Cultural Diversity

A Ceiling Made of Eggshells by Gail Carson Levine

By Janie Cheaney | Aug 5, 2020

A Ceiling Made of Eggshells is popular author Gail Carson Levine’s tribute to her own Sephardic-Jewish heritage. A Ceiling Made of Eggshells by Gail Carson ...

My Name Is Tani by Tanitoluwa Adewumi

By Janie Cheaney | Jul 31, 2020

My Name is Tani is the hopeful true story of a young boy who finds a place and a passion in America. My Name Is ...

*When Stars Are Scattered by Omar Mohammed

By Janie Cheaney | Jul 28, 2020

The new graphic novel When Stars Are Scattered brings the refugee experience into sharp yet sympathetic focus. *When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and ...

Gyo Fujikawa: It Began With a Page….

By Betsy Farquhar | Jul 13, 2020

Gyo Fujikawa When you grow up with an author/illustrator's books, they become part of your definition of "home" or "reading" or "friend." Gyo Fujikawa is ...

Stand Up, Yumi Chung! by Jessica Kim

By Janie Cheaney | Jul 10, 2020

Yumi Chung faces the classic teen dilemma: honor your parents or follow your dream? Stand Up, Yumi Chung! By Jessica Kim. Penguin Random House, 2020, ...

Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yang

By Janie Cheaney | Jul 10, 2020

Dragon Hoops turns a high-school basketball championship season into a close-up look at life's changes and choices. Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yang. First Second, ...

Stamped by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi

By Janie Cheaney | Jun 23, 2020

Stamped, a young-reader version of Kendi’s Stamped from the Beginning, is an engaging but one-sided picture of racism in America’s past. Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and ...

Show Me a Sign by Ann Clare LeZotte

By Janie Cheaney | Jun 18, 2020

Show Me a Sign explores a little-known chapter of American history from the perspective of a Deaf protagonist. Show Me a Sign by Ann Clare ...

Ghetto Cowboy by G. Neri

By Betsy Farquhar | Jun 12, 2020

Ghetto Cowboy tells a heartwarming story of family, hard work, and horses in the midst of urban Philly. Ghetto Cowboy by G. Neri and illustrated ...

Ways to Make Sunshine by Renee Watson

By Janie Cheaney | Jun 8, 2020

Ryan Hart, a next-generation Ramona Quimby, makes sunshine out of challenges in this warm-hearted series opener. Ways to Make Sunshine by Renee Watson. Bloomsbury, 2020, ...

*God’s Very Good Idea by Trillia Newbell and Catalina Echeverri

By Megan Saben | Jun 6, 2020

God's design for diversity was beautiful from the beginning but marred by sin, requiring a Redeemer to rescue us from our mess. *God's Very Good ...

Open Mic: Riffs on Life Between Cultures in Ten Voices, edited by Mitali Perkins

By Betsy Farquhar | Jun 4, 2020

In Open Mic, ten writers of color team up to offer their experiences (or stories based on their experiences) in this frank, humorous collection for ...

Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park

By Janie Cheaney | Jun 3, 2020

Prairie Lotus, by Newbery author Linda Sue Park, offers a hopeful look at overcoming racism in the 19th-century American west. Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue ...

Mañanaland by Pam Muñoz Ryan

By Janie Cheaney | May 6, 2020

Mañanaland presents a dreamlike Latin-American landscape and a young boy taking a giant step toward adulthood. Mañanaland by Pam Muñoz Ryan. Scholastic, 2020, 247 pages. ...

The Unteachables by Gordon Korman

By Janie Cheaney | Mar 17, 2020

The Unteachables rounds up a class full of misfits and molds them into a prize-winning team. The Unteachables by Gordon Korman. Balzer + Bray (HarperColins), ...

Ordinary Hazards by Nikki Grimes: a Discussion

By Janie Cheaney | Mar 14, 2020

Every now and then we read a book that seems to warrant more than a standard review—even a starred one. That was Janie and Betsy’s ...

The Legacy of Mildred Taylor: Roll of Thunder and the Logan Family Saga

By Betsy Farquhar | Mar 9, 2020

The Legacy of Mildred Taylor Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry is a "must read." Truthfully, at Redeemed Reader, we resist telling you any book ...

From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks

By Janie Cheaney | Mar 4, 2020

Zoe Washington's peaceful life is disturbed by word from her incarcerated father--who may be innocent. From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks. HarperCollins ...

Leaving Lymon by Lesa Cline-Ransome

By Janie Cheaney | Mar 4, 2020

Leaving Lymon is the heartfelt story of a child who feels abandoned by irresponsible parents. Leaving Lymon by Lesa Cline-Ransome. Holiday House, 2020, 193 pages ...

China through Time by DK Publishing

By Janie Cheaney | Mar 3, 2020

China through Time offers a unique perspective of social life over centuries. China through Time: a 2,500 year journey along the World’s Greatest Canal illustrated ...

By and By: Charles Albert Tindley by Carole Boston Weatherford

By Janie Cheaney | Feb 19, 2020

Charles Albert Tindley rose from abject poverty to preach to thousands and write the anthem of the Civil Rights movement. *By and By: Charles Albert ...

The Oldest Student by Rita Lorraine Hubbard

By Janie Cheaney | Feb 19, 2020

"The Oldest Student" tells the inspiring story of a centenarian who finally found the time to learn. The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to ...

Girl Under a Red Moon by Da Chen

By Janie Cheaney | Feb 12, 2020

Girl under a Red Moon depicts life under the worst totalitarian government in modern history. Girl under a Red Moon: Growing up During China’s Cultural ...

Genesis Begins Again by Alicia D. Williams

By Janie Cheaney | Feb 6, 2020

Genesis, a black girl, struggles with self-image, much of which is fostered by her own family. Genesis Begins Again by Alicia D. Williams. Caitlyn Dlough ...

Black History Month Picture Books for Tweens and Teens

By Betsy Farquhar | Feb 3, 2020

Black history month picture books are for big kids, too! Picture books aren't just for young children. Middle grades and teens benefit, too. Sometimes, a ...

2020 Newbery Buzz #5: Look Both Ways

By Janie Cheaney | Jan 22, 2020

Since his first novel was published in 2014, Jason Reynolds has been on an upward trajectory—deservedly so, for the most part. He was just named ...

By Janie Cheaney | Jan 16, 2020

Continuing our roundup of possible contender for the 2020 Newbery Medal All the Greys on Greene Street by Laura Tucker. Viking, 320 pages. Olympia’s artist ...

Newbery Roundup #1: The Line Tender, Tristan Strong, and 1919

By Janie Cheaney | Jan 6, 2020

Newbery season is upon us, culminating in the American Library Association Youth Media Awards on January 27. We've been keeping an eye on books that ...

More to the Story by Hena Khan

By Janie Cheaney | Dec 20, 2019

More to the Story closely follows Little Women, but with contemporary Muslim-American girls. More to the Story by Hena Khan. Simon and Shuster (Salaam Reads), ...

Between Us and Abuela by Mitali Perkins

By Janie Cheaney | Dec 17, 2019

Mitali Pekins offers a touching tribute to generational attachment across years and borders. Between Us and Abuela: a Family Story from the Border by Mitali ...

Manhattan: Mapping the Story of an Island by Jennifer Thermes

By Janie Cheaney | Dec 10, 2019

This oversize, intricately-illustrated picture book relates the story of Manhattan in a series of maps. Manhattan: Mapping the Story of an Island by Jennifer Thermes. ...

*Nya's Long Walk: A Step at a Time

By Megan Saben | Dec 4, 2019

Nya faces tough choices when her little sister falls ill near the remote water hole. Nya's Long Walk: A Step at a Time by Linda ...

*Long Ago, on a Silent Night by Julie Berry

By Janie Cheaney | Dec 3, 2019

What happened "Long Ago on a Silent Night" resonates down the ages, in this lovely, evocative picture book. *Long Ago, on a Silent Night by ...

The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee

By Janie Cheaney | Nov 12, 2019

The Downstairs Girl explores the social mores and prejudices of late-19th-century Atlanta through the eyes of a resourceful and gifted Chinese teen. The Downstairs Girl ...

Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga

By Janie Cheaney | Oct 22, 2019

A displaced Muslim girl adjusts to America as a second, "Other Home" in this well-written verse novel. Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga. Balzer ...

Song of the Abyss by Makiia Lucier

By Hayley Morell | Oct 15, 2019

Song of the Abyss is a sequel that does not disappoint and yet succeeds in its own right as a standalone novel. In our Redeemed ...

Butterfly Yellow by Thanhha Lai

By Janie Cheaney | Oct 4, 2019

An unlikely romance tinged by tragedy makes Butterfly Yellow a winning read for mature teens. Butterfly Yellow by Thanhha Lai. Harper, 2019, 284 pages. Reading ...

Titan and the Wild Boars by Susan Hood and Pathana Sorhiran

By Janie Cheaney | Oct 1, 2019

The true story of the daring rescue of the Thai Soccer team will bring its tension and drama home to young readers. Titan and the ...

Breakthrough! by Jim Murphy

By Betsy Farquhar | Sep 27, 2019

Three unlikely people team up to perform a dangerous new surgery in Depression-era times in this gripping nonfiction story. Breakthrough!: How Three People Saved "Blue ...

Some Places More than Others by Renee Watson

By Janie Cheaney | Sep 26, 2019

In Some Places More than Others, a pre-teen girl tries to fill the gaps in her sense of place and family. Some Places More than ...

For Black Girls Like Me

By Janie Cheaney | Sep 26, 2019

A black girl adopted into a white family struggles with her own disability and her mother's instability. For Black Girls like Me by Mariama J. ...

The Unsung Hero of Birdsong, USA by Brenda Woods

By Janie Cheaney | Sep 24, 2019

This engaging historical novel reflects on the plight of Unsung Heroes—black service men in the years immediately following World War II. The Unsung Hero of ...

Sal and Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez

By Janie Cheaney | Aug 15, 2019

Fast-paced and far-out, this series opener mixes theoretical science with human joys and sorrows. Sal and Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez. Disney (Rick ...

Swing and Solo by Kwame Alexander with Mary Rand Hess

By Betsy Farquhar | Jul 22, 2019

Swing and Solo: two novels-in-verse for teens that grapple with music (jazz and rock and roll), baseball, young love, and what's really important in life. ...

The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman

By Janie Cheaney | Jun 28, 2019

Four homeless children in India find their own "bridge home" in this engaging novel for middle grades. The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman. Random House ...

The Last Last-Day-of-Summer by Lamar Giles

By Janie Cheaney | Jun 7, 2019

The "last day of summer" turns into a literal race against time for two intrepid, legendary sleuths. The Last Last-Day-of-Summer by Lamar Giles. Versify (HMH), ...

Caterpillar Summer by Gullian McDunn

By Janie Cheaney | Apr 26, 2019

Biracial siblings connect with their estranged grandparents in Caterpillar Summer. Caterpillar Summer by Gullian McDunn. Bloomsbury, 2019, 291 pages Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12 ...

Someday We Will Fly by Rachel DeWoskin

By Janie Cheaney | Apr 11, 2019

Someday We Will Fly explores a little-known chapter of the Holocaust: the Jewish refuge of Shanghai. Someday We Will Fly by Rachel DeWoskin. Viking, 2019, ...

*Forward Me Back to You by Mitali Perkins

By Janie Cheaney | Apr 8, 2019

Mitali Perkins' latest novel takes two conflicted teens to India to confront human trafficking and challenges to their Christian faith. *Forward Me Back to You ...

Rickshaw Girl by Mitali Perkins

By Betsy Farquhar | Mar 18, 2019

Naima loves to draw, but how can she use that gift to help her poor Bangladeshi family earn some much needed income? Rickshaw Girl by ...

*Bamboo People by Mitali Perkins

By Betsy Farquhar | Mar 18, 2019

Chiko and Tu Reh learn to face challenges and love their enemies in modern day, war-torn Burma in this realistic fiction novel for teens. Starred ...

New Kid by Jerry Craft

By Janie Cheaney | Mar 11, 2019

New Kid offers a fresh and funny graphic-novel take on the middle-school blues. Reading Level: Middle grades, ages 8-10 Recommended for: ages 8-14 From Washington ...

*The Promise of Change by JoAnn Boyce

By Janie Cheaney | Feb 28, 2019

*The Promise of Change: One Girl's Story in the Fight for School Equality by JoAnn Allen Boyce and Debbie Levy. Bloomsbury, 2019, 309 pages including ...

Inventing Victoria by Tonya Bolden

By Janie Cheaney | Feb 28, 2019

Inventing Victoria by Tonya Bolden. Bloomsbury, 2019, 257 pages. Reading Level: Teen, ages 12-15 Recommended for: ages 14-up Judy 12, 1881, Savannah, Georgia: Essie Mirth ...

Literaritea: Classics and new favorites

By Megan Saben | Feb 27, 2019

Literaritea is a fresh series in which Megan offers a taste of her experiences reading picture books and poetry aloud to her five boys, ages 2-12. Ideally we have teatime with our literature, but not always. These are the books that resonate with all of us and if I don't own these titles yet, I ...

6 Noteworthy Nonfiction Picture Books

By wpengine | Feb 25, 2019

Me: "That school must be named after Lise Meitner. Didn't she do something with uranium?" {the school in question was on a TV show and ...

4 New Multicultural Picture Books: Gratitude, Island Culture, Rap, and Hannukah!

By Betsy Farquhar | Feb 18, 2019

Several of these picture books recently won awards (or honors) in the ALA YMA in January. And one of them is brand new, hot-off-the-press in ...

Pride and Prejudice: The Original and the Others

By Hayley Morell | Feb 14, 2019

It's Valentine's Day. So, of course, we're going to talk about Jane Austen! Nothing can compare to the original, but Hayley and Betsy have been ...

Nowhere Boy by Katherine Marsh

By Janie Cheaney | Feb 5, 2019

A teenage Syrian refugee is the “Nowhere Boy” whose fate falls into the hands of an American 13-year-old. Nowhere Boy by Katherine Marsh. Roaring Brook, ...

Jason Reynolds’s Track Series: A Winner for Middle Grades

By Betsy Farquhar | Feb 1, 2019

Jason Reynolds is an author we've kept an eye on ever since his debut in 2015 with When I Was the Greatest. That novel, and ...

2019 Newbery Buzz #6: Cardboard Kingdom

By Janie Cheaney | Jan 22, 2019

Cardboard Kingdom (Knopf, 2018) bounced to the top of the book-review radar the moment it was released, and soon after tallied an impressive 5 starred ...

Newbery Roundup – The Books We Didn’t Love (Part One)

By Janie Cheaney | Jan 4, 2019

Then end of the year is the beginning of buildup to the annual American Library Association (ALA) “Youth Media Awards,” culminating in the announcement of ...

Every Month is a New Year by Susan L. Roth

By Janie Cheaney | Dec 21, 2018

This picture book gives a neglected holiday its due, celebrating “New Year” around the world with brilliant collage illustrations. Every Month is a New Year: ...

The Season of Styx Malone by Kekla Magoon

By Janie Cheaney | Nov 15, 2018

An instant friendship leads to potential trouble in this engaging, character-driven story for middle grades and early teens. The Season of Styx Malone by Kekla ...

Tangerine: Love Your Neighbor Book Club Edition

By Betsy Farquhar | Nov 10, 2018

To date this school year, our Love Your Neighbor Book Club has read Save Me a Seat and A Long Walk to Water, both of ...

By Janie Cheaney | Oct 3, 2018

Amal, a Pakistani girl with dreams of an education, finds her dreams derailed in this engaging story for middle graders. Amal Unbound by Alisha Saeed. ...

Buried beneath the Baobab Tree by Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani

By Janie Cheaney | Oct 3, 2018

Buried Beneath the Baobab Tree is a tough but vital read for thoughtful Christian teens. Buried Beneath the Baobab Tree by Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani. HarperCollins, ...

By Betsy Farquhar | Sep 29, 2018

Readers, it's almost October! Let me pour myself some Harney & Sons Hot Cinnamon Spice Tea. (You can have your pumpkin spice lattes!) Are you ...

Illegal by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin

By Janie Cheaney | Sep 4, 2018

Illegal, a graphic novel, puts readers into the perils of a refugee from Africa while stimulating important questions about refugees worldwide. Ages 12-15 Illegal by ...

Multicultural Graphic Novels: Akissi and the Dragon Slayer

By Janie Cheaney | Aug 24, 2018

Two graphic novels give readers a glimpse of life and culture in Africa and South America. Ages 7-12 Akissi: Tales of Mischief by Marguerite Abouet ...

*A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park

By Betsy Farquhar | Aug 20, 2018

This popular middle grades story poignantly recounts the stories of a young boy and a young girl in Africa as one flees civil war and ...

Inside Out and Back Again by Thanha Lai

By Betsy Farquhar | Aug 20, 2018

Inside Out and Back Again is a beautiful, timely middle grades verse novel about a young Vietnamese girl's refugee experience. Inside Out and Back Again ...

Code Word Courage by Kirby Larson

By Betsy Farquhar | Aug 14, 2018

Code Word Courage highlights the important contribution of the Navajo Code Talkers during WWII as Billie and her dog Bear find comfort back home. Middle ...

Picture Book Round-Up: Back to School Picture Books!

By Betsy Farquhar | Aug 8, 2018

Back-to-School time means new pencils, new lunchboxes, new classrooms (or a new look for the dining room table!), and... new emotions. Scared and excited students, ...

*The Sky at Our Feet by Nadia Hashimi

By Janie Cheaney | Jul 27, 2018

The Sky at Our Feet treats the immigration issue fairly and compassionately, through the perspective of an Afghan-American boy on the run. Ages 10-15 *The ...

New Picture Book Biographies Round-up (2018)

By Betsy Farquhar | Jul 17, 2018

We love picture book biographies here at Redeemed Reader, and, thankfully, publishers seem to love them, too! Below are several new picture book biographies, some ...

Diversity in Mini-Biographies: Refugees, African Americans, and More!

By Betsy Farquhar | Jul 1, 2018

Diversity is a siren call these days, and, in regards to standard history book treatment of ethnic minorities and women, it's often needed. Check Your ...

Isle of Blood and Stone by Makiia Lucier

By Hayley Morell | Jun 22, 2018

Mysterious maps, sea creatures, and an island kingdom where dark secrets threaten to emerge . . . All the makings for an excellent story. Isle ...

Power Forward by Hena Khan

By Janie Cheaney | Jun 15, 2018

Zayd's dream of playing basketball on his school's A-team clashes with his Muslim family's goals for him. Ages 6-10 Power Forward (Zayd Saleem, Chasing the ...

*Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad by Ann Petry

By Betsy Farquhar | Jun 14, 2018

A well-written, engaging middle grades biography of Harriet Tubman, conductor on the Underground Railroad, that tells young readers about her life from birth to death. ...

I Dared to Call Him Father by Bilquis Sheikh

By Betsy Farquhar | Jun 12, 2018

A Pakistani Muslim woman recounts how God spoke to her, calling her out of her Muslim background, and how she dared to call him "Father" ...

*Tangerine by Edward Bloor

By Betsy Farquhar | Jun 4, 2018

A realistic sports story that is so much more than a sports story, Tangerine blends soccer, environmentalism, bullying, racism, and physical disability into a well-written, ...

*How Sweet the Sound by Carole Boston Weatherford

By Janie Cheaney | May 29, 2018

How Sweet the Sound tells the story of "Amazing Grace" in rhyming couplets and dramatic illustrations. Ages 6-10 *How Sweet the Sound: the Story of ...

The Journey of Little Charlie by Christopher Paul Curtis

By Betsy Farquhar | May 14, 2018

Little Charlie wants to do the right thing even as he agrees to go fetch runaway slaves up north in this gritty middle grades historical ...

The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani

By Janie Cheaney | May 4, 2018

A young girl in the middle of the Indian partition of 1947 shares poignant thoughts and fears in The Night Diary. Ages 12-15 The Night ...

Rebound by Kwame Alexander

By Betsy Farquhar | Apr 23, 2018

Charlie is struggling to rebound after his dad's death in this well crafted, middle grades verse novel full of comics, basketball, and a strong family ...

Martin Rising by Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney

By Betsy Farquhar | Apr 9, 2018

Martin Rising is a exuberant, poetic homage to Martin Luther King for middle grades. Martin Rising: Requiem for a King by Andrea Davis Pinkney and illustrated ...

*Twelve Days in May by Larry Dane Brimner

By Betsy Farquhar | Mar 26, 2018

For middle grades and up: a photographic, journalistic look at those famous twelve days in May when a group of whites and blacks bravely tried ...

*Betty Before X by Ilyasah Shabazz and Renée Watson

By Betsy Farquhar | Mar 19, 2018

For middle grades: A compelling look into the life of Betty before X (Malcolm X) and the influence of the black church in the racially charged 1940s. ...

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

By Janie Cheaney | Feb 22, 2018

The Hate U Give, one of this year’s most acclaimed YA novels, offers a well-rounded, realistic picture of challenges faced by the black community (see ...

Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson

By Janie Cheaney | Feb 22, 2018

In Piecing Me Together, a Newbery honor book, a black teen in a low-income neighborhood carves out a place in the world through art and ...

Picture Book Round-Up: 6 Multicultural Youth Media Award Winners

By Betsy Farquhar | Feb 21, 2018

The 2018 ALA Youth Media Awards were announced last week, and children's lit fans around the country live-streamed the event (unless they were privileged to ...

Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly

By Betsy Farquhar | Feb 21, 2018

Four sixth graders come together in a serendipitous turn of events in this year's Newbery award winner, Hello, Universe. Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly. Greenwillow, ...

Facing Frederick: The Life of Frederick Douglass by Tonya Bolden

By Betsy Farquhar | Feb 15, 2018

Facing Frederick is a well written, nuanced biography for middle grades that sheds light on both Frederick Douglass and the tumultuous times in which he ...

Black History Month Nonfiction Book List

By Betsy Farquhar | Feb 15, 2018

Black History Month Nonfiction Book List It's a month full of book lists here at Redeemed Reader! We hope you enjoyed our Love and Laughter ...

Give Me Wings by Kathy Lowinger

By Janie Cheaney | Feb 12, 2018

The little-known story of the Fisk Jubilee Singers demonstrates black talent, initiative, faith, and determination. Give Me Wings: How a Choir of Former Slaves Took ...

2018 Newbery Buzz #4: One Last Word and I’m Just No Good at Rhyming

By Betsy Farquhar | Feb 2, 2018

Betsy, Megan, and Janie continue our Newbery Buzz discussions with One Last Word and I'm Just No Good At Rhyming, poetry books that are quite different from ...

2018 Newbery Buzz #3: Refugee

By Janie Cheaney | Jan 27, 2018

Janie and Pamela continue our Newbery discussions with Refugee, a novel that carries political significance as well as literary value. Ages 12-15. Janie: Alan Gratz ...

Her Right Foot by Dave Eggers

By Janie Cheaney | Jan 25, 2018

Her Right foot introduces pre-readers and early readers to the Statue of Liberty and what she stands for. Ages 4-8 Her Right Foot by Dave ...

Bronze and Sunflower by Cao Wenxuan

By Betsy Farquhar | Jan 21, 2018

Bronze and Sunflower is a gentle, thought-provoking peek into the cultural revolution in China, its effects on two children, and the importance of sacrificing for your family. ...