The realistic fiction novel, Troublemaker, by John Cho is a wonderful coming-of-age story about a young Korean American boy as he attempts to keep his father safe and fix their troubled relationship. In Los Angeles during the spring of 1992, people are rioting in Koreatown over several recent cases of gun violence. Amidst this, Jordan, our main character, has just been suspended from school for cheating.
The life of a First Lady might seem like a dream, but Michelle Obama's memoir, Becoming, reveals the complexities behind the role. Through this deeply emotional and insightful book, Obama chronicles her journey from a racially segregated childhood to becoming one of the most influential women of our time. As the first African American First Lady, she transformed the White House into a beacon of inclusivity and championed causes for women and girls both in the U.S. and globally.
“She's the most important person in the world [but] her family [lives] in poverty.” This is the truth engraved in every page of the book. In a society full of racial inequality, those of darker skin are secretly used as test subjects in the medical world. They are lured into hospitals, claiming to offer “free” treatment. But the actual price they pay at the end of the day is beyond monetary value. One such victim was a Black mother, Henrietta Lacks.
To Kill a Mockingbird explores racial injustice and loss of innocence in the American South. It's narrated by Jean Louise "Scout" Finch, who remembers events from her childhood. Scout lives with her older brother Jem and their father, Atticus Finch, a respected lawyer. The story unfolds over three years, focusing on several events. The first being Scout and Jem's fascination with their introverted neighbor, Arthur "Boo" Radley, and their attempts to lure him out.
Angie Thomas’ The Hate U Give is a Young Adult Fiction novel that recounts the experiences of Starr Carter, a teenage Black girl who attends a rich, white prep school—a stark contrast to her poorer, predominantly Black neighborhood. Starr has an intense desire to explore how to define her identity as a result of her different experiences with her two very different worlds. Her desire is primarily fueled by the death of her childhood best friend, Khalil, who was killed by a police officer.
The Hate U Give is an enticing novel about a young African American girl finding her voice. Starr Park is a girl living in a predominantly black community, although she goes to a richer school in a different community. One day, she is in the car with her friend Khalil when a white police officer comes and shoots and kills him for no proper reason. The news coverage says that Khalil was killed because he had done something to provoke the police officer.
To Kill a Mockingbird is a historical fiction book by Harper Lee. The book takes place in Maycomb, Alabama, during the Great Depression. The book is from the perspective of Scout as she and her older brother Jem learn about racism and prejudice through their father's defense of a black man accused of rape. They witness the injustice of the legal system and the racism of their community.
Won, the first Asian American basketball player in the NBA, rose to stardom as one of the best players on the team as he filled in after “Powerball!” got injured. A Korean American TV producer, Carrie is working to get K-dramas onto the American stage. Won wants to be a basketball star and renew his temporary contract with the New York Knicks, while Carrie wants to bring representative Korean shows to America.
A valuable, necessary, and accessible book. Kiely has an easy-going manner and presents ideas that could be abstract, academic theory through relatable anecdotes and stories, more often than not about himself when he was a teenager. It reads quickly and directly addresses young white readers without confrontation or shaming, encouraging listening, empathy, and a sense of responsibility (instead of guilt). Highly recommended.
In If You Come Softly, Jeremiah and Ellie are seen by society to be on opposite poles, however through clashing events, their worlds collide. Ellie, a Jewish American girl is learning of Jeremiah’s African American culture. During that time, they are faced with backlash from others that continuously attempt to separate them. Despite this, the pair manages to fall in love and become an interracial couple. Across many obstacles, the pair still believes that they fit perfectly in each other’s worlds.
