The Kitchen God's Wife, released in 1991 by Putnam of New York, marked Tan's second novel. Although many doubted she could replicate the success of her debut, this book garnered significant praise. It explores mother-daughter dynamics and suggests that patriarchal traditions can obstruct women's relationships. Set before and after World War II in China, it depicts a woman's struggles within an abusive marriage. In crafting this narrative, Tan draws heavily from her mother's life story.

In her children's picture book, The Moon Lady, Amy Tan expands on a chapter from her first novel with the same title. Published in 1992 by Macmillan, The Moon Lady serves as an introduction to Tan's themes and style for pre-teens. The story follows a seven-year-old girl who attends the autumn moon festival and meets the moon lady who grants secret wishes.

Published in 1995, Amy Tan's The Hundred Secret Senses tells the tale of American-born Olivia and her Chinese half-sister, Kwan. Eighteen-year-old Kwan, who believes she has "yin eyes" and can communicate with the dead, moves to America to live with three-year-old Olivia. The narrative traces their lives into adulthood, highlighting the deep bond that develops between them.

Maxine Hong Kingston's 1976 memoir, The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts, merges myth and legend with history and autobiography. Kingston, an American author of Chinese immigrant parents, draws from stories her mother told her as "lessons to grow up on." The book shares similarities with Tan's renowned novel, including the portrayal of Kingston's mother, Brave Orchid, and the challenges faced by Kingston as a second-generation Chinese American.

"The Intersections of Gender, Class, Race, and Culture: On Seeing Clients Whole" is an article examining identity formation through the lenses of race, culture, and class. This piece can be found in the Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development, Vol. 21, No. 1, January 1993, on pages 50-58.