Book Lists

Use the drop down list in the sidebar to explore our Book Lists. Below you will find descriptions of what types of books you can find in each list.

#OwnVoices

Oakland is one of the most diverse cities in America, but unfortunately, White is still the default in the publishing world. It's important to be able to find books that you can relate to or see yourself in. Bret Harte isn't just one race/orientation/ability, and neither is our library collection!

This guide to the Bret Harte Library is meant to help you find diverse fiction, written by diverse authors. This is called Own Voices.

Books are categorized as Own Voices when the main character is part of a marginalized group, and the author is a part of the same group.

For example, Kwame Alexander, author of The Crossover, is an African American author, writing about an African American Character: this would qualify as "Own Voices" fiction.

Use the dropdown list on the left to find a variety of #OwnVoices books in the Bret Harte Library!

If You Liked...

Have a book you absolutely loved and want one that feels similar? Check out our Read Alike Lists, or contact Ms. Solia for recommendations!