I live in a mostly white town in the mountains of southwest Virginia. In the past year I’ve made an effort to learn more about life from the perspective of people of color, but that’s kinda hard when there aren’t many people of color around me. Enter books!
I’ve read a few non-fiction books to increase my understanding of the complicated issue of race in America, but research shows that reading fiction can also increase empathy and understanding of different people. Here are a few great books I’ve read over the past few months that have helped me broaden my perspective and understanding of people from other racial and ethnic backgrounds.
Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson
Piecing Me Together (young adult contemporary) tells the story of Jade, a smart and talented artist who specializes in collage. She lives in a “bad neighborhood” of Portland with her mother and uncle and can’t wait to get out. When she earns a scholarship to attend a private, mostly white, high school, she gains access to several opportunities for “at risk” girls. Unfortunately, these opportunities are more demeaning than helpful. Even Jade’s mentor, a black woman who graduated from the same high school, has trouble seeing how her good intentions hurt more than help. Jade’s story is woven together with the motif of collage making that underscores the theme that people are made up of different, mismatching pieces.
All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely
All American Boys (young adult contemporary) uses two alternating points of view to tell the story of a brutal police arrest and its aftermath. When Rashad, a black teen, accidentally trips over a white woman in a convenience store, he is accused of stealing and resisting arrest and is savagely beaten by the arresting officer. Quinn, a white teen, witnesses the event and recognizes both Rashad as his high school classmate and the arresting officer – who happens to be a man he has looked up to for years – his best friend’s older brother. Reynolds and Kiely do an excellent job of describing different viewpoints of the same event and exploring the assumptions, backgrounds, and personal history that build perspective.
The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
The Sun is Also a Star (young adult contemporary) describes a day in the life of Natasha and Daniel. Natasha is a Jamaican born undocumented immigrant trying to prevent her family from deported the next day. Daniel is a Korean American trying to escape a college interview and the plans his parents have for his future (which include Yale and medical school- Daniel wants neither). Daniel, a poet and dreamer, is convinced fate brought Natasha to him, and they are meant to be together. Natasha, a scientist and realist, thinks Daniel is ridiculous. But she can’t deny her attraction to him.
The story balances humor with thoughtful descriptions of family dynamics. It includes deep thoughts about life, fate, and what brings people together and what pushes them apart. It also explores the science of falling in love and how the actions of one person can affect others. At times I found the romance of Daniel and Natasha melodramatic, (similar to Eleanor and Park), but overall I enjoyed the story and its themes. The audio book is well done, with different actors reading for Natasha, Daniel, and the narrator.
Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
Brown Girl Dreaming is a memoir in verse in which Woodson describes growing up as an African American in the 1960s and 1970s. She spent her time split between South Carolina and New York and never felt quite at home in either place. Her poems cover everything from her grandfather and his declining health to her family’s religion (Jehovah Witness) to the Civil Rights Movement. Descriptive and moving, the verses of Brown Girl Dreaming gave me a better understanding of a life so different from my own.
Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
Such A Fun Age (adult contemporary) was a Good Reads Choice Award winner for 2020. It tells the story of Emira, a black college grad in her mid 20s trying to figure out what she wants to do with her life. She knows she needs a job with good pay and health benefits, but until she finds one, she’s babysitting for a white, wealthy family in Philadelphia. Emira loves her charge, a thoughtful two year old named Briar, but is wary of her boss, Alix (pronounced Ah-leeks) who asks a lot of questions.
When Emira is accused of kidnapping Briar one night at a gucci grocery store, it sets off a complicated chain of events propelled by race, privilege, and good intentions falling short. Such a Fun Age is an interesting commentary on relationships and relating, and the audio book is well done.
Do you have any other book suggestions that are good for broadening perspective? Please share them in the comments!
Thanks for broadening your mind with me!
I have 3 of these 4 in my library and have read two of them!! Great choices! I, too, enjoy reading to broaden my perspective and open my eyes. One I’ve read that I really enjoyed was The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett. It’s about twins growing up in a southern black community who runaway to the city when they are 16. After a bit of time living in the city, they end up leading separate lives. One in the black community and one in the white community. Many years later their daughters paths cross which leads to their Moms reuniting, begrudgingly. I really like how Bennett tells the multigenerational story of the Vignes family and how our history influences our decisions and those decisions influence the next generation. It definitely made me think more about racism/bigotry, classism, Transgender. But it also had identity issues and self esteem which everyone can relate.
Thanks for the recommendation and review, Stephanie! Rosie recently read THE VANISHING HALF and also really enjoyed it. I definitely have it on my “to read” list. 🙂