysia, so this post stayed in my Draft folder. I decided to search again and was delighted to find new books that covered Malaysia from a variety of angles. It’s been a wonderful way for me to armchair travel to this beautiful country!

Am I missing any books? Thanks for letting me know in the comments!

8 Children’s Books about Malaysia

Mommy Sayang by Rosana Sullivan

I did not know that Pixar Animation Studios showcases its artists through Disney Press. Their wonderful animators are now creating picture books! Mommy Sayang celebrates Rosana’s childhood in Malaysia. Aleeya asks her mother if she will always be by her side. They enjoy sweet moments together cooking, doing laundry, watering the red hibiscus flowers, and watching her Muslim mother pray. When her mother gets sick, the tables are turned, and now Aleeya is the one by her mother’s side. Day by day, Aleeya waits for her mother to get better. Noticing the red hibiscus flowers, Aleeya brings one to her mother, and it helps her feel better.

Rosana’s own mother had a long-term illness when she was a child. Drawing was a creative outlet for her to stay connected to her mother. As an artist at Pixar, Rosana worked on The Good Dinosaur, Coco, and Incredibles 2!

This picture book is a good reminder that many Asians are part of the Muslim community. In fact, in 2020, more than 63% of the Malaysian population said that they practiced the Islamic faith. [picture book, ages 3 and up]

Nana, Nenek & Nina by Liza Ferneyhough

Nina lives in San Francisco, and one of her grandmothers, Nana, lives in England. The other, Nenek, lives in Malaysia. When she visits her grandmothers in each country, some things are similar, but some are not. But one thing is the same: how much they love each other. This is a lovely way to compare and contrast two countries through the eyes of a grandchild. I especially like the spreads that show the text sentence stretching across both pages. The illustrations also do the heavy lifting to show two worlds, similar but different. [picture book, ages 4 and up]

Kaya’s Heart Song by Diwa Tharan Sanders, illustrated by Nerina Canzi

Kaya searches for her heartsong in a Malaysian jungle. It’s a place she knows well. She sees Pak, who is guarding a gate, housing a rundown carousel. Kaya practices mindfulness as she untangles the vines from the carousel. As it starts to turn, she hears her heart’s song. The ride is fixed thanks to the magic of Kaya’s heart song (and her hard work). This is a gentle adventure that introduces children to meditation and mindfulness. [picture book, ages 4 and up]

Masked Hero: How Wu Lien-Teh Invented the Mask That Ended the Epidemic by Dr. Shan Woo Liu and Kaili Liu Gormley, illustrated by Lisa Wee

The N95 mask might be familiar to anyone who traveled during the COVID pandemic. In this picture book biography, we meet the doctor who invented this life-saving mask nearly 100 years ago. Lien-Teh studied diligently to win a scholarship at the University of Cambridge in England. His school in Malaysia lacked resources. He was interested in studying germs and how to keep them from spreading. His research resulted in creating a layered mask. It helped to contain a dangerous disease in China from spreading. This became the N95 mask used today. For his work, Wu Lien-Teh received the 1935 Nobel Prize. He is the first person of Chinese descent to win this honor. It is interesting to learn how an invention from the past has such relevance today. I also didn’t realize how much racism Wu Lien-Teh faced in his own country. [picture book biography, ages 4 and up]

Tea Time Around the World by Denyse Waissbluth, illustrated by Chelsea O’Bryne

Malaysia is featured in this global tea picture book with its iconic Teh tarik or “pulled tea.” This is the national drink of Malaysia, and it’s a hot tea beverage made frothy by being poured back and forth at an arm’s length distance. It makes for quite an entertaining show! The drink is simply strong black tea combined with condensed milk. [picture book, ages 3 and up]

Malaysian Children’s Favourite Stories by Kay Lyons, illustrated by Martin Loh

I love all Tuttle Publishing folktale collections, which cover most Asian countries. I read the ones related to my kids’ ancestry, Chinese/Japanese/Korean, and they are part of my children’s bedtime story memories. I’m always amazed at how other Asian countries’ stories are so different from the ones I read to my children.

In the Malaysian folktales, the mountains of Malaysia figure in some of the stories as if to explain why they exist. Stories to explain animals are also popular, such as why the tapir is black and white, why to fear the crocodile, and how the smallest animal, the mousedeer, is the most clever.

In other stories, the hero or heroine, both animal or human female, is not perfect. They all have complexity with some character flaws. My favorite stories had princesses. These princesses were not passively waiting to be rescued. Each of them had a distinctive personality, like sisters in a family. Enjoy these stories as bedtime stories; they are the perfect length! [folktale anthology, for ages 5 and up]

The Bee Tree by Stephen Buchmann and Diana Cohn, illustrated by Paul Mirocha

In the rainforest of Malaysia near Pedu Lake, the tualang trees stretch 200+ feet to the sky. It is on these sacred trees that wild Giant Honey Bees build their hives, filling them with precious honey. On a moonless night, young Nizam will make his first trip up the trees to harvest the honey. This is a long tradition for the Orang Asli, the indigenous people of Malaysia. Learn about the rituals and dangers of harvesting honey from so high up in the trees. The extensive backmatter gives more details about Malaysia and its peoples, the ecology of rainforests, the unique Giant Honey Bees, and the honey hunters of Malaysia.[ narrative nonfiction picture book, ages 7 and up]

Hamra and the Jungle of Memories by Hanna Alkaf

Hanna Alkaf has taken Little Red Riding Hood and infused it with Malaysian folktales, dementia, Covid-19 lockdown, family, and a Percy Jackson-like quest involving magic. Hamra, the heroine, is in a bad mood and defies the rules of the jungle. This sets her on a quest accompanied by her best friend and sometimes nuisance, Ilyas. They encounter a weretiger who is trapped in this state but determined to get to human form. Little do Hamra and Ilyas know that their adventure will bring them back home and make them realize the value of true friendship. [middle grade, ages 8 and up]

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My books:

Bookshop.org / Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me

Barbed Wire Between Us by Mia Wenjen, illustrated by Violeta Encarnación

⭐ Starred review from Kirkus
⭐ Starred review from Publishers Weekly
⭐ Starred review from School Library Journal
Kirkus: The Most Anticipated Children’s Books of Spring 2026

Free and downloadable guide:

Barbed Wire Between Us Teacher’s Guide

Bookshop.org / Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me

Postcards from Malcolm X: How Yuri Kochiyama Became a Civil Rights Activist

Bookshop.org / Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me

Fortune Cookies for Everyone! (Smithsonian): The Surprising Story of the Tasty Treat We Love to Eat

California Eureka Non-Fiction Gold Award
Junior Library Guild Gold Selection
Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Winner (from National Council for the Social Studies and Children’s Book Council)

The Traveling Taco: The Amazing and Surprising Journey of Many of Your Favorite Foods

California Eureka Non-Fiction Silver Award
Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Winner (from National Council for the Social Studies and Children’s Book Council)
Reading Rockets’ Summer Reading Guide 2025

Bookshop.org / Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me

We Sing from the Heart: How the Slants® Took Their Fight for Free Speech to the Supreme Court

ALSC Notable Children’s Book
2025 Carter G. Woodson Book Award Middle Level Honoree
Orbis Pictus Recommended Book for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children
2024 Julia Ward Howe Prize for Children’s Literature Winner
California Eureka Non-Fiction Award Honor Book
Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Winner (from National Council for the Social Studies and Children’s Book Council)
Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year 2025
Recommended Reading for the Social Justice Literature Award 2025 (International Literacy Association)
Pennsylvania Mountain Laurel Book Award Nominee 2026-27
Junior Library Guild Gold Selection