Browse Items · Windows and Mirrors: Diversity in Books for Young Readers

Davila, Erick

Davila is a New York based graphic illustrator focused on fashion and beauty designs (Facebook/ Erick Davila Illustration)

Tags: graphic designer; man (illustrator)

Take a dive into the world of trucks, with over 50 different types of trucks to learn about. Full of colourful illustrations and tons of interesting truck facts, this picture book is an excellent read for any vehicle enthusiast.

Tags: language: English; no characters; picture book

With the Fire on High

The novel narrates the story of Emoni Santiago’s life. Emoni becomes pregnant in her senior year at high school. As a single mom, she has to manage her responsibilities towards her daughter, Abuela, school, and her passion for cooking (Amazon).

Tags: girl/woman (primary character); human (primary character); language: English; multiracial (primary character); straight (primary character); young adult fiction

Children of Blood and Bone

Zélie's mother is killed under the rule of an evil king. To avenge her, she must battle the crown prince and the royal family to bring magic back. Danger lurks as Zélie struggles to control her powers.

Tags: Black/african (author); Black/African (primary character); Black/African (secondary characters); boy/man (primary character); girl/woman (primary character); girl/woman (secondary characters); human (primary character); human (secondary characters); language: English; young adult fiction

A Bear to Share

When her mother suggests she give up her favourite teddy bear, Bach, to make room for a brand new one, Tiana doesn’t know what to do. Tiana’s character acts as the perfect example of selflessness, generosity, and the value of giving to others. The…

Tags: Black/African (primary character); boy/man (secondary characters); early reader (ages 5-9); girl/woman (primary character); human (primary character); human (secondary characters); language: English; unspecified sexuality (primary character); unspecified sexuality (secondary characters); white, confirmed (secondary characters)

Indivisible

After Mateo's parents have been taken to separate deportation centers, he must navigate life in the United States with his younger sister Sophie while going to school, maintaining relationships, exploring sexuality, and learning about immigration…

Tags: boy/man (primary character); boy/man (secondary characters); girl/woman (primary character); girl/woman (secondary characters); language: English; Latinx (primary character); Latinx (secondary characters); LGBTQ+ (primary character); LGBTQ+ (secondary characters); white, assumed (secondary characters)

Love from A to Z

This a love story of two Muslim teenagers who meet at the London airport and heading for Doha, Qatar. The author tells the stories hidden behind each of Adam and Zayneb. The story brings up issues related to Islamophobia, romance among Muslim…

Tags: human (primary character); language: English; young adult fiction

Amari and the Night Brothers

Amari, an outcast, is convinced that her brother Quinton is missing. While searching for him, despite everyone's prejudiced opinions, she discovers a whole new world of supernatural affairs. Throughout her journey, she faces friendships, doubt,…

Tags: Black/African (primary character); boy/man (secondary characters); girl/woman (primary character); girl/woman (secondary characters); human (primary character); human (secondary characters); language: English; middle grade book (ages 8-12); non-human (secondary characters); unspecified sexuality (primary character); unspecified sexuality (secondary characters)

The Hate U Give

Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter tries to balance two very different lives in the poor, predominantly black neighborhood where she lives and the posh, predominantly white, suburban prep school she attends. She is forced to face her reality when…

Tags: Black/African (primary character); Black/African (secondary characters); boy/man (secondary characters); girl/woman (primary character); girl/woman (secondary characters); human (primary character); human (secondary characters); language: English; straight (primary character); straight (secondary characters); white, confirmed (secondary characters); young adult fiction

Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress

An engaging story about a dreamy, imaginative little boy who uses his artistic talents to help his classmates understand why he loves the tangerine dress in the dress-up centre. Morris gives readers insight into the courage and vulnerability at play…

Molly Bang Exercise

An exercise in following Molly Bang's principles of visual design. The exercise involved using only cut paper to create a scary picture of a bird. The first image was created in a short timeframe, whereas the second was revised to capture more…

Aaron Slater, Illustrator

Aaron Slater is a young boy who dreams of creating his own stories one day, however, struggles when trying to decipher letters when reading and struggles more than his other classmates due to this. Aaron believes his dream is unreachable however…

Tags: Black/African (primary character); boy/man (primary character); cognitive/neurological disability/condition (primary character); early reader (ages 5-9); human (primary character); language: English; unspecified sexuality (primary character)

Dinosaur Dig (The Berenstain Bears)

Based on the TV/Cartoon show, Dinosaur Dig is a tie-in that follows Nick Jr’s Berenstain Bears. In this book, Brother and Sister visit the Bearsonian Museum and find a real dinosaur dig taking place! What sort of fossils will they find?

Tags: boy/man (primary character); boy/man (secondary characters); girl/woman (primary character); girl/woman (secondary characters); language: English; picture book; unspecified sexuality (primary character); unspecified sexuality (secondary characters)

The Bad Guys in They’re Bee-Hind You!

The fourteenth installment in the The Bad Guys series. The story follows a team of four animal predators (Mr. Wolf, Mr. Piranha, Mr. Snake, and Mr. Shark) who decide to perform good deeds no longer wanting to be the bad guys. The team is trapped in a…

Tags: graphic novel; group (characters); language: English; non-human (primary character); non-human (secondary characters)

Thelma, Pig and Friends Storybook Collection: Five Favourite Stories

A collection of modern fables that uses animals to portray a message of self acceptance.

Tags: boy/man (primary character); girl/woman (primary character); graphic novel; language: English; non-human (primary character)

The Cruel Prince

The Cruel Prince follows a young woman named Jude who wants nothing to do with her mortality and hopes to be accepted into the High Court of Faerie. To win a place in the court she has to win over Prince Cardan because he despises humans.

Tags: boy/man (secondary characters); girl/woman (primary character); human (primary character); language: English; non-human (secondary characters); straight (primary character); straight (secondary characters); white, confirmed (primary character); young adult fiction

The Hockey Sweater

This children's picture book is about hockey and team loyalty. It is a comical story about a boy who is disappointed about receiving a Toronto Maple Leafs hockey jersey instead of a Montreal Canadians hockey jersey.

Tags: boy/man (primary character); boy/man (secondary characters); Christian (primary character); girl/woman (secondary characters); human (primary character); human (secondary characters); language: English; picture book; unspecified gender (secondary characters); unspecified sexuality (primary character); white, assumed (primary character); white, assumed (secondary characters)

Tempted (House of Night #6)

Tempted is the sixth novel in the House of Night Seriesof young adult novels about teens who are marked to become "vampyres." In this novel in the series, Zoe Redbird, who has both Cherokee and white heritage, strives to understand her connection…

Tags: boy/man (secondary characters); girl/woman (primary character); girl/woman (secondary characters); human (primary character); human (secondary characters); Indigenous (secondary characters); language: English; LGBTQ+ (secondary characters); multiracial (primary character); non-human (secondary characters); straight (primary character); young adult fiction

Hair Love

A Black American girl learns to style and care for her curls. The stylish hairdos build her self-esteem. This story was made into an Academy Award-winning short film by the same title.

Tags: Black/African (primary character); Black/African (secondary characters); boy/man (secondary characters); girl/woman (primary character); girl/woman (secondary characters); human (primary character); human (secondary characters); language: English; non-human (secondary characters); picture book; straight (secondary characters); unspecified sexuality (primary character)

The Scapegracers

Sideways Pike is a teenage lesbian witch who finds an unlikely friendship in the three most popular girls of her school. Together, the diverse group of friends form a powerful coven in which they explore friendship, love, and magic.

Tags: Asian (primary character); Black/African (primary character); boy/man (secondary characters); girl/woman (primary character); girl/woman (secondary characters); human (primary character); human (secondary characters); language: English; LGBTQ+ (primary character); LGBTQ+ (secondary characters); white, assumed (secondary characters); white, confirmed (primary character); young adult fiction

Mockingjay

This final book of The Hunger Games trilogy follows Katniss Everdeen as she discovers District 13 and becomes the opponent of President Snow. She also seeks to find her lost love, who was captured and brainwashed.

Tags: Black/African (secondary characters); boy/man (primary character); boy/man (secondary characters); girl/woman (primary character); girl/woman (secondary characters); language: English; straight (primary character); straight (secondary characters); white, confirmed (primary character)

The Shortest Day

Carson's illustrations accompany the text of Cooper's poem "The Shortest Day," initially written for stage performances. The book explores the celebration of the year's shortest day in the past and in the present, showing many races, genders, and…

Tags: Asian (secondary characters); boy/man (secondary characters); brown skin (secondary characters); girl/woman (secondary characters); group (characters); human (secondary characters); language: English; picture book; white, assumed (secondary characters)

Forever Birchwood

Wolf's and her friend's treehouse hideaway Birchwood, is threatened to be cut down, pushing Wolf to fight harder to protect the environment she cares deeply for. Her passion is fuelled when discovering her family’s indigenous connections as her great…

Tags: girl/woman (primary character); human (primary character); human (secondary characters); Indigenous (primary character); language: English; middle grade book (ages 8-12); unspecified sexuality (primary character); white, assumed (secondary characters)

Diary of a Young Naturalist

A teenager in Ireland describes his life within a year as he navigates friendships, school, and his incredible connection with nature. These diary entries follow the challenges of Dara's living with autism.

Tags: boy/man (primary character); boy/man (secondary characters); cognitive/neurological disability/condition (primary character); girl/woman (secondary characters); human (primary character); human (secondary characters); language: English; unspecified sexuality (primary character); unspecified sexuality (secondary characters); white, confirmed (primary character); white, confirmed (secondary characters); young adult nonfiction

Serena Says

“Award-winning author Tanita S. Davis delivers a heartwarming and humorous middle grade tale about a young girl who finds her own voice through vlogging and learns to speak out.” (Harper Collins)

Tags: human (primary character); human (secondary characters); language: English; middle grade book (ages 8-12); unspecified gender (primary character)

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