30 Stellar Spring Reads from Diverse Authors and Creators
This Spring we’re showcasing voices and stories that may not always be celebrated in mainstream media. Check out these new 2021 gems from diverse writers for all ages—they deserve to be at the top of your reading list.
Brought to you by NYPL’s BIPOC (Black Indigenous People of Color) Book Committee, chaired by Tiffany James, Amber Certain, and Lilian Calix, which is committed to highlighting and promoting diverse writers and their works.
Go To Recommendations for Kids
Go To Recommendations for Teens
Go To Recommendations for Adults
Kids
Ancestor Approved edited by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Collection of sixteen short stories and two poems set during the Dance for Mother Earth powwow at Ann Arbor Michigan. Stories feature diverse nations, backgrounds, and areas characters living in cities and on reservations.
“A great collection celebrating a topic that is sorely lacking in children’s literature: Native American stories. This is a great introduction into Native American tales.” –Chelsea
Eyes That Kiss in the Cornersby Joanna Ho, illustrated by Dung Ho
A young Asian girl learns how her eyes link her to her mother, grandmother, and younger sister.
“I absolutely loved this book, about three generations of women and the importance of grandparents sharing family and cultural traditions with younger members of a family to keep a family's history alive.” –Valerie
Laxmi's Mooch by Shelly Anand, illustrated by Nabi H. Ali
Whimsically illustrated with a body-positive message, this picture book follows Laxmi, an Indian American girl, as she comes to love what she thought was unloveable: her body hair.
“Cute and different story about embracing who you are.” –Christal
J.D. and the Great Barber Battle by J Dillard, illustrated by Akeem S. Roberts
When J.D. gets a horrible haircut from his mom before the first day of 3rd grade, he decides to take matters into his own hands and discovers a hidden talent.
“Light-hearted, funny, relatable, and loved how it shows the importance of hair to a child.” –Mleeka
The Highest Tribute: Thurgood Marshall's Life, Leadership, and Legacyby Kekla Magoon, illustrated by Laura Freeman
The story of the first Black justice on the Supreme Court, Thurgood Marshall. This biography takes us on a journey into the life of the Supreme Court Justice's childhood in segregated Baltimore to achievements with the NAACP and his contributions to changing U.S. laws.
“From the beginning to the end it was engaging. lllustrations were done very well and the story was well written about the life of Thurgood Marshall.” –Christal
Maryam's Magic: The Story of Mathematician Maryam Mirzakhaniby Megan Reid, illustrated by Aaliya Jaleel
This is a picture book biography of the first woman and first Iranian to win the Fields Medal, the highest award in mathematics, in 2014. Maryam originally wanted to be a storyteller, but fell in love with geometry and saw math as stories to be solved.
“The illustrations are bright and colorful with swirls of color for doodles made when she was thinking through math "puzzles." The approachable text explains her math theory, (the magic wand) simply, but effectively.” –Sue
Milo Imagines the Worldby Matt de la Pena, illustrated by Christian Robinson
Containing a beautiful mixture of artistic styles, this picture book tells the story of a young boy, Milo, as he rides the subway and learns that people's lives are always more complex than they may seem.
“Offers a really beautiful mixture of artistic styles (illustrations within illustrations!), and the ending, quite honestly, made me cry.” –Michael
Off to See the Sea by Nikki Grimes, illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon
Bathtime turns into an imaginary adventure as a little one is coaxed into getting ready for bed. Features bright and colorful mixed media art.
“Realistic illustrations mixed with bath time magic/imagination! Great representation. “ –Krystina
Watch Me by Doyin Richards, illustrated by Joe Cepeda
Expressive illustrations full of symbolism, in the depiction of the skies and looking toward America and the future. Story of immigration, resilience, and hard work in honor of the author's father.
“An inspiring story about working hard to get what you want. I love that it shows the positive contributions immigrants make. The colorful illustrations are vivid and beautiful.” –Chelsea
Watercress by Andrea Wang, illustrated by Jason Chin
A young girl is embarrassed by her parents gathering watercress on the side of the road until she learns of her mother's history of famine in China. A touching story with beautiful illustrations.
“Soft and delicate illustrations to flow in complete harmony of a story of painful memories, family history and perhaps ultimately, understanding. Beautiful writing and illustrations to match with tone, perfectly.” –Krystina
Teens
Angel of Greenwood by Randi Pink
See the days leading up to the 1921 Tulsa Massacre through the eyes of two teenagers as they struggle to find hope and love in this historical fiction novel.
“This historical fiction novel feels intimate, sobering, and illuminating. Angel and Isaiah are multi-dimensional and their love story feels realistic. The town of Tulsa comes alive through their voices, and the horror of that day in 1921 has never felt more horrifying. Pink has managed to tell a love story during a time of great violence that speaks to the resilience of the residents of Greenwood and their ability to rise.” –Susen
Chlorine Skyby Mahogany L. Browne
Navigate through the powerful and often difficult emotions of friendship, growing up, and finding your voice through the eyes of Skyy, a young Black girl who is used to standing in the shadows of her best friend and ignoring her half-sister's harsh words. Go with Skyy on an emotional journey towards self love and learning what it means to be a true friend.
“The main protagonist, Skyy, is relatable and you get the sense of character development/growth in this story. It has a wonderful message about self love and the importance of believing one deserves to take up space in this world.” –Marilyn
Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas
Maverick has his whole life ahead of him but the way things are going down in Garden Heights may not leave room for the star in his future.
“Angie Thomas just keeps creating masterpieces. The hardships Maverick had to face are portrayed realistically, and the '90s nostalgia will resonate with readers. This story doesn't hold back, and we see how Maverick grows as a man and father.” –Renee
Home is Not A Country by Safia Elhillo
Why couldn't Nami be Yasmeen, the daughter her mother wanted and envisioned? Why does she long for a home that she has never seen?
“The heartbreak of the diaspora is so perfectly encapsulated in this book—longing for what you have never known, but are somehow so familiar with...and never truly belonging in the present moment of where you are.” –Ricci
Last Night at Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
It's the 1950s, and high school senior Lily Hu faces anti-queer sentiment, traditional family roles, sinophobia, and the Red Scare. But a night at the Telegraph Club can't wait.
“Everything about this book is powerful. Queer Asian- American characters need to be highlighted, especially because of the stigma that they face in conservative Asian communities.” –Ricci
Love is a Revolution by Renee Watson
A love song to Harlem summers and Brooklyn nights, but most importantly, a love song to oneself.
“A visual map of Harlem —I felt like I was with the characters when they got ice cream at Sugar Hill Creamery, grabbed a burger at Harlem Shake, hung out at the Countee Cullen Library and took the Downtown C all the way to Brooklyn.” –Amber
Mutedby Tami Charles
How far will Denver go to achieve her musical dream? How much will she sacrifice?
“A powerful novel in verse about the insidious nature of grooming and the difficulty in breaking free.” –Susen
Nubia by L.L. McKinney, illustrated by Robyn Smith
Nubia wants to do the right thing: lay low, be a good daughter, remain cool in front of her crush, and especially, not get caught using her powers. She's the superhero humankind needs, but doesn't trust. Despite this, Nubia will need to embrace her super side to protect her friends when things start to go sideways.
“An absolute wonder of a title. Nubia is fierce, memorable, and a total teen going through regular teen drama —mostly. She is down-to-earth and the graphic novel overall is incredibly relatable and connects to relevant topics. The art is beautiful and harmonizes with the dialogue. This is a title that I want to give to every teen and adult.” –Susen
One of the Good Onesby Maritza Moulite and Maika Moulite
Happi and Genny are not the closest sisters, but that won't stop them from fulfilling their late sister Kezi's plan: a road trip guided by their family's coveted The Negro Motorist Green Book. Together, with two of Kezi's friends, they will trace their family history and learn that there's more to the story than they know. Above all, the past never stays in the past, no matter how much society wills it so.
“Loved this book because of the multigenerational story and the interesting and informative history lesson.” –Amber
Wings of Ebony by J. Elle
When her mom dies, Rue finds out she's half-God/Magic and half-human, and is whisked away from her block by her magic-wielding estranged father. But she refuses to leave her people behind, even if it means risking it all.
“The world building was amazingly done, the conflicts within the story were relatable (especially with current events), and Rue is such a great, strong character to root for!” –Renee
Adults
A Little Devil in America: Notes in Praise of Black Performance by Hanif Abdurraqib
A lyrical, kaleidoscopic collection of essays on the reverberations of Black performance in American culture.
“Abdurraqib weaves together personal experience, political milestones, pop culture, and historical explorations to yield a collection that has great emotional depth. ” –Sasha
Anti-Racist Ally: An Introduction to Activism and Action by Sophie Williams
Williams began sharing her insight on Instagram as a quick guide to anti-racism and allyship. The guide teaches readers how challenging the system begins with learning and challenging ourselves.
“A fast initial read packed with content to periodically return to and refresh.” –Jenny
Black Buck by Mateo Askaripour
As a token minority employee, Darren faces constant microaggressions and manipulation by his bosses for the sake of company PR and "optics."
“A clever and action-packed page turner that will appeal to readers from all walks of life...validating the Black professional experience and educating white readers as to racial realities of which they may have been previously unaware.” –Jenny
Black Girl, Call Home by Jasmine Mans
A tender poetry collection that illustrates the intersectionality of Black women's experiences.
“These poems explore race, sexuality, rape, family, queerness and others with such awareness and tenderness about what it’s like to be a women in the old and new centuries. Some poems are very short but this collection has something for everyone.” –Linda
Feelings: A Story in Seasonsby Manjit Thapp
A gorgeous rendition of one woman's journey of seasonal anxiety. This title makes the reader feel seen and understood.
“Stunning graphic memoir about a young woman's seasonal anxiety.” –Lilian
Four Hundred Souls A Community History of African America, 1619-2019 edited by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain
Kendi and Blain have compiled 90 authors that divide the narrative into poems, essays, short stories, and vignettes to share the history of African Americans in the U.S. from 1619 to 2019.
“Kendi has yet to fail as far as I'm concerned and this collection that he co-edited with Keisha Blain is no different.” –Jenny
Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers
A coming-of-age-at-29 comedy/drama of the tightly wound Grace Porter. Her drunken impromptu wedding has thrown off her perfectly crafted life plan, forcing her to question her relationships with her military father, her free spirited, physically absent mother, and herself.
“A lovely story about personal growth that unabashedly features the positive effects of therapy and actively working on oneself.” –Dana S.
Just As I Am by Cicely Tyson
At 96 years old, Ms. Tyson lays bare her childhood, the difficulty of her parents' marriage, her own relationship with men and friends, and being a Black model/actress. Tyson shares the “shoulder taps” of destiny that guided her career in this autobiography.
“This book gives me a deeper understanding of our Black American history in the past and present and the racial and gender stereotyping and prejudices they have to endure over the years to make it in this business." –Linda
Sure, I'll Be Your Black Friend: Notes from the Other Side of the Fist Bump by Ben Philippe
With great humor Philippe shares his experiences on the other side of the fist bump. In this memoir we learn about his life as a Haitian-Canadian in America while also reliving some of the ugliest of racist moments in his past including the George Floyd protests of Summer 2020.
“This book is extremely well written. The author’s acerbic wit makes for a quick read that achieves the title goal of feeling like his friend.” –Dana S.
You'll Never Believe What Happened to Laceyby Amber Ruffin & Lacey Lamar
Sisters Amber and Lacey provide a back and forth commentary on the very real, very racist incidents Lacey has experienced throughout her life, many of which are in the workplace. The sisters provide much needed comic relief for everything from micro aggressions to blatant, hateful rhetoric.
“This book strikes a really successful balance by presenting things that are traumatic in their absurdity in a style and tone that is comedic but unflinching and crystal clear.” –Sasha
Have trouble reading standard print? Many of these titles are available in formats for patrons with print disabilities.