10 Books Written By Minority Women
Catcher in the Rye. Pride and the Prejudice. Death of a Salesman. Had any flashbacks yet? I did. I remember sitting in 10th grade English class waiting for vultures to gauge my eyes out as my teacher and my classmates passionately discussed how Darcy was the best suitor for Elizabeth. Or how depressed Willy became throughout the book. Now that our trip down memory lane has ended and we are back into reality, I have one question: What do all these stories have in common? They are all about white people and various facets of whiteness. Whether it was about the complexity of marriageability politics or how suburban (white) people get lost in the concept of meritocracy, the mayonnaise and the overall lack of flavor in these stories is too high. Sorry, Mr. or Mrs. White ,(or insert any other stereotypical/ generic white last name). Sitting there twiddling my thumbs and waiting for a rich man to marry me or complaining about how terrible the luxuries of life were from a prestigious boarding school is not exactly how my life as a teenage black girl went. Let alone any non-white, cis-gendered, Christian, heterosexual, able-bodied, teenage girl's life went.
But that is why your girl Cameron is here: to bring more flavor and spice to your life by introducing 10 books not only about POC girls but written by POC women as well. Let’s get started.
Number 1: Copper Sun by Sharon M. Draper
Sharon’s Draper’s historical fiction novel “Cooper Sun’s” focuses on two young girls named Amari and Polly. Amari is a 15-year-old African girl who was captured and sold into slavery. The book documents her journey through the Middle Passage and her experiences on her plantation. While on the plantation, Amari meets Polly, a white 15-year-old indentured servant with whom she forms an unlikely friendship. In each chapter, the narrator alternates between Amari and Polly. Grab a tissue box because this book will cause some tears but it will give you the perspective of hardships that black slaves, particularly black slave women had to endure.
Number 2: Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
Yaa Gyasi’s historical fiction novel “Homegoing” traces the lineage of two Ghanaian half-sisters named Effia and Esi. The story follows the lives and the families of the two sisters as Effia, marries a rich and white English man who she lives with in Cape Coast Castle. While the other sister, Esi, gets sold into American slavery. By following the journeys of the descendants of these two women, the readers get an acute and nuanced look into the complexity of slavery and how the legacy of slavery has impacted the experience of the African diaspora.
Number 3: Love from A to Z by S.K Ali
Terrorist. Criminals. Violent. Zayneb, a teenage Muslim Pakistani girl has heard it all. And quite frankly, she is tired of it. So much so that she confronts her teacher for constantly reminding her and her classmates that Muslims are “bad.” Due to her altercation with her teacher, she ends up getting suspended and out of retaliation, her teacher starts to investigate her other Muslim friends. Disappointed that her altercation with her teacher resulted in not only her getting in trouble, but her friends as well, she goes to Qatar to visit her aunt. While spending time with her aunt, Zayneb hopes that she can reinvent herself by becoming a “nicer” version of herself. However, during this process, she meets Adam, a boy of Chinese Muslim descent who was recently diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Although they met by chance, Adam and Zayneb learn from each other in this tale of romance and identity through self-discovery.
Number 4: Kira Kira by Cynthia Kadohata
In Cynthia Kadohata’s novel “Kira Kira,” she shares the story of 12-year- old Japanese American, Katie Takeshima, living in Iowa during the 1950s. Their family owns a Japanese supermarket, and it goes out of business. So, Katie and her family move to Georgia to start a new life. The story follows Katie as she navigates her new life in Georgia with the help of her sister, Lynn. However, when Lynn suddenly falls ill, her world is turned upside down. Through overcoming obstacles such as racial discrimination and navigating two cultures, the reader gets to embark on Katie’s coming age of story in a realistic, honest, and impactful way.
Number 5: In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson by Bette Bao Lord
In this short novel, it centers around a young Chinese girl named Shirley Temple Wong who recently immigrated to Brooklyn, New York with her family in the late 1940s. Not knowing any English, Shirley finds herself having trouble making friends. However, all that changes when she discovers baseball superstar, Jackie Robinson. Inspired by Jackie Robinson’s relentless determination, Shirley decides to break down racial barriers and assumptions in her own life. Not only is this a great coming of age story, but it also is a way to show people they can do things against all the odds.
Number 6: I Can Make This Promise by Christine Day
This biographical novel centers around Edie, a 12-year-old Native American girl who was adopted by a white family. Knowing little to nothing about her own cultural identity, this book follows Edie’s journey learning about Native American history, the reality of adoption, adolescence, and understanding one’s cultural identity.
Number 7: Soldier Sister, Fly Home by Nancy Bo Flood
A “Soldier Sister, Fly Home” centers around 13-year-old Tess, who is part white and part Navajo. At school, she is “too Indian” to be considered cool amongst her classmates. Outside of school on her reservation, she is considered” too white” which leads her to constantly feeling like an outsider wherever she goes. This story follows Tess’s journey on cultural identity and racial tension through self-discovery.
Number 8: Little and Lion by Brandy Colbert
“Little and Lion” follows the story of a young black girl named Suzette, who just returned home to L.A from a boarding school in Massachusetts. She is unsure of whether she wants to stay in L.A. with her family, friends, her crush Emil, and her step-brother Lionel; who was just diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Or return to Massachusetts to be with her secret girlfriend. As she spends time with Lionel, she realizes that they are falling in love with the same girl. Meanwhile, Lionels' bipolar disorder is worsening. This incredible novel touches on bullying, sexuality, and mental health while pulling on your heartstrings.
Number 9: I Am Not Your Mexican Daughter by Erica Sanchez
According to teenager Julia, she is not the perfect Mexican daughter. Unlike her sister Olga, Julia wants to move away from her family after completing high school and she dreams of attending college to become a writer. However, due to a tragic accident, Olga is killed and leaves her family shattered. In the aftermath of Olga’s death, Julia starts to slowly figure out that her sister wasn’t as perfect as people like to believe. Throughout this book, readers will get to embark on a tale about family, secrets, and immigrant cultural identity through the lens of Julia.
Number 10: Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan
Set in California and Mexico during the Great Depression, “Esperanza Rising” tells the story of a young Mexican girl named Esperanza. At the beginning of the novel, she enjoys a life of luxury living in a mansion full of servants and her loving family in Mexico. All of that comes to halt when her father is suddenly murdered by a group of bandits. To make matters worse, all of their family’s property is left to her uncle, Luis, and not her own family. Esperanza and her mother soon figure out that Luis is not the nicest man in the world. So, they escape to California along with some of her servants while leaving behind her beloved grandmother, Abuelita. Esperanza and her mother try to make due while living in a run-down Mexican labor camp in California. Esperanza and her mother hope that one day they will reunite with Abuelita. Through the lens of Esperanza, readers get to learn more about the intersections of race, class, and even grief in this stunning novel.
So are you ready to go to Barnes & Nobles yet? I am. Go ahead and get your copies today. Let me know what you all think of these books in the comments.