I am a multicultural published author from California. I attended different schools growing up, reading classic literature that I couldn't relate to, resulting in becoming a reluctant reader. I didn't live in historical time periods. My skin was a lighter shade of brown. In my world, I met kids from diverse backgrounds, who spoke slang and had personal hardships. Where were the books like that? That's why I wrote Graffiti Girl. To share a realistic, multicultural approach so the reluctant reader could have characters they could see themselves in. That's why I chose these books, in no specific order, that share contemporary, urban stories involving people of different cultures, who face unique hardships.
Raised by her single mom in a struggling California neighborhood, Angel Rodriguez channels her hopes and dreams into her paintings. But when her entry for a community mural doesn’t rate, she’s heartbroken. Even with artist Nathan Ramos taking an interest in Angel's art, she’s determined to find her own place in the art world.
That’s when Miguel Badalin introduces her to an underground world of graf tags and turf wars. Soon she’s running with Miguel’s crew and emerging as the artist she always dreamed to be. But Nathan and Miguel are bitter enemies, and choosing between them and their wildly different approaches to art means that Angel must decide what matters most before the artist inside of her can truly break free.
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Street Pharm is a dark, cultural, and realistic look into Tyrone's life as a teenage drug dealer. A raw and urban story of a teen who inherits a life of crime because of the situation he was born into and the harsh awakening that comes with it. An intense and page-turning read that had me glued till the very end.
Luz Cordero lost her brother in a police shooting. Anger and grief burn within her for her brother's tragic death, and this young girl must battle through her emotional pain toward forgiveness during her stay at a Boys and Girls home. This is one girl's story as she pulls herself from the life of gangs and violence toward forgiveness and ultimately peace. I couldn't put it down.
Tyrell is homeless with his mother and younger brother while working hard to pull himself out of the system. He feels the pressures of responsibility, drugs, sexuality, and the lure of breaking the law in order to survive his hardships. Like myself, readers will root for Tyrell as he battles against immeasurable odds.
One fateful night shatters Starr's world when her best friend is shot by a police officer. Starr is faced with speaking her truth about what really happened that night. Filled with inspiring dialogue and the fight for justice, I feel this is a powerful book that shares many important messages.
Half Mexican baseball athlete, Danny is trying to find his place between cultural identities. The writing is straight forward and the relationships and slang are real. This book deals with friendships, family, cultural identity, and dreams. An identifiable story for readers trying to find their place in a diverse world. I loved it!
5,888 authors have recommended their favorite books and what they love about them. Browse their picks for the best books about poverty, drug trafficking, and multiracial people.
We think you will like The Grapes of Wrath, Ghost Boys, and The Breadwinner if you like this list.
From Dan's list on speculative fiction because one genre is limiting.
John Steinbeck has a way with words that draws you in and keeps you present in his uncomfortable reality. A realistic take on a very significant phase in US history, this might be Steinbeck's greatest achievement. His descriptions and dialogue bring scene after scene to life, until the devastating effect of a nationwide depression overwhelms you with its realism. To this day, he is one of my greatest literary influences.
From Mary's list on unforgettable protagonists in urban settings.
Recommended to me by a student in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, Ghost Boys, is heartbreakingly narrated by 12-year-old Jerome as he observes his family’s grief after his death. This novel adeptly reveals the ways in which Jerome’s death is part of a pattern of historical and systemic violence against Black boys. Jerome’s own understanding of this is developed through the friendship he establishes with other ghost boys, including Emmet Till.
Jermaine’s descriptions of his Chicago neighbourhood are vivid. The poignant chapter, "Roam," where Jermaine discovers the dichotomy between his underserved neighbourhood and other parts of the city should remind us of the lasting impact on urban landscapes of decades of deliberate, racist policies, such as redlining. As Jermaine says, “Chicago is more beautiful than I ever thought.”
From Ellen's list on children’s books about social justice.
From our comfortable perch in North America, it’s almost impossible to imagine how children—girls, especially—survive in Afghanistan under Taliban rule. The Breadwinner made it real to me, with all the oppression that the main character, eleven-year-old Parvana, experiences and all the courage she demonstrates. This book showed me the common humanity we share with people whose lives are so different from our own. And it forced me to ask myself: Could I have been as brave and resourceful as Parvana?