BOOKS TO READ
Learn about the American experience from multiple lenses and celebrate diversity through these novels.
Their Eyes Were Watching God
Written by the renowned Zora Neale Hurston, this classic piece of Harlem Renaissance literature follows Janie Crawford as she faces discrimination and inequality as a black woman in the US.
Girl in Translation
Jean Kwok’s novel describes the experience of a young immigrant from Hong Kong as she strives to achieve her mother’s concept of the American Dream.
Children of the
Land: A Memoir
Marcelo Hernandez Castillo’s memoir follows his story as a young undocumented immigrant trying to thrive in a country that denies his existence.
Tyler Johnson
Was Here
This debut piece from Jay Coles is about Marvin Johnson, a black teenager in a poor neighborhood, who learns the realities of police brutality after his brother’s death.
Burqas, Baseball,
and Apple Pie
Ranya Tabari Idliby’s memoir tells the story of how she teaches her children what it means to be Muslim in a white man’s world and how to remain religious while living in a society in which they are rejected.
Beloved
Based on a true story, Toni Morrison’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel tells the story of Sethe, a woman living with her daughter after escaping slavery.
If I Was Your Girl
Meredith Russo’s novel tells the heartbreak story of Amanda Hardy, a transgender girl living in the Deep South who struggles with her identity after a brutal attack.
Sundown
Written by John Joseph Matthews, this novel tells the story of Challenge Windzer, an Osage Native American, as he learns how his people were exploited and discovers what matters most to him.
The Boston Girl
Bestselling author Anita Diamant follows Addie Baum, the daughter of Jewish immigrants, in the hyper-sexualized world of being a teenager in the United States. Addie learns what it means to be a Jewish woman in a world turned against her.
Fiebre Tropical
This debut novel from Juli Delago Lopera tells the story of Francisca, a Colombian immigrant, as she struggles with her sexuality and living in a low-income home in Miami.
Americanah
This novel, written by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, traces the life of Ifemelu, a Nigerian woman who comes to America to attend university. She learns there what it means to be a black person in a racist society.
The Silence
Between Us
Alison Gervais traces the life of Maya Harris, a deaf girl, as she adjusts to being in a hearing school for her senior year. She soon learns the disparity between the deaf community and those not a part of it.
House Made
of Dawn
N. Scott Momaday’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel displays the nature of systemic discrimination against indigenous people through the story of Abel, a soldier returning to New Mexico after fighting in WWII.
The Fold
An Na tells the story of Joyce Park, a Korean-American high school junior learning to love her appearance and feel comfortable in her own skin.
The Bell Jar
This novel, written by Sylvia Plath, follows the breakdown of Esther Greenwood, a mentally ill college student striving to become a poet while battling societal norms.
All-American
Muslim Girl
This novel by Nadine Jolie Courtney traces the life of Alia “Allie” Abraham as she learns to be proud of her identity as a Muslim-American girl and to live in her two worlds together in harmony.
Pinned
Award-winning author Sharon G. Flake tells the story of Autumn, who struggles with a learning disability, and wheelchair-bound Adonis. The two discover that their weaknesses can become vital assets that will change their lives for the better.
Color Me In
Natasha Díaz's novel tells the story of Nevaeh Levitz, a sixteen-year-old who must learn about her roots and her identity as half-Jewish, half-black woman.