30 Multicultural Books Every Teen Should Know

Compiled by Megan Schliesman and Kathleen T. Horning
© 2006 Cooperative Children's Book Center

At the CCBC, we define "multicultural" literature as books by and about people of color: African and African Americans, American Indians, Asian/Pacifics and Asian Pacific Americans, and Latinos. This listing introduces 30 essential books and a range of authors for teens.

Interested in multicultural literature for younger readers? Check out 50 Multicultural Books Every Child Should Know.

Other CCBC multicultural literature resources and links.

Click on underlined book titles to see the CCBC review of the book, and/or the cover image.

Adoff, Arnold, editor. I Am the Darker Brother: An Anthology of Modern Poems by African Americans. Simon & Schuster, 1997. Age 11 and older

Alexie, Sherman. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. Illustrated by Ellen Fourney. Litte, Brown, 2007. 240 pages. Ages 13-16

Alvarez, Julia . Before We Were Free. Alfred A. Knopf, 2002. 167 pages. Ages 12-15

Bruchac, Joseph. The Heart of a Chief. Dial, 1998. Ages 10 - 13

Bruchac, Joseph . Bowman's Store: A Journey to Myself. Dial, 1997. Age 14 and older

Carlson, Lori, editor. Cool Salsa: Bilingual Poems on Growing Up Latino in the United States. An Edge Book/Henry Holt, 1994. Ages 12 and older

Cofer, Judith Ortiz. An Island Like You: Stories of the Barrio. Melanie Kroupa/Orchard, 1995. Ages 12 - 16

Feelings, Tom. The Middle Passage: White Ships/Black Cargo. Dial, 1995. Ages 14 to adult

Flake, Sharon G. . The Skin I'm In. Jump at the Sun / Hyperion, 1998. 171 pages. Ages 12-16

Gaskins, Pearl Fuyo, editor. What Are You? Voices of Mixed-Race Young People. Henry Holt, 1999. 273 pages. Ages 12-18

Hamilton, Virginia. Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush. Philomel, 1982. 215 pages. Age 11 and older

Herrera, Juan Felipe. CrashBoomLove: A Novel in Verse. University of New Mexico Press, 1999. Ages 14 - 18

Hidier, Tanuja Desai. Born Confused. Scholastic Press, 2002. Ages 15 and older

Jaramillo, Ann. La Línea. Deborah Brodie Book / Roaring Brook Press, 2006. 131 pages. Age 13 and older

Jiang, Ji-Li. Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution. HarperCollins, 1997. Age 12 and older

Jimenez, Francisco. The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child. Houghton Mifflin, 1999. Age 12 and older

Johnson, Angela. The First Part Last. Simon & Schuster, 2003. 144 pages. Ages 13 - 18

Kadohata, Cynthia. Kira-Kira. Atheneum, 2004. 244 pages. Ages 10-14

Myers, Walter Dean. Monster. HarperCollins, 1999. Ages 13 and older

Myers, Walter Dean. Now Is Your Time! The African-American Struggle for Freedom. HarperCollins, 1992. Ages 9 and older

Na, An. A Step From Heaven. Front Street, 2001. 156 pages. Age 13 and older

Nelson, Marilyn. A Wreath for Emmett Till. Illustrated by Philippe Lardy. Houghton Mifflin, 2005. 40 pages. Age 14 and older

Osa, Nancy. Cuba 15. Delacorte, 2003. Ages 12 - 15

Park, Linda Sue. When My Name Was Keoko: A Novel of Korea in World War II. Clarion, 2002. Ages 11 - 14

Rappaport, Doreen. The Flight of Red Bird: The Life of Zitkala-Sa. Dial, 1997. Ages 11 - adult

Sheth, Kashmira. Blue Jasmine. Hyperion, 2004. 186 pages. Ages 11 - 14

Soto, Gary . Baseball in April and Other Stories. Harcourt, Brace, 1990. 109 pages. Ages 11-14

Woodson, Jacqueline. I Hadn't Meant to Tell You This. Delacorte, 1994. Ages 11 - 14

Woodson, Jacqueline. If You Come Softly. Putnam, 1998. 181 pages. Age 13 and older

Yang, Gene Luen. American Born Chinese. First Second, 2006. 233 pages. Age 13 and older

This list may be reproduced and distributed by educational and/or nonprofit organizations so long as credit is given to the Cooperative Children's Book Center, School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

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	CCBC Bibliographies & Booklists Charlotte Zolotow Award Book of the Week CCBC Specialized Information CCBC Book Discussions CCBC - Net Awards & Best-of-the-Year Lists Review Journals 30 Multicultural Books Every Teen Should Know Compiled by Megan Schliesman and Kathleen T. Horning © 2006 Cooperative Children's Book Center At the CCBC, we define "multicultural" literature as books by and about people of color: African and African Americans, American Indians, Asian/Pacifics and Asian Pacific Americans, and Latinos. This listing introduces 30 essential books and a range of authors for teens. Interested in multicultural literature for younger readers? Check out 50 Multicultural Books Every Child Should Know. Other CCBC multicultural literature resources and links. Click on underlined book titles to see the CCBC review of the book, and/or the cover image. Adoff, Arnold, editor. I Am the Darker Brother: An Anthology of Modern Poems by African Americans. Simon & Schuster, 1997. Age 11 and older Alexie, Sherman. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. Illustrated by Ellen Fourney. Litte, Brown, 2007. 240 pages. Ages 13-16 Alvarez, Julia . Before We Were Free. Alfred A. Knopf, 2002. 167 pages. Ages 12-15 Bruchac, Joseph. The Heart of a Chief. Dial, 1998. Ages 10 - 13 Bruchac, Joseph . Bowman's Store: A Journey to Myself. Dial, 1997. Age 14 and older Carlson, Lori, editor. Cool Salsa: Bilingual Poems on Growing Up Latino in the United States. An Edge Book/Henry Holt, 1994. Ages 12 and older Cofer, Judith Ortiz. An Island Like You: Stories of the Barrio. Melanie Kroupa/Orchard, 1995. Ages 12 - 16 Feelings, Tom. The Middle Passage: White Ships/Black Cargo. Dial, 1995. Ages 14 to adult Flake, Sharon G. . The Skin I'm In. Jump at the Sun / Hyperion, 1998. 171 pages. Ages 12-16 Gaskins, Pearl Fuyo, editor. What Are You? Voices of Mixed-Race Young People. Henry Holt, 1999. 273 pages. Ages 12-18 Hamilton, Virginia. Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush. Philomel, 1982. 215 pages. Age 11 and older Herrera, Juan Felipe. CrashBoomLove: A Novel in Verse. University of New Mexico Press, 1999. Ages 14 - 18 Hidier, Tanuja Desai. Born Confused. Scholastic Press, 2002. Ages 15 and older Jaramillo, Ann. La Línea. Deborah Brodie Book / Roaring Brook Press, 2006. 131 pages. Age 13 and older Jiang, Ji-Li. Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution. HarperCollins, 1997. Age 12 and older Jimenez, Francisco. The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child. Houghton Mifflin, 1999. Age 12 and older Johnson, Angela. The First Part Last. Simon & Schuster, 2003. 144 pages. Ages 13 - 18 Kadohata, Cynthia. Kira-Kira. Atheneum, 2004. 244 pages. Ages 10-14 Myers, Walter Dean. Monster. HarperCollins, 1999. Ages 13 and older Myers, Walter Dean. Now Is Your Time! The African-American Struggle for Freedom. HarperCollins, 1992. Ages 9 and older Na, An. A Step From Heaven. Front Street, 2001. 156 pages. Age 13 and older Nelson, Marilyn. A Wreath for Emmett Till. Illustrated by Philippe Lardy. Houghton Mifflin, 2005. 40 pages. Age 14 and older Osa, Nancy. Cuba 15. Delacorte, 2003. Ages 12 - 15 Park, Linda Sue. When My Name Was Keoko: A Novel of Korea in World War II. Clarion, 2002. Ages 11 - 14 Rappaport, Doreen. The Flight of Red Bird: The Life of Zitkala-Sa. Dial, 1997. Ages 11 - adult Sheth, Kashmira. Blue Jasmine. Hyperion, 2004. 186 pages. Ages 11 - 14 Soto, Gary . Baseball in April and Other Stories. Harcourt, Brace, 1990. 109 pages. Ages 11-14 Woodson, Jacqueline. I Hadn't Meant to Tell You This. Delacorte, 1994. Ages 11 - 14 Woodson, Jacqueline. If You Come Softly. Putnam, 1998. 181 pages. Age 13 and older Yang, Gene Luen. American Born Chinese. First Second, 2006. 233 pages. Age 13 and older This list may be reproduced and distributed by educational and/or nonprofit organizations so long as credit is given to the Cooperative Children's Book Center, School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison.