Compiled by Megan Schliesman, Kathleen T. Horning and Merri V. Lindgren
© 2006; updated 2015; 2018
At the CCBC, we define "multicultural" literature as books by and about people of color and First/Native Nations individuals: African and African Americans, American Indians, Asian/Pacific and Asian Pacific Americans, and Latinos. This listing introduces 30 essential books and a range of authors for teens.
Bruchac, Joseph. Our Stories Remember: American Indian History, Culture and Values through Storytelling. Fulcrum, 2003. 192 pages. Age 16 and older
Cofer, Judith Ortiz. An Island Like You: Stories of the Barrio. Melanie Kroupa/Orchard, 1995. 165 pages. Ages 12 - 16
Dimaline, Cherie. The Marrow Thieves. Dancing Cat Books (DCB)/Cormorant, 2017. 234 pages. Age 12 and older
Engle, Margarita. The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba's Struggle for Freedom. Henry Holt, 2008. 176 pages. Age 12 and older
Flake, Sharon. Money Hungry. Jump at the Sun/Hyperion, 2001. 187 pages. Ages 12 - 16
Gansworth, Eric. If I Ever Get Out of Here. Arthur A. Levine Books / Scholastic, 2013. 359 pages. Age 11 and older
Hamilton, Virginia. Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush. Philomel, 1982. 215 pages. Age 11 and older
Jaramillo, Ann. La Línea. Deborah Brodie Book / Roaring Brook Press, 2006. 131 pages. Age 13 and older
Jiang, Ji-Li. Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution. HarperCollins, 1997. 285 pages. Age 12 and older
Jimenez, Francisco. The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child. Houghton Mifflin, 1999. 116 pages. Age 12 and older
Johnson, Angela. The First Part Last. Simon & Schuster, 2003. 144 pages. Ages 13 - 18
Kadohata, Cynthia. Kira-Kira. Atheneum, 2004. 244 pages. Ages 10-14
Magoon, Kekla. How It Went Down. Henry Holt, 2014. 326 pages. Age 14 and older
Myers, Walter Dean. Monster. Illustrated by Christopher Myers. HarperCollins, 1999. 1999 pages. Ages 13 and older
Na, An. A Step From Heaven. Front Street, 2001. 156 pages. Age 13 and older
Nelson, Marilyn. A Wreath for Emmett Till. Illustrated by Philippe Lardy. Houghton Mifflin, 2005. 40 pages. Age 14 and older
Nelson, Vaunda Micheaux. No Crystal Stair. Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie. Carolrhoda LAB, 2012. 188 pages. Age 12 and older
Nelson, Kadir. Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans. Balzer + Bray / HarperCollins, 2011. 108 pages. Ages 8-14
Park, Linda Sue. When My Name Was Keoko: A Novel of Korea in World War II. Clarion, 2002. 199 pages. Ages 11 - 14
Quintero, Isabel. Gabi: A Girl in Pieces. Cinco Puntos Press, 2014. 284 pages. Age 14 and older
Reynolds, Jason. When I Was the Greatest. Atheneum, 2014. 231 pages. Age 13 and older
Reynolds, Jason and Brendan Kiely . All American Boys. Atheneum, 2015. 320 pages. Age 13 and older
Sáenz, Benjamin Alire. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. Simon & Schuster, 2012. 359 pages pages. Age 14 and older
Say, Allen. Drawing from Memory. Scholastic Press, 2011. 64 pages. Age 10 and older
Sheth, Kashmira. Koyal Dark, Mango Sweet. Hyperion, 2006. 25 pages. Age 12 and older
Stork, Francisco X.. The Last Summer of the Death Warriors. Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic, Inc., 2010. 344 pages. Ages 14 and older
Tingle, Tim. House of Purple Cedar. Cinco Puntos Press, 2014 (c2013). 336 pages. Age 14 and older
Woodson, Jacqueline. Brown Girl Dreaming. Nancy Paulsen Books / Penguin, 2014. 336 pages. Age 10 and older
Yang, Gene Luen. American Born Chinese. First Second, 2006. 233 pages. Age 13 and older
This list may be reproduced and distributed by educational and/or nonprofit organizations so long as credit is given to the Cooperative Children's Book Center, School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison.