Reading at Hamlin

Diversity Booklists for Middle School Students

Compiled by Librarian, Debra Cardone

Canales, Viola. The Tequila Worm. Latina learns how to be a comadre—contributing to her family and community-while being the best she can boarding at a private school.

Cary, Lorene. Black Ice. In 1972, Cary leaves Philadelphia to attend St. Paul’s, elite,
formerly all male private prep school in New Hampshire. In memoir format she describes the transitions and the racism over which she triumphs. After graduating, she returns to St. Paul’s as a teacher.

Gilmore, Rachna. A Group of One. Canadian Tara’s national identity is questioned at school at the same time that her grandmother from India arrives. Tara gains new pride in her Indian heritage and politically minded grandmother.

Headley, Justina Chen. Nothing but the Truth and a Few White Lies. Mixed Asian and white, she feels pressure from her Taiwanese mom and goes to math camp at Stanford but learns more about her racial identity than math.

Hidier, Tanuja Desai. Born Confused. Dimple Lala isn’t American enough nor is she Indian enough. A girl meets boy story that involved her blond blue eyed best friend and the Indian boy her parents have chosen for her.

Na, An. A Step from Heaven. The story of a Korean immigrant girl and her American born brother and their family’s struggles in the U.S. Follows through her high school years.

Soto, Gary. Taking Sides. Latino boy moves from the city to the suburb and plays his old school in basketball.

Woodson, Jacqueline. Maizon at Blue Hill and Last Summer at Maizon. One of five black girls accepted to a Connecticut girls private boarding school. She struggles with the other black girls as as well as white students.

Important authors that have a collection of fiction work for young people addressing issues of race and culture:

Walter Dean Myers
Gary Soto
Pam Munoz Ryan
Julius Lester
Jacqueline Woodson
Francisco Jiminez
Isabelle Allende
Amy Tan
Sharon Draper
Victor Martinez
Lisa Yee
Rudolfo Anaya
Nikki Grimes
Virginia Hamilton
Sharon Flake
Cynthia Kadohata
Judith Colfer Ortiz
Lawrence Yep
Mildred Taylor
Yoshiko Uchida
Dhami, Narinder
Mohr, Nicholasa
Shea, Pegi Deitz
Codell, Esme Raji