In 1990,video o.f black women sex slaves the children's literature scholar Rudine Sims Bishop offered the world a useful way to look at children's literature: Some books are windows, presenting yet-undiscovered worlds to the reader, while others are mirrors, reflecting the world as young readers have already experienced it.
To that end, in a 2015 video, Bishop argued that we need to books to be diverse, so that all sorts of kids can use them to understand more about themselves, as well as the lives of others.
For everyone looking to provide young people with both windows and mirrors in 2019, these books, all organized by age group, are a good place to start.
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For tots:
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable A Computer Called Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Helped Put America on the Moon
Suzanne Slade / Illustrated by: Veronica Miller Jamison
Drawing from the same true story that inspired the 2016 award-winning movie Hidden Figures, A Computer Called Katherinedocuments the life of Katherine Johnson, the pioneering mathematician whose work was integral to the success of the world's first trip to the moon. Even though the book is for young readers, A Computer Called Katherinecan expose kids to the historical barriers that limited Johnson on the basis of her identity. Her uplifting tale can encourage young readers to dream big by learning from Katherine's historic efforts, which are too often left out of history lessons.
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable Sulwe
Written by: Lupita Nyong'o / Illustrated by: Vashti Harrison
After Academy Award-winning actor Lupita Nyong'o received a letter from a young fan who once wanted to lighten her skin, and then changed her mind after seeing Nyong'o and her success, Nyong'o delivered a viral speech about the exchange at Essence Magazine'sBlack Women in Hollywood luncheon in 2014. Following the speech, Nyong'o wanted to help show young kids their worth. Sulwe, a children's book written by Nyong'o, works to spread that message of acceptance, telling the story of the titular Sulwe's path to self love. With its lush illustrations and affirming words, Sulweis a perfect read-aloud book for kids first learning about what it means to be a person in a wildly imperfect world. Just as Sulwe learns to love herself after hearing a story shared by a magic shooting star on a nighttime adventure, kids can learn the same from Sulwe.
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable Hair Love
Written by: Matthew A. Cherry / Illustrated by: Vashti Harrison
Hair Love is the tender story of one dad's attempt to style his daughter Zuri's curly hair. Told from Zuri's point of view as she gets ready for a "big day," Zuri's dad consults online hairstyling videos to get Zuri's hair justhow she wants it, deepening their bond in the process. The sweet and simple story highlights the connection shared between father and daughter, which makes it a great family read for anyone looking for narratives with a tender, loving portrayal of fatherhood. Full of love throughout the book, Zuri's dad's efforts to do his daughter's hair also focus on cultivating self love and celebrating natural beauty, making the story an especially affirming one. For kids who can't get enough of Zuri and her dad, Matthew A. Cherry, the book's author, also wrote and co-directed an animated short film for Hair Love, which adds context to the book's story.
For preteens:
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable Other Words for Home
Jasmine Warga
Other Words for Homecenters on the story of Jude, a young girl who needs to flee her native Syria for Cincinnati, where she starts a new life with relatives already living there. For tweens starting to understand their place in the world, Jude's story can illustrate how to find yourself and assert your identity in the midst of a changing environment, as Jude does through actions both big (moving to a new country) and seemingly small (trying out for a school musical). Written in a lyrical, poetic prose that might be new to some younger readers who have yet to encounter a book formatted without paragraphs or quotation marks,Jude's narration of the events of her own life can challenge and inspire young readers.
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich
Ibi Zoboi
Ibi Zoboi, a National Book Award-finalist, has penned her first book for middle-grade readers, telling the story of Ebony-Grace Norfleet, a twelve-year-old obsessed with Star Trek, and her temporary relocation from Alabama to Harlem. The story is a charming testament to the power of one's imagination in times of uncertainty, and can especially help preteens going through difficult transitions. In an author's statement, Zoboi said that Ebony-Grace was born from Zoboi's desire to write the story of a "quirky black girl" who "finds joy" in her own imagination, explaining that Ebony-Grace was the kind of character that Zoboi had encountered in the real world, but not in a book.
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable More to the Story
Hena Khan
For tweens who are in the midst of some Greta Gerwig-induced Little Womenfever, Hena Khan's More to the Story is a perfect companion. Inspired by the Louisa May Alcott classic, the book tells the story of a modern day March family — the Mirzas, a Muslim family living in Georgia. Told from the point of view of Jameela Mirza (the book's Jo March equivalent), More to the Storychronicles Jameela's literary ambitions at her school newspaper, where she's named features editor but remains constantly shot down by the editor in chief. Now, the editorial career of the story's fiery aspiring writer finds her covering topics like microaggressions. It also details changes in her family, like when her dad takes an overseas job offer and when her younger sister faces declining health, with modern entry points for readers looking to add a new dimension to their Little Womenmania. In updating the March family drama with a modern cast of characters (Alcott's famous opening line, "Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents," gets a shift for Eid, too) the book allows readers to explore a classic tale while offering a glimpse into the societal constraints that Jo March might face if she was born in a different time, place, and family.
For teens:
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable Pet
Akwaeke Emezi
Akwaeke Emezi's debut, Pet, was a National Book Award finalist, and deservedly so. Pettakes place in the town of Lucille, a world in which children are told that monsters no longer exist. So when Jam, a black trans kid living in Lucille, finds a creature called Pet, she also needs to find out the truth about a society in denial. Talking to Teen Vogue, Emezi said the following about the world she created: "Some people might have difficulty imagining a world where black trans kids are safe, where there are no police, where there are no prisons. So books kind of help you. Or Pet, in this case, can help create that window of possibility. If you can imagine it, that's the first step in making it happen."
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali
Sabina Khan
Rukhsana Ali, a high school senior, finds herself keeping a lot of secrets from her Bengali Muslim parents. First, it was her application to Caltech (the first step towards her dream of becoming an engineer), which her parents begrudgingly came to accept. Then, it was her girlfriend, Ariana. But when Rukhsana's mom catches the two of them together, Rukhsana is sent to stay with extended family living in Bangladesh, where she's confronted with new, sometimes intolerant views. Once there, though, Rukhsana builds illuminating relationships with her relatives, making for a coming-of-age story that serves as a testament to the guiding power of love. It's a good read for any angsty teen.
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable Like a Love Story
Abdi Nazemian
Dubbed a "love letter to queerness" by children's author Mackenzi Lee, Like a Love Story centers on the tangle of a relationship between Reza, an Iranian boy struggling with his sexuality, Judy, Reza's girlfriend, and Art, the only openly queer kid at school. It's complicated: Art is Judy's best friend, but now he's becoming closer to Reza. Set in New York City in 1989, Like a Love Story can give teens a history lesson while also serving as an ode to friendship and living the life you were meant to live.
Topics Books Social Good