Cultivating diversity, inclusion, and equity in the classroom is an important and challenging goal for many teachers today. This study guide collection is designed to support that effort. It features award-winning titles for middle school and high school students, from the more recent (Front Desk; Stamped) to the classic (Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry). Read on to discover insights, analyses, and guidance for generating meaningful discussion on race and racism in America.
Publication year 2007
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Identity: Masculinity, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Race / Racism, Poverty, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Grief / Death, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Humor
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is a young adult novel by Sherman Alexie, published in 2007 with art by Ellen Forney. Alexie, a Spokane/Cour d’Alene Indian (a term he prefers to “Native American”), began the book as a memoir inspired by experiences he had growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation in Wellpinit, Washington, and attending the predominantly white Reardan High School in Reardan, Washington. The book received much praise and many... Read The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian Summary
Publication year 1997
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Immigration, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Education, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth
Tags Historical Fiction, Poverty, Immigration / Refugee, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Music, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Magical Realism, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Race / Racism, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness, Fantasy
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Self Discovery
Tags Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Race / Racism, Asian Literature, History: World, Romance
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Tags Realistic Fiction, Race / Racism, Social Justice, Modern Classic Fiction
The Hate U Give is a young adult novel published in 2017 by the American author Angie Thomas. The book’s protagonist is a 16-year-old Black girl who witnesses a white police officer kill her friend. A New York Times bestseller, The Hate U Give won several awards, including the American Library Association’s William C. Morris Award for best debut novel and the Coretta Scott King Award for the best children’s novel by an African American... Read The Hate U Give Summary
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Action / Adventure, Arts / Culture
The Only Road (2016) is Alexandra Diaz’s second novel. Diaz is the daughter of Cuban immigrants, and this book focuses on the experience of migration. The novel, written primarily for young adults, follows cousins Jaime and Ángela, who are forced to flee their small Guatemalan village after the local gang kills Ángela’s brother. Faced with either joining the gang responsible for his death or taking the uncertain 4,000-kilometer journey north, Jaime and Ángela reluctantly leave... Read The Only Road Summary
Publication year 1985
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Equality, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Food, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Fate, Identity: Race, Identity: Language, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Teams
Tags Fairy Tale / Folklore, Allegory / Fable / Parable, History: U.S., African American Literature, Race / Racism
Publication year 2014
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Society: War
Tags Military / War, Social Justice, WWII / World War II, Children's Literature, History: U.S., History: World, Arts / Culture
In The Port Chicago 50: Disaster, Mutiny, and the Fight for Civil Rights, historian Steve Sheinkin traces the story of the Port Chicago 50, a group of African-American sailors charged with mutiny for disobeying orders during World War II. Sheinkin’s history opens, however, with the story of Dorie Miller, a black mess attendant stationed at Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attack in 1942. Though not trained for battle, Miller courageously begins fighting with an anti-aircraft... Read The Port Chicago 50 Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Art, Identity: Disability, Society: Community, Identity: Sexuality
Tags Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Grief / Death, Class, African American Literature, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Race / Racism
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Music, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Music, Race / Racism, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1995
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Race, Relationships: Family
Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, History: U.S., African American Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction
Published in 1995, The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis is a realistic middle grade novel told from the point of view of 10-year-old Kenneth Watson. The Watson family lives in Flint, Michigan, in 1963. The early chapters of the book detail Kenny’s family life, school days, classmates, and older brother Byron’s exploits. When Byron takes one of his “adventures” too far, Kenny’s parents decide a family road trip to Birmingham, Alabama, is... Read The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963 Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Immigration
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Class, History: World, History: The Americas, History: U.S., Immigration / Refugee, Military / War, Politics / Government, Social Justice, Music, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Race / Racism
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Aging, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Realistic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Social Justice, Race / Racism, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Society: War, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Relationships: Family
Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Military / War, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, History: World
Publication year 1999
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Civil Rights / Jim Crow, History: U.S., Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Race / Racism, Bullying, Black Lives Matter, Education
Through My Eyes is the autobiography of Ruby Bridges. In 1960, Bridges became the first African American child to integrate an elementary school in New Orleans, Louisiana following a court mandate for the state to desegregate its public school system. Louisiana trailed segregation effort in neighboring states, such as the nine Black high school students known as the “Little Rock Nine” who integrated a high school in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1957.Bridges’s autobiography, published in... Read Through My Eyes Summary
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship
Tags Historical Fiction, Western, Action / Adventure, Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, History: World
Under a Painted Sky is a young adult historical novel set on the Oregon Trail during the 1849 Gold Rush. It is a debut novel by Stacey Lee, inspired by her own family history as a fourth-generation Chinese American. The novel won several prizes, including an American Library Association award. Her corpus focuses on Chinese culture and Chinese American experiences. Her other works with these themes include Outrun the Moon (2016), The Downstairs Girl (2019), Luck of... Read Under a Painted Sky Summary
Publication year 2006
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Equality, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Society: War
Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Military / War, History: World, Japanese Literature, Arts / Culture, WWII / World War II, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman
Weedflower, Cynthia Kadohata’s 2006 historical fiction young adult novel, tells the story of 12-year-old Japanese American Sumiko amid Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor and the US government’s ensuing involvement in World War II. Kadohata depicts the conditions of Japanese internment camps from Sumiko’s perspective, providing unique insight and education on the racism that Japanese Americans faced and the US government’s poor decisions.This guide references the 2009 paperback reprint edition from Atheneum Books for Young Readers.Plot... Read Weedflower Summary