The school I work at has a large cohort of students from all over the world and we try to look for books that showcase a range of experiences. I’m trying to look for a book where the main character isn’t a straight, white male but where the plot isn’t about them dying, being arrested, getting enslaved, getting kidnapped, being forced into marriage etc. I want to try show them characters who succeed. Any ideas? Doesn’t have to be strictly YA or modern.
by Groooves
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Gideon the 9th
The Edinburgh Nights series by T L Huchu.
The main character is a Scottish girl of Zimbabwean heritage who solves mysteries and talks to ghosts. She’s tough as nails and is forging her own path, despite growing up in the slums and leaving school early to support her family.
The Red Pyramid series by Rick Riordan has black protagonists who are heroes and gods.
Children of Blood and Bone is another fab choice and it’s written by an African woman, Tomi Adeyemi.
The Poet X, and With the Fire on High, both by Elizabeth Acevedo.
The Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith. Set in Botswana and featuring the character Mma Precious Ramotswe. Interesting character and story. It was loaned to me by a coworker, so I wasn’t really expecting to like it so much, but it has been great.
I don’t know if this is too much because the MC does experience some harrowing situations I just thought they were very sensitively handled in a way that didn’t feel like it would traumatise the reader.
An Ordinary Wonder – Buki Papillion. MC is intersex, raised as a boy but knowing they are a girl. They have some really hard times growing up in Nigeria with Parents and bullies who are prejudiced against them. But they also have allies who help them along the way and eventually has a happy ending. Beautifully written in a very accessible way. It was one of my favourite reads last year.
Nobody’s Family is Going to Change by Louise Fitzhugh.
A Girl Named Disaster by Nancy Farmer.