The leaves are brilliant oranges, yellows and reds. The air is crisp and the sun is bright. Is there better weather for reading? Whether you’d rather bundle up and walk to the local coffee house or cozy up with a blanket and tea, the thought of holding a nice, thick book will surely bring a smile. Me? I’ll do the blanket and coffee. And I’d like to go classic this morning picking up a good old school read. So, what are the classics for teens of color? The mainstays that should be in any core collection?

Watsons go to Birmingham

Monster

Road to Memphis

The circuit

Bless me, Ultima

Is is possible to to a classic teen list without blending in middle grade and adult books?

Joy Luck Club

Kindred

Shabanu: Daughter of the wind

When my name was keoko

Where are the guy books??

Year of impossible goodbye

Chinese Cinderella

Well written books that stand the test of time, accurately represent culture, have fully developed characters, have universal themes and are still published. Right now, for me it’s going to be The Sheltered Quarter, a Saudi classic.