Marginalized Characters for Marginalized Readers

I haven’t written anything in awhile. Combination of some major Mental Health issues, a new teaching job, COVID, etc. Then recently, the Black Lives Matter movement picked up speed again with the murder of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and so many others. As someone who identifies as a Hufflepuff because I truly believe that people of all backgrounds matter, I wanted to better understand why they were protesting. So I researched. I learned my own participation in racist systems and started to see that all lives cannot matter until Black Lives Matter. So I started researching how to change my practice as a teacher to better support my Black, Lantinx, Indigenous, etc students. But then I also remembered that many other people also need representation because they don’t have that either. Most books in school libraries and curriculums are overwhelmingly White, Christian, Able-Bodied, Cis-Gender, and Heterosexual/Heteroromantic. Yet, everyone deserves to see themselves represented in stories.

So, I started gathering a list of books featuring major characters of marginalized identities. I started gathering a list of books written by authors of marginalized identities. The goal is to know what kinds of books I can buy to make sure my students get to see themselves in the books we read. It also ensures that my white students see the lives of those who are different from them. It lets us support authors of marginalized identities and allows us to promote them and help them grow.

Here is that current list. Feel free to share it around.

Books Starring Non-White/Disabled/Queer Characters

Note – There are two criteria for a book to be on this list

1. The book must star a main character with a marginalized identity (Ex – Race, Faith, Disability, Queerness, etc – Not White, Christian, Able Bodied, Cis-gender, Heterosexual/Heteroromantic because these are the identities of the majority/identities in power when discussing the oppression of various people/identities)
2. The book must be authored by someone with a marginalized identity

Some of these books are more books for classroom libraries. Some are picture books for circle time or morning meeting or classroom curriculum instruction. Most of these books are focused at Elementary level instruction, but some do enter the YA level (since some 5th grade readers have those skills)

Starring Black Characters

• “We Rise, We Resist, We Raise our Voices” by Floyd Cooper, Pet Cummings, et al
• “Our Children Can Soar: A Celebration of Rosa, Barack, and the Pioneers of Change” by Michelle Cook, Leo Dillon, et al
• “The Magnificent Mya Tibbs” A series by Crystal Allen
• “How Lamar’s Prank Won a Bubba-Sized Trophy” by Crystal Allen
• “The Laura Line” by Crystal Allen
• “Juneteenth for Mazie” by Floyd Cooper
• “Max and the Tag-Along Moon” by Floyd Cooper
• “Jump!: From the Life of Michael Jordan” by Floyd Cooper
• “The Ring Bearer” by Floyd Cooper
• “Willie and the All-Stars” by Floyd Cooper
• “Trace” by Pat Cummings
• “Pink and Say” by Patricia Polacco
• “January’s Sparrow” by Patricia Polacco
• “Something to Say” by Lisa Moore Ramee
• “Ways to Make Sunshine” by Renee Watson
• “Some Places More Than Others” by Renee Watson
• “Watch Us Rise” by Renee Watson and Ellen Hagan
• “Piecing Me Together” by Renee Watson
• “Betty Before X” by Ilyasha Shabazz and Renee Watson
• “This Side of Home” by Renee Watson
• “Harlem’s Little Blackbird” by Renee Watson
• “I am Every Good Thing” by Derrick Barnes
• “Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut” by Derrick Barnes
• “Ruby and the Booker Boys” a series by Derrick Barnes
• “Each Kindess” by Jacqueline Woodson
• “More Than Anything Else” by Marie Bradby
• “The Hate You Give” by Angie Thomas
• “I Got the Rhythm” by Connie Shofield-Morrison
• “I Got the Christmas Spirit” by Connie Shofield-Morrison
• “I Got the School Spirit” by Connie Shofield-Morrison
• “This is It” by Daria Peoples-Riley
• “I Got Next” by Daria Peoples-Riley
• “On the Come Up” by Angie Thomas
• “Mango Delight” by Fracaswell Hyman
• “Imani’s Moon” by Janay Brown-Wood
• “Thanku: Poems of Gratitude” by Janay Brown-Wood
• The Track Series by Jason Reynolds
• “As Brave as You” by Jason Reynolds
• “Malaika’s Winter Carnival” by Nadia L Hohn
• “Malaika’s Costume” by Nadia L Hohn
• “Sankofa Music” by Nadia L Hohn
• “Sankofa Media” by Nadia L Hohn
• “A Likkle Miss Lou” by Nadia L Hohn
• “Harriet Tubman: Freedom Fighter” by Nadia L Hohn
• The Shai and Emmie Series by Quvenzhane Wallis
• “A Night Out with Mama” by Quvenzhane Wallis
• “Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black  History” by Vashti Harrison
• “Little Legends: Exceptional Men in Black History” by Vashti Harrison
• “Ladder to the Moon” by Maya Soetoro-Ng and Yuyi Morales
• “Mama’s Nightingale” by Edwidge Dandicat
• “Eight Days: A story of Haiti” by Edwidge Dandicat
• “The Last Mapou” by Edwidge Dandicat
• “When Stars are Scattered” by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed
• “Child of the Universe” by Ray Jayawardhana
• “Overground Railroad” by Lesa Cline-Ransome
• “Brown Sugar Babe” by Charlotte Watson Sherman
• “Jazz” by Walter Dean Myers
• “Out of Wonder” by Kwame Alexander

Starring Latinx Characters

• “Dancing Hands: How Teresa Carreño Played Piano for President Llicon” by Margarita Engle and Rafael Lopez
• “Maybe Something Beautiful: How Art Transformed a Neighborhood” by F. Isabel Campoy, Theresa Howell, and Rafael Lopez
• “My Name is Celia / Me llamo Celia: The Life of Celia Cruz / La Vida de Celia Cruz” by Monica Brown and Rafael Lopez
• “Bravo! Poems About Amazing Hispanics” by Margarita Engle and Rafael Lopez
• “The Crossroads” by Alexandra Diaz
• “The Only Road” by Alexandra Diaz
• “The First Rule of Punk” by Celia Perez
• “Juana and Lucas” by Juana Medina
• “Carmela Full of Wishes” by Matt De La Pena
• “Miguel and the Grand Harmony” by Matt De La Pena
• “Dreamers” by Yuyi Morales
• “Yes! We Are Latinos” by Alma Flor Ada and F. Isabel Campoy

Starring Asian Characters

• “Tucky Jo and Little Heart” by Patricia Polacco
• “The Art of Miss Chew” by Patricia Polacco
• “A Different Pond” by Bao Phi
• “My Footprints” by Bao Phi
• “Keep it Together Keiko Carter” by Debbi Michiko Florence
• The “Jasmine Toguchi” Series by Debbi Michiko Florence
• “Niki Nakayama: A Chef’s Tale in 13 Bites” by Debbi Michiko Florence
• “Ohana Means Family” by Kenard Pak
• “The Dinner That Cooked Itself” by Kenard Pak
• “Danbi Leads the School Parade” by Anna Kim
• The Aria the World Traveler Series by Anna Kim
• “The Name Jar” by Yangsook Choi
• “Behind the Mask” by Yangsook Choi
• “New Cat” by Yangsook Choi
• “Peach Heaven” by Yangsook Choi
• “The Sun Girl and the Moon Boy” by Yangsook Choi
• “Goodbye, 382 Shin Dang Dong” by Yangsook Choi
• “Landed” by Yangsook Choi
• “The Next New Year” by Yangsook Choi
• “Gai See” by Yangsook Choi
• “Rice is Life” by Yangsook Choi
• “Nim and the War Effort” by Yangsook Choi
• “Earthquake” by Yangsook Choi
• “Count Me In” by Varsha Bajaj
• “T is for Taj Mahal” by Varsha Bajaj
• “Bringing in the New Year” by Grace Lin
• “No Kimchi for Me!” by Aram Kim
• “Goldy Luck and the Three Pandas” by Natasha Yim
• “Crouching Tiger” by Ying Chang Compestine
• “Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things” by Lenore Look
• “Stand Up, Yumi Chang” by Jessica Kim
• “One Leaf Rides the Wind” by Celeste Mannis
• “A New Year’s Reunion” by Yi Li-Qiong
• “The Runaway Wok: A Chinese New Year Tale” by Ying Chang Compestine
• “Look! What Do you See?” by Xu Bing
• “Chinese New Year Colors” by Richard Lo

Starring Middle Eastern Characters

• “Here We Are Now” by Jasmine Warga
• “Other Words for Home” by Jasmine Warga
• “My Grandma and Me” by Mina Javaherbin
• “Amal Unbound” by Aisha Saeed
• “The Green Bicycle” by Haifaa al Mansour

Starring Indigenous Characters

• “When We are Kind” by Monique Gray Smith
• “Tilly and the Crazy Eights” by Monique Gray Smith
• “Lucy and Lola” by Monique Gray Smith
• “Speaking Our Truth” by Monique Gray Smith
• “You Hold Me Up” by Monique Gray Smith
• “Tilly: A Story of Hope and Resilience” by Monique Gray Smith
• “My Heart Fills with Happiness” by Monique Gray Smith
• “The Earth Under Sky Bear’s Feet” by Joseph Bruchac

Starring Multi-Racial Characters

• “Drum Dream Girl: How One Girl’s Courage Changed Music” by Margarita Engle and Rafael Lopez

Starring Multiple Non-White Characters

• “The Day You Begin” by Jacqueline Woodson and Rafael Lopez
• “Mrs. Katz and Tush” by Patricia Polacco
• “Mr. Lincoln’s Way” by Patricia Polacco
• “A Good Kind of Trouble” by Lisa Moore Ramee
• “Strange Birds” by Celia Perez
• “Little Dreamers: Visionary Women Around the World” by Vashti Harrison
• “Last Stop on Market Street” by Matt De La Pena
• “Just Like Me” by Vanessa Brantley-Newton

Starring Jewish Characters

• “The Keeping Quilt” by Patricia Polacco
• “The Blessing Cup” By Patricia Polacco
• “Trees of the Dancing Goats’ By Patricia Polacco
• “The Butterfly” by Patricia Polacco
• “Tikvah Means Hope” by Patricia Polacco

Starring Muslim Characters

• “The Best Eid Ever” by Asma Mobin-Uddin
• “My Name is Bilal” by Asma Mobin-Uddin
• “My Grandma and Me” by Mina Javaherbin
• “A Party in Ramadan” by Asma Mobin-Uddin
• “The White Nights of Ramadan” by Maha Addasi
• “Planet Omar: Accidental Trouble Magnet” by Zanib Mian
• “The Night Diary” by Veera Hiranandani

Starring Buddhist Characters

Starring Sikh Characters

 

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Starring Hindu Characters

• “The Night Diary” by Veera Hiranandani

Starring Characters of other Non-Christian Faiths

Starring Disabled Characters

• “Thank You, Mr. Falker” by Patricia Polacco
• “Stanley Stands Out” by Andrea Andrew Baker
• “Clara and Davie” by Patricia Polacco
• “Junkyard Wonders” by Patricia Polacco
• “Just Ask” by Sonia Sotomayor and Rafael Lopez
• “Wink” by Rob Harrell

Starring Queer Characters

• “In Our Mothers’ House” by Patricia Polacco
• “My Footprints” by Bao Phi
• “The Adventures of Honey & Leon” by Alan Cumming
• “Felix Yz” by Lisa Bunker
• “The Whispers” by Greg Howard
• “Middle School’s a Drag, You Better Werk!” by Greg Howard

Starring Trans Characters

• George by Alex Gino (MG)
• “I am Jazz” by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings
• “Zenobia July” by Lisa Bunker

Starring Foster Children

• “Welcome Comfort” by Patricia Polacco
• “The Story of Tracy Beaker” by Jacqueline Wilson
• “The Dare Game” by Jacqueline Wilson
• “Candyfloss” by Jacqueline Wilson

Strictly for Teachers – About Our Practice
Must be about working with marginalized identities and by people of marginalized identities

• “Teaching for Black Lives” by Dyan Watson, Jesse Haopian, Wayne Au
• “Rhythm and Resistance: Teaching Poetry for Social Justice” by Linda Christensen and Dyan Watson
•  “For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood” by Christopher Emdin
• “We Want to Do More Than Survive: Abolitionist Teaching in the Pursuit of Educational Freedom” by Dr. Bettina Love
• “Ripple Effect of Resiliency: Strategies for Fostering Resiliency with Indigenous Children” by Monique Gray Smith