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

Love in the Library

A short recollection of how Maggie Tokuda-Hall’s grandparents met during their time in a Japanese internment camp. A story about love as persistence and resistance in times of hardship.

Tags: boy/man (primary character); girl/woman (primary character); human (primary character); language: English; picture book; straight (primary character)

That Was Then, This is Now

Set in the 1960s, this coming-of-age novel follows two male best friends, Mark Jennings and Bryon Douglas, as they evolve and drift apart.

Tags: boy/man (primary character); human (primary character); language: English; unspecified sexuality (primary character); white, assumed (primary character); young adult fiction

In this story, Emmitt's twin sister, Minnie, dies in an accident. Minnie turns out to be an organ donor. Emmitt tries to put his sister back together, in spirit. He decides to create a film and interview people who received his sisters organs. The…

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

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)

Batpig: When Pigs Fly

Part of the Batpig series. Gary Yorkshire was a perfectly ordinary pig who gets Superpowers thanks to a radioactive bat bite. Gary, inspired by his Crimson Swine comics, decides to put his powers to good use and adopts the moniker Batpig.

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

What I Like About You

Nash and Halle have built a seemingly wonderful virtual connection. They have shared interests and beliefs, but Kels, Halle's fictional character, is everything she wishes she was. When Halle and her brother move in with her Grandfather and finds…

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

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)

Black Boy Joy

An anthology of stories regarding black boyhood and the experiences and joys of growing up as a person of color. Black Boy Joy brings together stories from 17 non-binary and black male authors.

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

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)

Lost in Time

Mimi is a part of the Blue Bloods family line. She must face a blood trial with her twin brother Jack, where in the end only one of them will survive. However, everything they thought about the gate has turned out to be a lie. Mimi must save the only…

Tags: boy/man (primary character); boy/man (secondary characters); girl/woman (primary character); language: English; straight (primary character); unspecified gender (secondary characters); young adult fiction

Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things

Alvin Ho tells the story of an Asain American Second grade boy, Alvin is afraid of a lot of things, including girls and school. At school Alvin is very quiet and hardly there, but when he's home he pretends to be a superhero who shares the qualities…

Tags: Asian (primary character); boy/man (primary character); early reader (ages 5-9); human (primary character); language: English; unspecified sexuality (primary character)

The Last Star: The Final Book of The 5th Wave

Is the final book in the 5th wave series. Follows the journey of Cassie fighting against the aliens who have invaded earth. In the remaining few days they have left on earth Cassie and the remaining survivors must decide what is most important,…

Tags: boy/man (primary character); boy/man (secondary characters); girl/woman (primary character); girl/woman (secondary characters); language: English; young adult fiction

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)

Elijah Of Buxton

The book follows Elijah Freeman, an 11 year old boy from Buxton, Ontario, a settlement of escaped slaves. After Elijah's friend is robbed of the money he was saving to buy his family out of captivity, Elijah journeys to the US in pursuit of the…

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

Plague

Eight months after everyone over age fifteen disappeared, protagonist Sam Temple and the youth of Perdido Beach are alone with supernatural abilities in the FAYZ (the dome/barrier that surrounds them). Their dystopian world is filled with hunger,…

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

The 12 Days of First Grade

What will the teacher share with us on The 12 Days of First Grade? Find out in this rhyming storybook by Jenna Lettice! Follow along to discover all the school activities and supplies for a fun-filled 12 Days of First Grade.

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

Daniel Misses Someone

Daniel misses Grandpere because he lives so far away! What can he do to cope with this feeling? Follow Daniel as he discovers there are tons of things to do to feel better about missing Grandpere.

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

They Both Die at the End

They Both Die at the End is a story about two young men named Mateo and Rufus whose lives intersect when each gets a call telling him he is going to die that day and they connect via an app called Last Friend. This book allows readers to follow along…

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

The Extraordinaries

This queer coming-of-age story follows Nick Bell, an ultimate fanboy with ADHD. Nick strives to be extraordinary to impress his biggest crush: Shadow Star, Nova City's mightiest hero. But, he finds that his best friend Seth could be the true love of…

Tags: boy/man (primary character); boy/man (secondary characters); cognitive/neurological disability/condition (author); cognitive/neurological disability/condition (primary character); girl/woman (secondary characters); human (primary character); human (secondary characters); language: English; LGBTQ+ (author); LGBTQ+ (primary character); LGBTQ+ (secondary characters); man (author); unspecified gender (secondary characters); white (author); white, assumed (primary character); white, assumed (secondary characters); young adult fiction

Deeplight

In this fantasy story, the Gods have disappeared for over 30 years and divers search for some of their remains. Hark finds a divine heart to save his best friend Jelt, but the divine does not seem to mingle well with the human. The book follows two…

Tags: boy/man (primary character); girl/woman (secondary characters); human (primary character); human (secondary characters); language: English; unspecified sexuality (primary character); unspecified sexuality (secondary characters); young adult fiction

Refugee

Refugeefollows three children escaping three different traumatic situations: in the 1930s, a Jewish boy named Josef escapes Nazi Germany; in 1994, a girl named Isabel tries to leave Cuba to go to America; and in 2015, a Syrian boy named Mahmoud is on…

Tags: Arab (primary character); boy/man (primary character); girl/woman (primary character); human (primary character); Jewish (primary character); language: English; Latinx (primary character); middle grade book (ages 8-12); Muslim (primary character); unspecified sexuality (primary character); white, assumed (primary character)

The Bookshop Cat

A cat finds a job in a children's bookshop, where he helps children of many races and genders come together over books.

Tags: Asian (secondary characters); Black/African (secondary characters); boy/man (primary character); boy/man (secondary characters); brown skin (secondary characters); girl/woman (secondary characters); human (secondary characters); language: English; non-human (primary character); non-human (secondary characters); picture book; white, assumed (secondary characters)

Grumpy Monkey

Jim is a grumpy monkey who does not want to admit it. His jungle friends suggest ways he can cheer himself up. But instead of trying to improve his mood, Jim sits with Norman, the gorilla, who lets him just feel his grumpiness. This New York Times…

Tags: boy/man (primary character); language: English; non-human (primary character); non-human (secondary characters); picture book; unspecified gender (primary character); unspecified sexuality (primary character); unspecified sexuality (secondary characters)

PJ Masks Save the School!

Preschool is never boring with Catboy, Owlette and Gekko! Join them as they try to find out who stole the school supply that just suddenly went missing.

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

Browse Items (44 total)