When you read a book, you connect with the characters, learn about who they are and who they surround themselves with, and go on adventures together. Every book you read there are themes of being kind to one another or standing up for what's right...but if these themes are only presented to cis-white heterosexual characters all the time: what message are we sending to people? If someone only reads about white main characters, what does that say about who gets to be the main focus of the novel? Are we saying that only cis-white heterosexual people can take in these important lessons from these stories? Are we saying that cis-white heterosexual people should be the focus of these adventures?
Where does that leave children, teens, and adults who are LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, intersex, asexual, and more), BIPOC (black and indigenous people of color), or POC (people of color)?
POC, BIPOC, and LGBTQIA+ books need to be showcased and lifted up in the writing community. Diverse voices allow others to create and establish new ideas and beliefs that go beyond their viewpoints. It allows people to build empathy and acknowledge and inform themselves of the experiences that other people have with the world around them. Representation is essential because stories are about connecting, and representation is one way that allows BIPOC, POC, and LGBTQIA+ readers to feel connected.
Here are some books on my to-read list on Goodreads; they include authors of color and stories that feature POC, BIPOC, and LGBTQIA+ people. As to not write an essay, I will include 6 books that I personally cannot wait to read, and will link the others in a slideshow along with my entire reading list! Below, you will find an informative video by rachel writes on YouTube titled "Writing Diversely & the problem with 'staying in your lane'" that is targeted for writers, but poses many questions for everyone to ask themselves when picking up a book, watching a movie, creating a piece of art, looking at an advertisement, or reading a fashion magazine.
WRITING DIVERSELY & THE PROBLEM WITH "STAYING IN YOUR LANE"
TOP 6 POC, BIPOC, AND LGBTQIA+ BOOKS TO INCLUDE ON YOUR READING LIST IN 2020
by Bethany C. Morrow
Published June 2nd, 2020
Genre(s): Fantasy, Young Adult, Fiction, Contemporary
Goodreads Summary: "Tavia is already at odds with the world, forced to keep her siren identity under wraps in a society that wants to keep her kind under lock and key. Never mind she's also stuck in Portland, Oregon, a city with only a handful of black folk and even fewer of those with magical powers. At least she has her bestie Effie by her side as they tackle high school drama, family secrets, and unrequited crushes.
But everything changes in the aftermath of a siren murder trial that rocks the nation; the girls’ favorite Internet fashion icon reveals she's also a siren, and the news rips through their community. Tensions escalate when Effie starts being haunted by demons from her past, and Tavia accidentally lets out her magical voice during a police stop. No secret seems safe anymore—soon Portland won’t be either."
Why I picked A Song Below Water: First off, who doesn't want to read about sirens in Oregon? The interwoven fantasy aspect that plays into the issues Tavia faces makes it seem like an interesting read. I'm not sure what it means for Tavia to let out her voice during a police stop, but I'm assuming that the author may discuss police brutality among the problems Tavia faces. If so, I think it would be a good read to educate myself more on the topic of police brutality. Overall, the book idea is new and fresh and I'm super stoked to dive into it!!
by: Kat Cho
Expected Publication: August 18th, 2020
Genre(s): Fantasy, Mythology, Young Adult
Summary: "As Vicious Spirits begins, Miyoung and Jihoon are picking up the pieces of their broken lives following the deaths of Miyoung's mother, Yena, and Jihoon's grandmother. With the support of their friend Somin, and their frenemy, Junu, they might just have a shot at normalcy. But Miyoung is getting sicker and sicker by the day and her friends don't know how to save her. With few options remaining, Junu has an idea but it might require the ultimate sacrifice and, let's be honest, Junu isn't known for his "generosity." Meanwhile, the events at the end of Wicked Fox have upended the forces that govern life and death and there are supernatural entities lurking in the background that will stop at nothing to right their world."
Why I picked Vicious Spirits: If you've been reading my previous posts, you know that I'm not only a sucker for A) mythology (thank you Mr. Riordan) but, B) have raved about wanting to read Wicked Fox, which is the first book in the Gumiho series. As this being the second book, I am eagerly awaiting it so I can consume this series in one fell swoop. Also, my god, the covers look fantastic.
by Frances Cha
Published April 21st, 2020
Genre(s): Fiction, Contemporary, Adult
Summary: "'Even as a girl, I knew the only chance I had was to change my face... even before a fortune-teller told me so.'
Kyuri is a heartbreakingly beautiful woman with a hard-won job at a "room salon," an exclusive bar where she entertains businessmen while they drink. Though she prides herself on her cold, clear-eyed approach to life, an impulsive mistake with a client may come to threaten her livelihood.
Her roomate, Miho, is a talented artist who grew up in an orphanage but won a scholarship to study art in New York. Returning to Korea after college, she finds herself in a precarious relationship with the super-wealthy heir to one of Korea's biggest companies.
Down the hall in their apartment building lives Ara, a hair stylist for whom two preoccupations sustain her: obsession with a boy-band pop star, and a best friend who is saving up for the extreme plastic surgery that is commonplace.
And Wonna, one floor below, is a newlywed trying to get pregnant with a child that she and her husband have no idea how they can afford to raise and educate in the cutthroat economy.
Together, their stories tell a gripping tale that's seemingly unfamiliar, yet unmistakably universal in the way that their tentative friendships may have to be their saving grace."
Why I picked If I Had Your Face: My wonderful women's studies professor covered the subject of colorism and cosmetic procedures that are especially prevalent in Asia. Everyone consumes the Eurocentric features broadcasted in magazine, tv shows, media, and more: skinny, perfect snow kissed skin, with big eyes, round bouncy breasts, and a small nose. This topic is important to discuss and does so in a way that combines Kyuri and her friends' experiences in life as well.
by Darcie Little Badger
Expected Publication: August 25th, 2020
Genre(s): Fantasy, Young Adult, LGBTQIA+
Summary: "Imagine an America very similar to our own. It’s got homework, best friends, and pistachio ice cream.
There are some differences. This America been shaped dramatically by the magic, monsters, knowledge, and legends of its peoples, those Indigenous and those not. Some of these forces are charmingly everyday, like the ability to make an orb of light appear or travel across the world through rings of fungi. But other forces are less charming and should never see the light of day.
Elatsoe lives in this slightly stranger America. She can raise the ghosts of dead animals, a skill passed down through generations of her Lipan Apache family. Her beloved cousin has just been murdered, in a town that wants no prying eyes. But she is going to do more than pry. The picture-perfect facade of Willowbee masks gruesome secrets, and she will rely on her wits, skills, and friends to tear off the mask and protect her family."
Why I picked Elatsoe: I've never read a story with a sole Native American protagonist (I've read the Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan—a white man—but a Lipan Apache woman writes Elatsoe! With this list, you can tell I love fantasy, but having it intertwined with Earth (rather than a completely new fantasy world) and a murder mystery takes it to another level.
by Elizabeth Acevedo
Published: May 5th, 2020
Genre(s): Contemporary, Young Adult, LGBTQIA+
Summary: "Camino Rios lives for the summers when her father visits her in the Dominican Republic. But this time, on the day when his plane is supposed to land, Camino arrives at the airport to see crowds of crying people...
In New York City, Yahaira Rios is called to the principal's office, where her mother is waiting to tell her that her father, her hero, has died in a plane crash.
Separated by distance - and Papi's secrets - the two girls are forced to face a new reality in which their father is dead and their lives are forever altered. And then, when it seems like they've lost everything of their father, they learn of each other.
Papi's death uncovers all the painful truths he kept hidden, and the love he divided across an ocean. And now, Camino and Yahaira are both left to grapple with what this new sister means to them, and what it will now take to keep their dreams alive.
In a dual narrative novel in verse that brims with both grief and love, award-winning and bestselling author Elizabeth Acevedo writes about the devastation of loss, the difficulty of forgiveness, and the bittersweet bonds that shape our lives."
Why I picked Clap When You Land: I love that this story doesn't feature a white Latinx person, but rather, showcases that there are many different people in Latin America. Latinx is not a race, but an ethnicity, and it's important to acknowledge that people of different races can be included within the Latinx ethnicity.
by Alka Joshi
Published: March 3rd, 2020
Genre(s): Historical Fiction
Summary: "Escaping from an abusive marriage, seventeen-year-old Lakshmi makes her way alone to the vibrant 1950s pink city of Jaipur. There she becomes the most highly requested henna artist—and confidante—to the wealthy women of the upper class. But trusted with the secrets of the wealthy, she can never reveal her own…
Known for her original designs and sage advice, Lakshmi must tread carefully to avoid the jealous gossips who could ruin her reputation and her livelihood. As she pursues her dream of an independent life, she is startled one day when she is confronted by her husband, who has tracked her down these many years later with a high-spirited young girl in tow—a sister Lakshmi never knew she had. Suddenly the caution that she has carefully cultivated as protection is threatened. Still she perseveres, applying her talents and lifting up those that surround her as she does."
Why I picked The Henna Artist: Got to love me some historical fiction. Also, I've never read a book that was entirely in India. This seems more on the horror and scary side—although I guess I'll find out when I read it—which isn't normally my taste (I am a scaredy-cat, so sorry to any horror readers), so this will be an interesting read that will leave me on the edge of my seat.
Further recommendations that are published or expecting publication (due to the lack of representation in the publishing world, I've decided to include titles published before 2020 as well!). If anyone has any more suggestions, feel free to leave a comment :) You can follow me on Goodreads here.
xx,
Gabriella
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