The lists continue to come out and they continue to ignore our children of color. But, that’s alright. We can build a list for our children! I’d like to create a summer reading that focuses on works for teens of color, that’s right: books written for African, Native, Latino and Asian American teens. Fiction and non-fiction. Poetry and biography. So, what do you suggest: classics? Fun? Inspirational? Most teens have very little time to read during the school year. If we can put together a truly awesome list that they can connect to and find themselves in, we might have these kids reading all summer!
Ideally, a list of ten is what I’d like to build, we may have a few more. Post the title author and short summary in the comments by Sunday 26 April. And a complete list will be provided shortly after the deadline. I’m expecting to hear from the usual suspects who support reading for teens of color but I’m challenging “mainstream” bloggers to come out of their comfort zone and make a suggestion or two! Let’s build a truly awesome Crazy Colored Summer List!
Cotton Quilts Edi 
Crazy Colored Summer List- Lovin the Name
Is that 10 per or 10 in all. A mix of classic and new sounds good
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Ten total.
Where are your suggestions, Ms Doret?!
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I went through the high school summer reading list I helped write and pulled out these books.
For middle school how about Before We Were Free by Julia Alvarez and Bluford High series?
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[…] about a month behind on blogging my reading, but I couldn’t resist responding to Edi’s request for suggestions for summer reading books for children of […]
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Don’t worry I’ll I am good for a few titles
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As promised here are my books. There was no way I could keep it at 10. Though I did leave of the Lit and YA gimmes like Baldwin, Ellison, Morrison, Walker, Booth, Draper, Myers, and Woodson
Door of No Return by Sarah Mussi – A mystery-
After 15 yr old Zac sees is grandfather killed, people are after him. He finds his way to Ghana and the Door of No Return
Pemba’s Song- When 14 yr old Pemba moves to CT with her mom, a dead slave girl reaches out to her.
Harlem Stomp by Carrick Laban Hill – about the Harlem Renasissance
Touching Snow by M Felin – About a Hiatian family living in Brooklyn. A national book award finalist.
Hot Girl by Dream Jordan 14 yr Kate grew up in foster care. She starts getting her life together and begins hanging out with a girl who could ruin everything
Voices in First Person by Lori Marie Carlson
collection of 21 short stories by Latino authors
Chess Rumble by Neri G – Marcus begins to use chess to work through his problems (poetry)
The Tequila Worm by Viola Canales Short stories about Sofia and her close knit Mexican family
Keeping Night Watch by Anita Hope Smith – C.J struggles to accept his fathers return. (poetry)
Jumped by Rita Williams Garcia – Violence amongst girls in H.S. (lyrical with a poetry feel)
A la Carte by Tanita Davis – Elaine dreams of having her own vegetarian cooking show
Flygirl by Sherri Smith – Ide Mae Jones passes so she can fly in WWII
Dark Dude by Oscar Hijuelos – The story of a light Cuban boy who finds his way to Wisconsin from NewYork
Chameleon by Charles R Smith- Shawn and his three friends before freshman yr hanging out on their Compton streets
Upstate by Kalisha Buckhanon- A love story told through letters
Girl Overboard by Justina Chen Headley – After a terrible snowboard accident Sarah Cheng must figure out who she is again
Marcelo in the Real World by Francisico X Stork – Marcelo has a mild from of Austism. His father wants to work at his law firm for the summer.
Beacon Hill Boys by Ken Mochiziuki – 3 second generation Japanese teen boys try to fit in.
A Wish After Midnight by Zetta Elliott – Genna makes a wish and is transported back to civil war era Brooklyn
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Even though I’m among the usual suspects you’d hear from on this issue 🙂 I’ll be sending over a few suggestions. I have quite a few to add to the Latino readers, this round.
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Okay here we go…of course once I started I couldn’t stop. Passing on good reads is an addiction.
Adios to my Old Life – Caridad Ferrer
17 year old Ali goes for broke on a latin American Idol-esque show against her music prof dad’s wishes (also It’s Not About the Accent)
Haters – Alisa Valdes Rodriguez
A transplant from New Mexico, 16 year old Paki is a fish out of water in Orange County Cali
Gamma Glamma – Kim Flores
Who says science and popularity don’t mix? Luz Santos uses a science experiment to make her friends popular and it backfires
My life as a Rhombus – Varian Johnson
When 17 year old Rhonda Lee tutors a pregnant 16 year old Sarah the two find they have more in common than either thought.
Josephine – Beverly Jenkins
Why go looking for romance, when it finds you…whether you want it to or not.
For series lovers:
The Del Rio Bay series – Paula Chase
(5 books) Follow the ups and downs of Planet High school through the eyes of a clique of six friends.
Amor and Summer Secrets (3 books) – Diana Rodriguez Wallach
Series follows 15 year old Marianna Ruiz, a Philly native, who has to spend the summer in Puerto Rico to atone for ignoring her Puerto Rican roots.
The Lip Gloss Chronicles – Sheila Goss
Book 1 will be released late May
explores the life of three Sassy, Urban, and Hip high school friends who are high on fashion and a magnet for drama
The Indigo Summer novels – Monica McKayahan (3 books)
Even when a girl seems to have it all, trouble will follow
The Woodson High series (2 books) – Carla Sarratt
Kendra, Lamar and Destiny dive head first into their freshman year at Carter G. Woodson High.
The Divine series (3 books) Jacquelin Thomas
From Hollywood to Georgia, Divine Matthews learns life outside the fast lane isn’t as slow as she thought it would be.
The Diva series (4 books)- Victoria Christoper Murray
All about Aaliyah, Diamond, Veronique and India.
The Good Girlz (6 books)- Reshonda Tate Billingsley
Light-hearted fun among four friends trying to keep it real, while keeping it good.
So For Real (2 books) – Nikki Carter
Fiftteen year old Gia Stokes is all about making the step team, even though she doesn’t have the look or style of the typical Hi-Stepper.
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WOW! Look what you’ve started, Edi…I can’t get these titles down fast enough…and thanks for The Door of No Return, Doret–I was just talking about that last night! Clearly, ten is not enough…how about 50?
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I really enjoyed Haters by Alisa Valders Rodriquez. She came to the bookstore where I work for a signing once and was very nice. Love her adult novels.
The Indigo Summer Series is great and I really want to read Josephine by Beverly Jenkins.
You started something serious here Edi. 50 is doable especially if I break out the NF. Zetta, I thought the Door of No Return was a great read, it won an award in the country it was first published in.
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I’m supposed to be getting ready for work right now but have to say how wonderful these lists look, Doret, Zetta, Paula and Keri. Paula, thanks for the RT on Twitter!
Let’s not forget, though, that boys read, too!
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I just met the editor of MultiCultural Review, Lyn Miller-Lachmann, and she’s got a YA novel coming out with a small nonprofit literary press next month, nearly two decades after a major press withdrew a contract for it–I hope it reaches you ladies for review: GRINGOLANDIA.
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This came through on my YALSA listserv:
YALSA needs your help!
YALSA is having a program during ALA’s Annual Conference for small press publishers that normally do not exhibit at ALA’s Annual Conference. We are looking for publishers that have a focus on materials for under represented groups in mainstream ya lit. (Foreign language, large print, etc…) Please e mail me off list at ngilbert@ala.org if you know of a publisher that would like to participate. The publisher is invited to attend or send information.
Thank you in advance for any information you can provide!
Nichole Gilbert
YALSA Program Officer
1(800)545-2433 ext. 4387
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Thanks for calling us out Edi. Here’s a little more balance. Maybe you can hit Neri G up for some more titles.
Angel Boy by Bernard Ashley – On holiday Leonard is Kidnapped by a gang
City Boy – Set in comtemparay Malawu – A boy must move from the city to the village.
Everything Asian by Sung J. Woo- 12 yr old Donald Kim and his family are moving to America ( Saw this on the new table the other day, looks like a good read)
The Dead Emcee Scrolls by Saul Williams
City Kid by Nelson George – A memior
Where the Line Bleeds by Jesmyn Ward – After High School, twin brothers must find their way.
Sag Harbor by Colson Whitehead – an autobiographical novel about Whitehead’s 15th summer
The Portable of Promised Land by Toure – A fun and interesting collection of short stories
Cashay by Margaret Mcmullan – About a young girl living in a Chicago housing project ( The Goddess of YA Literature gave it a great review)
From Somalia with Love by Na’ima B. Robert – A muslim girl, living in London must find her place again when her father reunites with the family from war torn Mogadishu
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i read a very powerful novel in my childrens studies course this year it is about a young Pakistani boy who is forced into slavery but is able to take agecny of his own life and empower other children around him.
Iqbal by Francesco D’Adamo
Publisher: Aladdin Paperbacks
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I can’t believe I forget this one, hopefully its not too late
The Rock or the River by Kekla Magoon – 14 yr old Sam must decide between following in his father’s foot steps or his brothers and becoming a Black Panther
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Man, and I thought I read plenty of YA. I feel woefully behind!
Edi, why only 10? How will you decide? Could you highlight reads for reluctant and below reading level readers?
My short list:
From The Notebooks of Melanin Sun by Jacqueline Woodson
Melanin Sun has a great relationship with his mom. They both find love, both with girls.
Life Is Funny by E.R. Frank
Interconnected short stories about teens from different social, ethnic and faith backgrounds.
A Wish After Midnight by Zetta Elliott
Every Time A Rainbow Dies by Rita
Williams-Garcia
Thulani and Ysa help each other heal and grow. Thulani is grieving his mom’s death. Ysa dreams of going to school to be a designer. They come together when Thulani rescues Ysa from two teens attempting to rape her.
Things I Have To Tell You edited by Betsy Franco and Nina Nickles
A collection of poems, essays and photos of teen girls across America.
First Part Last by Angela Johnson. A sad but positive look at teen romance and pregnancy.
B as in Beauty by Alberto Ferras. This is on my wish list. Haven’t read it yet. “Everyone in the world, it seems, is either prettier or thinner (or both) than Beauty Marie Zavala. And the only thing “B” resents more than her name is the way others judge her for the extra 40 pounds she can’t lose. ”
Sadika’s Way by Hina Haq
The clock had started ticking for Sadika from the day she was born into her traditional Pakistani village family. She must be married off to somebody while she is still a teenager or she will be considered a hopeless failure.
Burn by Black Artemis. This is large volume and not marked YA but this is all the drama young people love. A great look into the hip hop culture, murder, female bail bondswoman, positive transgendered character. This rocks.
The Rock And The River by Kekal Magoon
Out of Bounds by Beverly Naidoo. Short stories of children growing up under apartheid in South Africa. Okay, so this isn’t a recent pub but the stories are poignant and a great
collection.
Born Confused by Tanuja Desai Hidier. Dimple is funny. She’s a ABCD (American Born Confused Desi). Great look at trying to navigate the drama of being a teen and living between cultures.
Does My Head Look Big In This? by Randa Abdel-fattah. Another story about living between cultures. This one is a young Muslim girl in Australia who decides to wear the traditional hijah full-time.
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Upstate by Kalisha Buckhanon- A love story told through letters .
Thanks. I have wanted to read this but my mind is a sieve. Keep forgetting to pick it up.
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WOW lots of interesting suggestions – I have a question: I am from St. Lucia and am always frustrated at the complete lack of GOOD books fin shops & libraries or kids to read – there’s a volunteer library in Gros Islet, called the Grow Well Centre – would anyone be interested in posting off a few of their old books to them? email me if you are finolaprescott at gmail dot com
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How about The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz. Also, check http://www.popcultureshock.com/blogs/glyphs-online-moves-to-pcs/ for graphic novel suggestions.
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