2020 MCBD Archives - Page 3 of 5 - Multicultural Children's Book Day

#ReadYourWorld Book Jam 2020 with Ann Dávila Cardinal

January 17, 2020 by Mia Wenjen

Please welcome Ann Dávila Cardinal for our #ReadYourWorld Book Jam 2020 with the Children’s Book Council. She has a list of YA Horror Voices!

We are giving away a copy of Five Midnights. Please fill out the Rafflecopter at the bottom to enter.

Five Midnights by Ann Dávila Cardinal

Ann Dávila Cardinal’s Five Midnights is a “wickedly thrilling” (William Alexander) and “flat-out unputdownable” (Paul Tremblay) novel based on the el Cuco myth set against the backdrop of modern day Puerto Rico.

If Lupe Dávila and Javier Utierre can survive each other’s company, together they can solve a series of grisly murders sweeping though Puerto Rico. But the clues lead them out of the real world and into the realm of myths and legends. And if they want to catch the killer, they’ll have to step into the shadows to see what’s lurking there―murderer, or monster? [young adult, ages 14 and up]

O Come, All Ye Fearful: A Chorus of YA Horror Voices

Nothing could make me happier this holiday season than compiling a list of my favorite young
adult horror novels written by diverse authors. Here are my favorites—some new, some tried and
true—all fabulous.

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

This is the first book I think of when someone says young adult horror. South Korean author Kendare Blake is masterful at bringing on the chills and spills. Anna Dressed in Blood is a terrifying read about Cas Lockwood, a killer of the dead in search of an infamous and vengeful ghost named Anna Dressed in Blood, who has been haunting the house where she was murdered in her hometown. To Cas’s surprise, he sees beyond Anna’s ghostly haunting exterior, and develops feelings for his quarry. If you like a good haunted house story, this one is for you, and if you find yourself wanting more, check out the sequel, Girl of Nightmares. [young adult, ages 12 and up]

The Brooklyn Bruja Series by Zoraida Córdova

If you haven’t read this series you must right away! This is a rich tapestry of Latinx culture, and I include the whole series as each book focuses on one of three sisters, offering something for everyone. Travel to the land of the dead with Alex in Labyrinth Lost, bring back the dead through some serious magic with Lula in Bruja Born, and in 2020 we can look forward to traveling to a fairy realm with Rose in Wayward Witch. And the diversity of ethnic, racial, and queer representation in these powerful and rather addictive novels is so very welcome. [young adult, ages 14 and up]

The Girl from the Well by Rin Chupeco

I must admit, this one scared the bejeebers out of me. Written from the unique point of view of Okiku, a vengeful ghost who hunts child murderers, this novel focuses on Tarquin Halloway, a troubled, magically tattooed teen boy whose Japanese mother has been institutionalized and has even tried several times to kill him (take that, Oedipus!). This novel takes you from the U.S. to a village of exorcists in Japan giving it additional international flavor. Add in murder victims (who truly do deserve to die), rooms full of possessed dolls, and at the heart, a Japanese folktale, and you end up with some brilliant, and rather creepy, horror. Not for the faint of heart, this has decapitations, child abductions, scary dolls, and an unreliable AND undead narrator. In other words? It’s AWESOME. [young adult, ages 14 and up]

Shadowshaper by Daniel José Older

This is the series I would have killed for as a teen. Afro-Latinx family, cool urban protagonist, art and magic…pretty much perfect. Follow Sierra Santiago through the discovery of her inherited magical powers and fear the undead threat that is hunting her. I was already a fan of Older’s adult horror, but this complex young adult book is his most gorgeous. I loved the representation of NYC Latinx upbringing. I could almost smell the tostones, see the colors of the murals she was painting, and hear the beat of jazz riding the summer air. I’m certain you’ll be entranced by Sierra and Robbie, and will want to continue to immerse yourself in their world with the sequel, Shadowhouse Fall, and the third, Shadowshaper Legacy in January 2020. [young adult, ages 14 and up]

The Dark of the Sea by Imam Baksh

I had the honor of being on a panel at the Miami Book Festival with this author and was so pleased to discover his young adult book about a Guyanese teen hero, Danesh. What I love about this book is that in addition to the usual fantasy/horror features—monsters, mermaids, mythology, oh my!—it also doesn’t shy away from the difficult aspects of life: disability struggles, alcoholism, and even suicide. There is diversity galore among its cast of characters, and I love how the author= captures and maintains throughout the Guyanese Creole syntax and vocal style. I think of it as Lovecraft meets Aquaman with a Creole voice, a dark and mythical Caribbean coming of age story (in other words, right up my alley). [young adult, ages 14 and up]

Can you see the pattern of my choices? All of these books beautifully weave legend and fantasy into a rich, and often, frightening tapestry, bringing the reader on a tour of the unknown and leaving them stronger as a result. These are the things I love about horror novels, and it is not an easy feat to write for a young adult audience. Though, I do love showcasing diverse horror voices, the reflection always surprises me anew just how few there are in the genre. It is my hope that at the close of 2020 there will be another chorus of these voices to add to the field.

Giveaway of Five Midnights!

We are giving away a copy of Five Midnights. Please fill out the Rafflecopter below to enter. We can only mail to U.S. addresses.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Ann Dávila Cardinal is a novelist and Director of Recruitment for Vermont College of Fine Arts (VCFA). She has a B.A. in Latino Studies from Norwich University, an M.A. in sociology from UI&U and an MFA in Writing from VCFA. She also helped create VCFA’s winter Writing residency in Puerto Rico.

Ann’s first novel, Sister Chicas was released from New American Library in 2006. Her next novel, a horror YA work titled Five Midnights, was released by Tor Teen on June 4, 2019.

Ann lives in Vermont, needle-felts tiny reading creatures, and cycles four seasons a year.

#ReadYourWorld Book Jam 2020 with Vita Murrow

January 15, 2020 by Mia Wenjen

Please welcome Vita Murrow for our #ReadYourWorld Book Jam 2020 with the Children’s Book Council. She has a list of inclusive fairy tales!

We are giving away five copies of High-Five to the Hero. Please fill out the Rafflecopter at the bottom to enter.

I was so excited to be invited to curate a booklist celebrating Fairy Tales. In writing my recent titles “Power to Princess” and “High-Five to the Hero” it was a joy to delve into the genre and see how this important tradition of storytelling is evolving. Fairy tales play a special role in human history and in the passing down of culture. I’m inspired by my peers who craft contemporary retellings with new perspectives and attention to inclusion and representation. I had fun rebelling against established depictions and adapting stories to more accurately reflect a more just and equitable world view, and I’m pleased to highlight my fellow writers, illustrators, and publishers who do this work beside me.

Inclusive Fairy Tales

High-Five to the Hero by Vita Murrow, illustrated by Julia Bereciartu

In the new companion to “Power to the Princess” readers will meet their favorite guys from fairy tales and join them on journeys of discovery and affirmation. Historically these stories asked boys and men to suppress their feelings; in these retellings, our heroes are free to feel deeply and live fully. These well-known characters face magic, adventure, wrestle with issues of legacy and identity, and figure out how to not only fulfill a role, but fulfill themselves too. [fairy tale anthology, ages 7 and up]

The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang

This book is a total vision. Perfect for poring over by fans of graphic storytelling and those seeking perhaps a longer format take on a fairy tale retelling. Set in historic Paris, this story follows the brilliant, creative and lovable Sebastian, a dressmaker who wishes to don a dress himself. He finds a great companion in staff member Frances who has equally big dreams of her own. Together they support one another with courage and care and puzzle out the challenges of working with a friend. While the story never explicitly labels Sebastian, it allows readers to get to know the conversations he himself is having about gender and identity. [graphic novel, ages 12 and up]

Prince and Knight by Daniel Haack, illustrated by Stevie Lewis

This sweet story and its companion book “Maiden and Princess,” are set in a fairy tale land where same sex couples find their happily ever after. Through adventure and dragons, expectations and pressures these brave guys soldier on to find one another all amidst bright scenery, a joyful community and lots of love and affection. [picture book, ages 4 and up]

Rapunzel: A Once Upon a World Board Book by Chloe Perkins, illustrated by Archana Sreenivasan

Part of a collection or as a stand-alone, this sunny and lush board book places Rapunzel in India! The story remains true to its origins, allowing the setting and tone to be wholly reimagined. Readers are free to make new connections and see the wider relevance of the story through the eyes of a diverse cast and non-Eurocentric sense of place. [board book, ages 2 and up]

La Princesa and the Pea by Susan Middleton Elya, illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal

Hooray for bilingual books! As a language learning and literacy specialist I am always so pleased to see books where multiple languages share the stage. This mirrors the lives of so many of us who code switch and blend languages and cultures in our homes, communities and classrooms. This book is a great space to celebrate this, and on top of that, is very charming. This story puts the young people in the power seat (over the grown-ups) and keeps readers tracking their twist. Set in Peru with a LatinX cast. [picture book, ages 4 and up]

The Ghanian Goldilocks by Tamara Pizzoli, illustrated by Phil Howell

I love an alliteration, so Ghana and Goldilocks are music to my ears. In this story young Kofi shines as a sweet boy with sun kissed hair. Kofi is confident and a bit of a mischief maker. This combination of traits leads him into all sort of fun, yet also astray from time to time, including into a neighbor’s house where he is in for a surprise and a schooling. This book balances a retelling with a fresh context naturally; the patterns and expression of Ghana root this story with depth. [advanced picture book, ages 8 and up]

The Orphan a Cinderella Story from Greece by Anthony Manna and Christodoula Mitakidou illustrated by Giselle Potter

A poetic atmosphere born out of an oral storytelling tradition connects this tale to a history and mythology that has influenced world cultures for centuries and offers the reader many “text to self” and “text to world” connections. The story has all the original hallmarks yet strikes a whimsical new chord. Greece is the backdrop for this Cinderella story and the relationship between the environment and people is lyrical. [picture book, ages 4 and up]

Wild Swans by Xanthe Gresham, illustrated by Charlotte Gastuat

A dramatic interpretation of one of my favorite yet sometimes lesser known tales. Often a story of female rivals, this version challenges that notion, instead raising up two strong female leads seeking the protection and preservation of their family and village. The illustrations are tremendous and bridge contemporary values with classical roots. [advaned picture book, ages 8 and up]

Disenchanted: The Trials of Cinderella by Megan Morrison

I realize I may be double-dipping in Cinderella territory, but this one could not be missed. With a social justice minded heroine, a proactive fairy godfather and a prince looking to rebrand, this reboot ties together important themes that mirror the development of young readers. Youngsters in the middle grades are broadening their perspective and thinking carefully about issues of justice, fairness and their role in shaping history as changemakers, and building their identities as leaders. This book, one of a series, is a creative and clever way to harness this natural exploration within literature and rich storytelling. [middle grade, ages 8 and up]

Story Box: Create Your Own Fairy Tales by Magma and Anne Laval

Last but not least, meet Story Box (there is a Halloween version too)! Inclusivity can be about representation, values, setting, and expression, but also engagement. What I love about Story Box is that anyone can be a writer or a reader. One doesn’t even need to be able to read or write. Just understand or want to explore the concept of story. Story Box is a collection of wordless plot and narrative cards that readers/writers can assemble puzzle-style into their own tales. Lending one’s own voice to these recognizable characters and fun situations offers playfulness, flexibility and endless rewriting. This box is the ultimate in fairy tale subversion and empowers all, no matter where they are in their literary journey, to make their voices heard. [card game, for ages 4 and up]

5 Book Giveaway of High-Five to the Hero

We are giving away five copies of High-Five to the Hero. Please fill out the Rafflecopter at the bottom to enter. We can only mail to U.S. addresses.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Vita Murrow is an author, artist and educator. Kirkus magazine described her debut children’s title Power to the Princess, an anthology of fairy tales retold with a feminist twist, as “brilliant.” Vita also collaborates on wordless pictures books together with her husband Ethan Murrow. Their book The Whale was nominated for a CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medal.

Vita earned her MSEd in Education and Teaching Literacy from the Bank Street College of Education in New York City, and holds a BFA from Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, WA. Vita previously directed a regional school literacy program and served as a teacher in New York City and Seattle.

Vita grew up performing in theatre in her home town of Minneapolis, MN. It was there that she developed her love of imaginative play and great storytelling.

#ReadYourWorld Book Jam 2020 with David Bowles

January 13, 2020 by Mia Wenjen

Please welcome David Bowles today for our #ReadYourWorld Book Jam 2020 with the Children’s Book Council. Today he has a list of Eight Great Mexican American Middle-grade Books.

We are giving away five copies of They Call Me Güero. Please fill out the Rafflecopter at the bottom to enter.

They Call Me Güero by David Bowles

Twelve-year-old Güero is Mexican American, at home with Spanish or English and on both sides of the river. He’s starting 7th grade with a woke English teacher who knows how to make poetry cool.

In Spanish, “Güero” is a nickname for guys with pale skin, Latino or Anglo. But make no mistake: our red-headed, freckled hero is puro mexicano, like Canelo Álvarez, the Mexican boxer. Güero is also a nerd–reader, gamer, musician–who runs with a squad of misfits like him, Los Bobbys. Sure, they get in trouble like anybody else, and like other middle-school boys, they discover girls. Watch out for Joanna! She’s tough as nails.

But trusting in his family’s traditions, his accordion and his bookworm squad, he faces seventh grade with book smarts and a big heart. Life is tough for a border kid, but Güero has figured out how to cope.

He writes poetry. [middle grade, ages 8 and up]

Eight Great Mexican American Middle-grade Books

A Dash of Trouble (Love Sugar Magic #1) by Anna Meriano

I definitely have to start this list with the warm, home-spun magic of Anna Meriano’s sweet series. On the eve of Día de los Muertos, Leonora “Leo” Logroño stumbles on her family’s secret: the women are brujas, traditional witches whose spells make the family bakery special! But when Leo starts to dabble with magic herself, hijinks ensue! Every page is redolent with the aromas, sounds, and simple supernatural of my own childhood—and it is SUCH a fun read. [middle grade, ages 8 and up]

The Storm Runner (The Storm Runner #1) by J.C. Cervantes

I was so excited when Rick Riordan picked Jennifer’s fantasy novel for his new imprint. She has done an amazing job of weaving Maya myth into this compelling (and snarky!) tale of disability and destiny. Zane Obispo may think he hates his life and his limp, but when a new girl shows up at school and reveals his divine heritage, he finds himself thrust into an unending war between chaos and order. The first in what promises to be an epic trilogy, perfect for Percy Jackson fans. [middle grade, ages 8 and up]

Efrén Divided by Ernesto Cisneros

Efren Divided is a stunning, masterful, and timely debut. Ernesto Cisneros balances both the despair of a family torn apart by US immigration policies and the loving determination of a boy to bridge the divide. Firmly rooted in that in-between gray area that all border folk know, young Efrén rises to every challenge, discovering within himself and his community the magic to make a milagro. [middle grade, ages 8 and up]

The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Pérez

Celia rightfully got a lot of attention for her debut novel. María Luisa “Malú” O’Neill-Morales got her Mexican from her mom and her punk from her dad. And at her new school in Chicago, where other Mexican American kids see her as a coconut (brown on the outside, white within), she is going to assert both her uniqueness and her cultural heritage. This music- and zine-filled celebration of identity reminds us that there are as many ways of being Mexican American as there are Mexican Americans. Phenomenal. [middle grade, ages 9 and up]

Lucky Luna by Diana López

When I was a kid, nearly all of my friends were also my cousins (I have a lot of them). Diana’s latest book delves into this cultural commonplace among Latinx folks, chronicling the rivalry between Luna Ramos and her cousin Claudia. When Claudia enrolls in Luna’s fifth-grade class, their conflict spills over into school, to hilarious effect. The shenanigans are poignantly complicated by Luna’s inability to speak Spanish well, which makes her completely misinterpret her abuela’s advice. SPOILER ALERT: it works itself out in the end, as family spats often do. [middle grade, ages 8 and up]

Me, Frida, and the Secret of the Peacock Ring by Angela Cervantes

One of the trickiest experiences for a Mexican American is that first trip into the interior of Mexico, homeland of our ancestors. For Paloma Márquez, staying in Coyoacan while her professor mom is off in Mexico City is especially tough, because it’s the birthplace of her father—who died when she was little. But as she tries to improve her Spanish and remember their brief time together, she finds herself drawn into the mystery of a legendary lost ring. An exciting bit of sleuthing interwoven with cultural discovery. [middle grade, ages 8 and up]

The Moon Within by Aida Salazar

A lovely, important novel in verse! Celi Rivera is about to turn twelve and her body is changing as fast as the world around her. She’s not looking forward to her first period, but her mother—who has become fascinated by their Mexica heritage—is planning a traditional moon ceremony to celebrate Celi’s becoming a young woman. But Celi is conflicted about the ritual, as well as her genderfluid best friend and her first crush. Parents, young girls, and xochihuah everywhere are going to benefit from Aida’s moving exploration of difficult but transcendent coming-of-age. [middle grade, ages 8 and up]

Maximilian and the Curse of the Fallen Angel (Lucha Libre #4) by Xavier Garza

Xavier’s exciting series centers on Maximillian, a Mexican American boy who discovers he’s the heir to a wrestling dynasty. In the latest installment, Max’s uncle—the Guardian Angel—is facing “a wild new wrestler who might just topple him from his lucha libre throne.” The Fallen Angel. Now, in addition to managing his blossoming romance with hazel-eyed Cecilia, Max realizes he may have to take up the Guardian Angel’s mask sooner than expected! Amazing illustrations by the author, as always. [young adult, ages 12 and up]

Five Book Giveaway of They Call Me Güero

We are giving away five copies of They Call Me Güero to five winners. Please fill out the Rafflecopter below to enter. We can only mail to U.S. addresses.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

David Bowles is a Mexican-American author from south Texas, where he teaches at the University of Texas Río Grande Valley. He has written several titles, most notably The Smoking Mirror (Pura Belpré Honor Book) and They Call Me Güero (Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award, Claudia Lewis Award for Excellence in Poetry, Pura Belpré Honor Book, Walter Dean Myers Honor Book).

#ReadYourWorld Book Jam 2020 with Nic Stone

January 10, 2020 by Mia Wenjen

Please welcome Nic Stone today to kick off our #ReadYourWorld Book Jam 2020 with the Children’s Book Council. She has created a list of middle grade reads perfect for children of color.

Clean Getaway by Nic Stone

How to Go on an Unplanned Road Trip with Your Grandma:
•  Grab a Suitcase: Prepacked from the big spring break trip that got CANCELLED.
•  Fasten Your Seatbelt: G’ma’s never conventional, so this trip won’t be either.
•  Use the Green Book: G’ma’s most treasured possession. It holds history, memories, and most important, the way home.

What Not to Bring:
• A Cell Phone: Avoid contact with Dad at all costs. Even when G’ma starts acting stranger than usual.

Set against the backdrop of the segregation history of the American South, take a trip with New York Times bestselling Nic Stone and an eleven-year-old boy who is about to discover that the world hasn’t always been a welcoming place for kids like him, and things aren’t always what they seem–his G’ma included. [middle grade, ages 8 and up]

We are giving away one copy of Clean Getaway. Please fill out the Rafflecopter at the bottom to enter.

Middle Grade Reads Perfect for Children of Color

I loved reading as a middle schooler, but it was hard for me to find a book that had contemporary characters who weren’t white. This was damaging in a number of ways that I won’t get into right now, but here is a list of books I wish I’d had as a kid:

The Great Greene Heist by Varian Johnson

In this book, Jackson Greene—a downright brilliant black boy—and a colorful cast of secondary characters set out to prevent a school bully from stealing the class election (Jackson’s best friend, Gaby de la Cruz, who is Latinx, is the other candidate). This delightful romp is sure to make kids laugh while simultaneously exposing some of the ways systems can be rigged so that certain people benefit and others lose out. I also love the flipped trope of a “heist” that’s actually designed to keep someone else from taking something unfairly. (BONUS: the follow-up, To Catch a Cheat.) [middle grade, ages 9 and up]

A Good Kind of Trouble by Lisa Moore Ramee

Twelve was the age I began to wonder who I was, and to realize I could have an impact on the world. If you ask me, it’s never too early to learn how to stand up for what you believe in. In this epic debut, goody-two-shoes (initially) Shayla does just that. Watching her transform from a girl who doesn’t make waves into one who realizes the importance of making the right kind of noise was deeply empowering for me as an adult. I can only imagine how awesome it would be for a kid. [middle grade, ages 8 and up]

Hurricane Child by Kheryn Callender

This book is a wonder: a perfect example of specificity begetting universality. Caroline lives on St. Thomas and is contending with a number of unfortunate things (potentially as a result of being born during a hurricane): bullying at school, a spirit who won’t leave her be, and an absentee mother who left and didn’t come back. It gave me a glimpse into a culture—including traditions and superstitions—different from my own, while simultaneously painting a detailed picture of something I did face: developing feelings for a best friend. The emotions Caroline experiences in response to the circumstances she faces throughout the story will be relatable to any kid. It’s a beautiful lesson in the power of books as vehicles for empathy. [middle grade, ages 8 and up]

Each Tiny Spark by Pablo Cartaya

Listen: I would follow Pablo’s books to the end of the earth. This one tackles so many *important* topics (in that “teachable” way we adults can’t seem to get enough of) without ever getting didactic or unrelatable. Seeing Emilia doing her best to be herself and find her place as the world and her family shift and morph right before her eyes gave me hope. A wavy-haired girl who gets into welding? Sign me up. Additionally, the infusion of Spanish into the gorgeous prose in this book was exciting for me as an adult who, as a kid, was always told there’s only one way to speak and write in English. It’s super validating. [middle grade, ages 10 and up]

The Gauntlet by Karuna Riazi

As a kid, I loved a book about an adventure. Harry Potter? Check. Harriet the Spy? Check. This one features a Bangladeshi Muslim girl who gets sucked into an old game Jumanji-style and has to overcome a set of challenges to get out. At the heart of the adventure, though, is love. Fighting for those you most care for. This is another one that exists as both an amazing mirror and a freshly washed window. It also made me delightfully hungry [middle grade, ages 8 and up]

Giveaway: 1 copy of Clean Giveaway!

We are giving away one copy of Clean Getaway. Please fill out the Rafflecopter at the bottom to enter.We can only mail to U.S. addresses.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Nic Stone was born and raised in a suburb of Atlanta, GA, and the only thing she loves more than an adventure is a good story about one. After graduating from Spelman College, she worked extensively in teen mentoring and lived in Israel for a few years before returning to the US to write full-time. Growing up with a wide range of cultures, religions, and backgrounds, Stone strives to bring these diverse voices and stories to her work.

#ReadYourWorld Book Jam 2020 with Eric Smith

January 8, 2020 by Mia Wenjen

Please welcome Eric Smith today for our #ReadYourWorld Book Jam 2020 with the Children’s Book Council. He has created a wonderful list of Finding Books for Kids Like Him, and by this he means Middle Eastern Characters, Biracial characters, Gaming, and Bullying. We are grateful for a resource like this!

We are giving away one copy of Don’t Read the Comments. Please fill out the Rafflecopter at the bottom to enter.

Don’t Read the Comments by Eric Smith

Divya Sharma is a queen. Or she is when she’s playing Reclaim the Sun, the year’s hottest online game. Divya—better known as popular streaming gamer D1V—regularly leads her #AngstArmada on quests through the game’s vast and gorgeous virtual universe. But for Divya, this is more than just a game. Out in the real world, she’s trading her rising-star status for sponsorships to help her struggling single mom pay the rent.

Gaming is basically Aaron Jericho’s entire life. Much to his mother’s frustration, Aaron has zero interest in becoming a doctor like her, and spends his free time writing games for a local developer. At least he can escape into Reclaim the Sun—and with a trillion worlds to explore, disappearing should be easy. But to his surprise, he somehow ends up on the same remote planet as celebrity gamer D1V.

At home, Divya and Aaron grapple with their problems alone, but in the game, they have each other to face infinite new worlds…and the growing legion of trolls populating them. Soon the virtual harassment seeps into reality when a group called the Vox Populi begin launching real-world doxxing campaigns, threatening Aaron’s dreams and Divya’s actual life. The online trolls think they can drive her out of the game, but everything and everyone Divya cares about is on the line…

And she isn’t going down without a fight. [young adult, ages 12 and up]

Seeing yourself in a book can be one of those wild, life changing moments for a young reader. As someone who works in publishing and also writes, it’s one of those things I’ve seen first-hand, with stories posted on social media and tearfully retold in-person at festivals.

Growing up, this really wasn’t a thing for me. The book about the Middle Eastern / Hispanic teen didn’t quite exist, or at least, no one ever gave me that book. So, I’ve made it a point to write about teens that were a bit like me… mixed, but not mixed up (like Aaron in Don’t Read the Comments), and in some cases, adopted, but not quite sure what to make of their identity (my story in Sangu Mandanna’s Color Outside the Lines is all about that).

Once upon a time, I think a lot of my writing was about making things up to that childhood version of myself, who seldom saw that mixed kid in stories and was tired of always checking the “other” box on questionnaires. But these days, as a father to a beautiful boy who’s mixed like me, I think about him when I write and work on books.

I hope he sees himself in the words I write, the stories I champion, and the books I keep on my shelf. And if no checkbox can define him, that’s okay, sweet boy. You’re Black, Honduran, Palestinian, Sicilian, Ukrainian, and so very perfect. And there are plenty of novels out there that will echo that sentiment.

Let’s talk about a few.

Finding Books for Kids Like Him

The Girl from Everywhere by Heidi Heilig

Whenever I think about novels about family and identity, Heidi Heilig’s beautiful debut fantasy springs to mind almost immediately. A teen girl named Nix sails… well, everywhere. Quite literally everywhere. Her father’s ship is a magical one, going through worlds real and imaged. But unfortunately, at the heart of all their magical adventures is a quest that her father is obsessed with, one that can potentially reunite him with Nix’s mother. But the problem here, is if her father saves her mother, it could erase her from existence entirely.

Heilig’s novel digs into identity, as Nix is biracial, and throughout the book she’s quite literally being pulled in two different directions, again and again. The past, the future. Her father, her mother. Her life, and maybe not existing anymore? It’s a layered exploration of identity, and tied into all of it, is time travel, pirates, a magic ship… goodness, there’s just a lot to love here. [young adult, ages 14 and up]

See No Color by Shannon Gibney

This is the book I end up recommending the most, when friends or family or strangers on the Internet ask me for novels about adoption. After-all, I’m the adopted one, I should know, right?

Gibney’s debut novel is about Alex, a biracial teen girl in a white family, who has never really made a big fuss over any of that. Until she finds some letters from her biological father, and a guy who wants to get to know her a little better. Suddenly she’s questioning what it means to be Black, her entire family, what her biological parents were like…

It’s a story about trying to come to terms with who you are, when you’ve never really questioned that before. It’s the kind of eye opening and stunning book I wish someone would have handed me as a teen, and I’ll continue to give it to people as long as I can. [young adult, ages 12 and up]

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

Oh Maddy. You are too good for this world, and you and Olly are so perfect. If you’ve somehow missed out on the blockbuster that is Everything, Everything, in Yoon’s beautiful debut readers meet Maddy, a biracial teen girl who is allergic to… well, everything. She can’t go outside.

In fact, Maddy lives inside of an airtight house, where her only interaction is with her mother and nurse. That is, until a boy moves next door, and starts holding up notes for her in the window.

And starts emailing her and opening up the world. He inspires her to take chances, and maybe risk coming out of her home, and risk it all for… well, everything. Hence the title. It’s one of my favorite YA novels, and also, one of my favorite novel-to-movie adaptations.
Treat yourself to both in a single weekend. Yoon’s prose is fast and devourable, and the novel is structured with fun illustrations and emails, making for such a breezy read. [young adult, ages 12 and up]

Starfish by Akemi Dawn Bowman

This story about a biracial teen wrestling with identity, anxiety, and her complicated, toxic family was my favorite novel of 2017. There’s a reason this gorgeous book was nominated for the Morris, my friends. It’s stunning and hard hitting, and just left me reeling.

In it, we meet Kiko, who daydreams of attending a prestigious art school that will, she hopes, solve all her problems. Life can really get started there. But all that comes crumbling down when she’s rejected, and she finds herself having to choose the life she wants to lead… one in a new city with a childhood friend, touring art schools… or stuck at home with toxic family.

Somehow, Bowman has kept the emotional hits coming, with Summer Bird Blue and the
upcoming Harley in the Sky. I’ll read every word she writes. [young adult, ages 12 and up]

Color Outside the Lines by Sangu Mandanna

So, I’m in this book. So maybe this is cheating as a recommendation. But it’s an anthology literally about interracial relationships, with so many wonderful, brilliant stars of YA, writing from their hearts. Don’t sleep on it. [young adult, ages 14 and up]

Giveaway: 1 copy of Don’t Read the Comments

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Eric Smith is a Young Adult author and literary agent with P.S. Literary living in Philadelphia.

His next novel, Don’t Read the Comments, will be published by Inkyard Press in January 2020. Pre-order it for very cute pins and bookplates, here!

His new anthology, Battle of the Bands co-edited with Lauren Gibaldi, is due out in 2021 with Candlewick.

He has short stories forthcoming in the anthologies Color Outside the Lines by Sangu Mandanna (Soho Teen) and Body Talk by Kelly Jensen (Algonquin).

His other books include the IndieBound bestseller The Geek’s Guide to Dating (Quirk), Inked (Bloomsbury), the adoption-themed anthology Welcome Home, and the novel The Girl and the Grove (Flux).

You can listen to him on Book Riot’s HEY YA podcast with Kelly Jensen. His writing is represented by Dawn Frederick of Red Sofa Literary.