Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Ten Books That Celebrate Diversity/Diverse Characters


For future Top Ten Tuesday topics & info on how to participate, click here!

Today we really wanted to highlight books that feature diversity*. There have been a lot of discussions and panels in the past couple years about the lack of diversity in publishing or the lack of attention these great titles get mainstream. The group We Need Diverse Books has been really leading the charge in highlighting diverse books, advocating and educating. I highly checking out their site for great recommendations, to learn what they are about and how you can help! Top Ten Tuesday has been a great source of recommendations and highlighting books that might not get talked about all the time so I'm hoping everyone will find some really great diverse books to check out

*For the purposes of this topic our definition of diversity is aligned with that of WNDB: "We recognize all diverse experiences, including (but not limited to) LGBTQIA, people of color, gender diversity, people with disabilities, and ethnic, cultural, and religious minorities."

Lauren's Picks


The main character of this book is a smart teenager (he literally can remember every single thing he's ever heard in his entire life), but everyone calls him "retarded". They call him that in the literal sense because everyone thinks he is mentally retarded, as well as using it as an insult or a broad term meaning "slow". He has zero control over his body. He cannot move any muscles, cannot swallow... he can't even look where he wants. BUT.. he is there. He can read.. hell he's probably smarter than me. And he perseveres throughout this small little book. It is definitely an interesting read and with one of the most unique main characters that is disabled that I've ever stumbled upon.



The main character of this book is a young Korean girl who turns into a picture bride, which back in in the 1910s were young women who were matched with a man overseas, then that man would send money for his new bride to come to his country. The main character was tricked into marrying an abusive, poor farmer in Hawaii. The main character in this book blossoms into a strong woman and makes life long friendships with other picture brides, all of whom stay true to their heritage and make the best of a seemingly impossible situation. I read this book years ago and still think about the main character's strength when she was trapped in a far away place, where everyone spoke a different language, with an abusive husband, and virtually nothing to hang on to.  


Tahleen's Picks

 

 


This memoir in verse won many awards this year, including a Newbery Honor and the Coretta Scott King award. It's just lovely. Woodson recounts both her life growing up in North Carolina and New York City, as well as a subtler, more general look at the way the world was while she was growing up. I listened to the audio, narrated by Woodson herself, and I still want to read the print book.




I love this series. Not only because they are fun and funny, great for kids around the third grade level, but because they are so true to the modern Hawaiian culture. Characters talk in pidgen, every character has a different ethnic background (I believe Hawaii is one of the most if not THE most diverse state in the union), and just little details that clearly show us what it means to live in Hawaii. I love that so much; reading these books must feel like home to the kids who live there, and it exposes those who don't to a wonderful and rich culture.

Jamie's Picks


5. The Boy in the Black Suit by Jason Reynolds: I loved this book so much! The main character is a black teen living in Brooklyn and his story resonated so much with me. He is grieving the loss of his mother and it's just such a beautiful, quiet novel. I dog-eared so many pages!

6.  Written in the Stars by Aisha Saaed: I could not put this down at all! The main character is an American Pakistani. Part of culture is arranged marriage but she's secretly had a boyfriend who is a family friend. Her parents find out, are beyond furious and take a family trip to Pakistan that ends up being more than just a family vacation. I loved how it explored arranged marriages and I definitely learned a lot/squashed some preconceived notions I had about arranged marriages.



7.  To All The Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han: Oh this duet of books (the sequel is Ps I Still Love You) is so delightful and romantic. I seriously could shed a little tear that I have no more books to read about Lara Jean. These books capture the intricacies of firsts -- first loves, first crushes, first heartbreak, first kisses, etc. I loved being reminded of what it's like to be young and in love. Plus the sisters in this book are my favorite ever!! The main character and her sisters (her dad is white) are Korean American and I was really touched at Jenny's launch party for PS I Still Love You when she touched on how much it meant to her and how important it was that her cover was not white-washed which is a disgusting and all too often practiced thing.


8.  None of the Above by I.W. Gregorio: This book made me cry along with teaching me what intersex is. I honestly didn't quite know what it was and learned right alongside of the main character, a teen girl, who finds out that she is intersex. It was so hard to watch her struggle with this new part of her identity and all the crap she got from people at school who were so, so cruel and misinformed.

Kimberly's Pick

 

9. Say What You Will by Cammie McGovern: This book will make you reconsider a lot of preconceptions that you might have had before. Amy was born with Cerebral Palsy, and can't walk unassisted, can't speak and even needs help with things such as eating. For many, you see an individual like this and think they'll most likely live with their parents forever. No romances. Wrong.


Bridget's Pick

 

10. Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng: The story of a mixed-race family in the 1970s and how significant race can become even when you do your best not to let it affect the things most important to you





Top Ten Tuesday is a fun weekly link-up in the community where we provide a prompt and other lovers of listmaking join in on it with their own top ten list. Feel free to have less than 10 or more if you need to at times and put a spin on the topic if you need to! Just please link back to us if you are participating :)

To join, link up below with the URL to your blog POST (not your blog), your name and your email (which will remain hidden). Then bounce around the Linky!

 Cassandra @ Read All About It   Alana   Emma @ Emma's Bookery  
 Chachic @ Chachic's Book Nook   Hannah @ hannahbanana   Three Good Rats  
 Abby Z @ The Bookish Barrister   KissinBlueKaren   Tiffany @ I Was Angelized_1st  
 Jaime & Erin @ Fic Fare   Sarah @ Just One More Chapter   Kristen@My Friends Are Fiction  
 Sofia @ Bookish Wanderess   Part-Time Monster   Abbi@Christian Novels  
 Lauren @ Page Turner   Brittany's Book Rambles   Heather @ Rendezvous With A Romance  
 BookCupid   Amy @ Book Enthral   Sabrina @ Books and Bark  
 Jane @ greenish bookshelf   Jennifer @ A Librarian's Library   Joseph @ thoughts and afterthoughts  
 Kristin @ Lukten av Trykksverte   Ashly @ Book 'n' Go   Cheryl @ I Heart Fictional People  
 Gillian @ Writer of Wrongs   Wren @ Books in My Suitcase   Alex @The Children's War  
 Leslie @ Books, in other words   Obsessive Compulsive Reader   Anne@MyHeadisFullofBooks  
 Dahlia @ The Daily Dahlia   Once Upon A Dream Books   Ricki and Kellee @Unleashing Readers  
 Amanda @ i solemnly swear   Zhana @ Confessions of an addict   Sandy @ Somewhere Only We Know  
 Sandie @Teen Lit Rocks   Jo @ Once Upon a Bookcase   Deb Nance at Readerbuzz  
 Amy @ According to Amy   Theresa @ Until We Read Again   Auggie @ AuggieTalk  
 Ben @ Ben's Bookshelf   Daniela @ Books to get lost in   Ryley @ The Paperback Princess  
 Brittany @ brittanymariereads   Lola @ Reading by Lamplight   Heather @ The Bastard Title  
 Sue @ Crushingcinders   Pages Unbound   Tori @ BookishWritings  
 Christina @ Books and Prejudice   Carrie @ Other Women's Stories   Lindsay @ Lindsay's Library  
 Nishita   Cheyanne   Merin @ Read and Reviewed  
 La Coccinelle @ The Ladybug Reads...   Stephanie @Don't Be Afraid of the Dork   Kaitlyn @ One Night Book Stand  
 Amanda @ The Zen Leaf   legolegislegimus   Angie @ Pinkindle  
 Jenni Elyse   Tiara @ BiblioSanctum   Brandyn @ Going for Goldilocks  
 Christina T @ Reading Extensively   Chrissi Reads   Emily @ Margins  
 Christine @ BookishlyB   Lizzy @ mylittlebookblog   Lynn  
 Hilary   Tracy @ Cornerfolds   Sarah's Book Shelves  
 Rina @ Rina Reads Books   Mariah @ Vibin With Books   Alyson @ Harry, Jane and John  
 Ashley @ Socially Awkward Bookworm   Cait @ Paper Fury   Broc's Bookcase  
 Dawnie @beautificatinglife   Quinn @ Quinn's Book Nook   Liza @ Reading with ABC  
 Melissa @ Writer Grrl Reads   Nori @ ReadWriteLove28   Lisa @Bibliophiliac  
 Tiffany @ The Bookish Thought   Melissa @ Around the World in Books   Tina@A Fangirls View  
 Lauren @ Always Me   Jessica @ A Cocoon of Books   Katherine @ Neon Yeti Reads  
 lipsy @ lipsyy lost& found   Library Luv @ Beyond the Book Reviews   Sam @ bellsiebooks  
 Chriss   Aj @ Read All The Things!   Spines & Covers  
 Emily @ TheGnomingLibrarian   Tiffany @ A Lot of Reading   Rosario @ CityandProphet  
 Kim @ What Kim Read Next   Marie's Reads   Clodagh @ Heart Full of Elves  
 Katie @ Words For Worms   Marie @ Ramblings of a Daydreamer   Sam @ Tsundoku Books  
 Mallory @ The Local Muse   Maren @ The Worn Bookmark   Aimal @ Bookshelves & Paperbacks  
 Maggie @ The Novel Orange   Kathy @ Kathy Reads Fiction   Sadia  
 Christy & Erica @ Novel Ink   Marisa @ The Daily Dosage   Mark @ Mark My Reviews  
 Cassi @ My Thoughts Lit   Conny @ Study. Read. Write.   Becca & Lisa @ Lost in Literature  
 Brianna @ Paperback Princess   Sarah @ What Sarah Read   Sara @ Amorous Reads  
 Laura @ Laura Plus Books   Elvira @ The World I Live In   Jennifer @ Feminist Fairy Tale Reviews  
 Marina @ BookPoisoning   Diana @ Creating Herstory   There will be books  
 Ashley @ What's She Reading?   Charis @ Bookmarked Ponderings   Elizabeth @ Don't Take My Books Away  
 Kim @ The Midnight Garden   Bonnie @ A Backwards Story   Angelica @ Paperback Princess  
 Jennifer @ YA Book Nerd   Maria @ Teen Ya Book Nerd   Lark @ The Bookwyrm's Hoard  
 Marie @ Pages to Explore   Laura @ What's Hot?   Nemo @ the Moonlight Library  
 Nattie @ Book Rambkes   Rachel @ Confessions of a Book Geek   Michelle @ In Libris Veritas  
 Annemieke @ A Dance with Books   Aine @ Writing on a Vintage Typewriter   Shelumiel @ Bookish and Awesome  
 Tabrizia @ cup of tea with that book, please   KayCee K @ Wonder Struck   Jenna @ Jinkies Books  
 Dawn @ Dawn's Dreams   Sharlene @ Olduvai Reads   Carlisa @ Confessions of Carlisa  
 The Literary Counsellor   m   Katrina @ Chased By My Imagination  
 Danielle   Louise // Exploring by Starlight   Kerr & Rachel @ Paein-and-Ms4Tunes book blog  
 Jaina @ Read Till Dawn   Nicole @ Reading Books With Coffee   Shannon @ It Starts At Midnight  
 Tessa @ Crazy for YA   Alba @ Alba in Bookland   Krista @ Of Love & Wanderlust  
 Darren @ Bart's Bookshelf   Missie @ A Flurry of Ponderings   Emily@Tumbling into Wonderland  
 Rachel @ Beauty and the Bookshelf   Summer @ Xingsings   Libby Blog  
 Britt @ Britt's Book Blog   jen7waters   Sophia & Nicole @ Quality Fangirls  
 Adriana @ Reading Fictional   eli @ the (book) supplier   Bri  
 Sonia @ Generación Papel   C.J. @ Sarcasm and Lemons   Zed Amadeo  
 Rekha @ Million Book Mill   Emma @ Fairytale Reader   Melissa @ MommyWantsToRead  
 Janhvi @ The Readdicts   Holly @ The Fox's Hideaway   Lucy @ The Reading Date  
 Rachel   Rhoda @ Strupag   La La in the Library  
 Ashley @ Lovely Literature   Rose @ Ramblin Rose   Jen @ The Starry-Eyed Revue  
 Angelina and Brianna @otakutwins reviews   Rosy @ The Review Diaries   Jen @ The Bookavid  
 nevillegirl @ Musings From Neville's Navel   Carrie @There's a Book for That   Maureen E @ By Singing Light  
 Megz @ Barefoot Whispers   Lacroque-livres   Stephanie @ In Wonderland  
 Savannah @ReadingBifrost   Michelle @ Michelle's Minions   Melody @ Hollywood the Write Way  
 Jan @ Notes from a Readerholic   Jane @ ItsJaneLindsey   Kari @ By Kari Parker  
 Lori @ Pure Imagination   Bella @ Ciao Bella   Alyce @ Everything Alyce  
 Jennie @ Jennie Talks   Liiterary Feline @ Musings of a Bookish Kitty   Kaitlin @ Reading is My Treasure  
 Nicole @ Nicole's Novel Reads   Girl with her Head in a Book   Victoria @ Paper Bouquet  
 Jess @ Curiouser and Curiouser   Milka@ReadReadRead   Sabina @ Victim To Charm  
 Jess, Loren, & Aleya @ Such a Novel Idea   Michelle @ Fab Book Reviews   Cora @ Tea Party Princess  
 Charlie @ Girl of 1000 Wonders   Good In The Stacks   islandgeekgirl @ Overflowing Bookshelves  
 Lata Sunil @BooksDrama   Jenna @ Rather Be Reading YA   Amy @ A Novel Start  
 Irish @ Ticket to Anywhere   M | BACKLIST BOOKS   Rickus Bookshelf  
 Connie @ hoot reads books   Ashley @ Ash Reads Stuff   Bookworm Inkorporated  
 Kimberly @ Over The Bookshelf   Amber @ The Reading Addict   Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction  
 Holly @ Nut Free Nerd   Akilah @ The Englishist   Krista @ Kristas Dust Jacket  
 Brooke @ Brooke's Books   Emily Alfano@Wholly-Books   Alex @ The Book Banner  
 Ashley   Deanna @ Deanna Writes   MissQ @ the blue bore  
 Amy @ Pages of Starlight   Shayna @ Bibliophilia: A Love Story   Jolien @ The Fictional Reader  
 Emma @ Testy Badger   Tori @ InToriLex   Vivian @ Beaute' De Livres - Beauty of Books  
 Lazy Lady   Alyssa @ Spellbinding Books   Amanda  
 Trine   Silicon @ Silicon of the Internet   Hamlette @ The Edge of the Precipice  
 Tiff @ Mostly YA Lit   Nikki @ The Bibliophibian   Ashley @ Bookaholics Anonymous  
 Amy @ Read What I Like   Kimberly @ Come Hither Books   Tiffani @ The Book Venom  
 Nikki H @ Take Me Away...   Cynthia @ Bingeing On Books   Alison @ Hardcovers & Heroines  
 Emma @ Awkwordly Emma   Wendy @ Falconer's Library   Kimberly  
 Becky @ A Fool's Ingenuity   Meredith @ unopened letter to the world   Mundie Moms  
 Kritika @ So Many books, So little time   Renu @ The Page Turner   Gaby + Lisa @ Bookish Broads  
 Jon @ Bookish Antics   Lisa @Lisa's Book Blog   Kayla @ Book Lover in Florida  
 Halee @ Confessions of a Book Addict   Jen @ Pop! Goes The Reader   Baggins @ Pinker Than Fiction Reviews  
 Resa @CrossedPages   Giovanna   Barb(Boxermommyreads)@BookerTsFarm  
 Jess @ Reading Nook Book Reviews   Helle @ Bookish Utopia   Mara A. @ The Reading Hedgehog  
 Vanessa S. @ Owls and Things   Rachel @ Dashing Good Books   Laura  
 Jazz @ Jazmin Jade Reviews   Jane @ the bookdragon   Heather @ Based on a True Story  
 Michelle @ Pink Polka Dot Books   Collector of book boyfriends   Rachel @ Go Read A Book  
 Shelly @ Raindrops and Pages   Page Turners Blog   Grace @ Rebel Mommy Book Blog  
 Melissa @ Double-Stacked Bookshelves   Lulu   Charlie  
 Elisabeth @ The Dirigible Plum   Bekka @ Pretty Deadly Reviews   Trisha @ eclectic/eccentric  
 Nicole & Ashley @ The Quiet Concert   Rachel @ The Reading Rose   Ilina @ Screen Busters  
 JJ@bookloversblog   Ruthsic @ YA on my Mind   Lisa @ I'll Tumble for YA  
 Katie McD @ Bookish Tendencies   Julianne @ Outlandish Lit   Jamie at The Perpetual Page-Turner  
 Clare @ Stacks and Shelves   Veronika @ The Regal Critiques   Alicia @ A Kernel of Nonsense  
 Brandy @ Random Musings of a Bibliophile   Jenna @ Reading with Jenna   Sarah @ Ink Stains  

(Cannot add links: Registration/trial expired)



25 comments:

  1. This is a great list! You have one we have, and you also have a few that I want to read still. Thanks for sharing these. Happy reading.
    Top 10 @Libby Blog

    ReplyDelete
  2. I looooooooooove the To All the Boys duo of books so much. Both books make my heart so happy. I just adore them.

    I read Stuck in Neutral a long, long time ago. It's a great little book.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Stuck in Neutral and Brown Girl Dreaming are both amazing books I could have on my list, too. I did add Say What You Will. It has many surprising aspects to it.
    Anne's Top Ten

    ReplyDelete
  4. What a great list! Seeing it on your top ten reminds me that I must read Brown Girl Dreaming- have read nothing but terrific reviews about this award-winning title.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I can't decide if I'm embarrassed I haven't read a single one of these, or excited to get so many great recommendations. You give just the right amount of information for me to know that I want to read these, without spoiling anything at all--thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I've read Say What You Will & To All The Boys, but I am really looking forward to the others. They are all on my TBR list now. Thank you for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I really want to read None of the Above! I keep looking at it in shops, but gaah, hardcovers are expensive. Great list (as usual), and a great topic too!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hello!!! Great list!!! Recently I've read Everything I Never Told You and I really enjoyed reading this book. And I want to read Stuck in Neutral.
    Thank you for sharing

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks for having this topic. I was so excited to see it.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I also included Say What You Will and Written in the Stars on my list. I loved Honolulu so much and considered including it (also check out his book Moloka'i!) and None of the Above was also really good, but hard as it was, I kept it to just 10. I'm glad there are so many to choose from and I'm looking forward to getting suggestions from other people's lists!

    ReplyDelete
  11. None Of The Above also made my list, and there are a few on your list that I really want to read. Unfortunately, I couldn't get through Brown Girl Dreaming, but I get why people love it so much. Great list!

    ReplyDelete
  12. LOVE the topic today! You have convinced me that I need to read Written in the Stars.

    Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction

    ReplyDelete
  13. I loved Written in the Stars! I loved all the cultural diversity and I think I learned a little about Pakistan and the culture there. I definitely want to read Brown Girl Dreaming. I have never read a book in verse before. Great list!!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Great list. I really like this week’s topic. Brown Girl Dreaming is on my TBR list, and Stuck in Neutral sounds interesting. I’ll have to check that one out.

    Aj @ Read All The Things!

    ReplyDelete
  15. This is a great list! I really want to read Written in the Stars, None of the Above, Say What You Will. And To All The Boys I've Loved Before is on my list this week! :)

    Here's my Top Ten Tuesday
    xo Stephanie

    ReplyDelete
  16. Amazing list of books! I can't wait to read some of these and recommend them to my students, especially the first generation Asian students I have. Thank you for sharing ^_^

    here's my top ten: http://archiejr.blogspot.com/2015/07/ten-books-that-focus-on-disabilities.html

    ReplyDelete
  17. Great list! I haven't read many of these yet. I loved To All the Boys I've Loved Before and Say What You Will. I liked how the author portrayed Amy.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I have heard rave erviews of EINTY from the Book Riot community. I need to read it ASAP, especially since it just came up in paperback!
    -Monica @ Tomes Project

    ReplyDelete
  19. Brown Girl Dreaming is a great pick! I read it last year and really enjoyed it.

    ReplyDelete
  20. So great to see Brown Girl Dreaming on the list! Excited to read Written in the Stars and None of the Above soon! So many great titles on the list!

    ReplyDelete
  21. These all sound really interesting. I'm definitely going to check out a few of them. Great list!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Great list! Honolulu sounds like a great book, I'd love to read it.
    Have a great week,
    Amy x

    ReplyDelete
  23. I've only Written in the Stars and Say What You Will and both are so so good and beautiful and amazing! :) <3 Diversity for the win!!

    Julie @ Books and Insomnia

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts with Thumbnails