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Diverse non-fiction books for 11-18 year olds

Posted By Hannah Martin, 25 June 2024
I am a school librarian looking to further improve the diversity of our non-fiction section. I sometimes struggle to find resources that are suitable for 11-18 year-olds (almost no teenager wants to read a 500 page book in size 9 Times New Roman font!). I was just hoping for some recommendations for age-appropriate books that focus on diverse histories and cultures? Books like David Olusoga's 'Black and British: A Short, Essential History' are excellent as they are targeted towards younger audiences. I want my students to be able to learn about different countries' histories and cultures, but in an accessible way. I am particularly looking for books from typically underrepresented backgrounds (such as south-east Asia) as I find the publishing industry is really disappointing me! Thank you.

Tags:  School Library Diversity 

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Comments on this post...

Prity Shah says...
Posted 25 June 2024
Hannah, if you are a member of the School Libraries Group you will get access to the various CPD, including Key Issues which cover the EDI.  I recently bought Black and British which is excellent. On Peters Bookshop you will also find many recommendations.
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Hannah Martin says...
Posted 27 June 2024
Hi Prity, thanks so much for your reply. Thank you for recommending Peters. Their selection is great, exactly what I'm looking for. I am glad to see so many resources on black history, especially when this is something I would have loved as a child, but it would be excellent to see some books on Asian history that aren't about Gandhi or Malala Yousafzai! I worry sometimes that I am biased for mainly having resources that are about black history in the library because of my own background, but I am coming to realise that there is simply not enough out there being published about other cultures! Ah well, the search continues...
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KWAKU COKER says...
Posted 28 June 2024
Hello Hannah, you met need to do your research again as there are a lot books on South Asia culture and heritage for KS3 & KS4. From Hijab Butch Blues by Lamya H.; A Dutiful Boy by Moshsin Zaidi; It's Not About The Burqa Edited by Mariam Khan; From Outside In: Refugees and British Society edited by Nushin Arbadzadah with a Preface by Yasmin Alibhai-Brown; (Black Box Thinking, Dare To Be You, You Are Awesome, by Matthew Syed). You might need to add these to your next purchase Guapa by Saleem Haddad and Are You This Or Are You This?: A Story of Identity and Worth. https://uk.accessit.online/wdb00/#!dashboard
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Hannah Martin says...
Posted 11 July 2024
Hello Kwaku,Many thanks for your response. I have most definitely done my research, as this is something that is very important to me. I am familiar with the majority of these books. I think my hesitancy was over whether they would be accessible for younger readers (a lot of our younger students are much more likely to read books that are either written in large font or are illustrated).I'm wondering if you know of any books that give more general histories rather than individual experiences? It would be great to have a mix of both.I'm also really intrigued by your website, thank you for sending this. Did you make this or is this part of your library management software?
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Evangeline Scott says...
Posted 24 July 2024
Hello Hannah, I am a student in East Asian studies and can recommend Queer Asai
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Prity Shah says...
Posted 15 August 2024
Hannah there is a great website that covers books for South Asian literature called Jhalak Prize. Do you also look at the magazine published by CILIP called Pen and Ink? It is a great source of books written for young people by authors of colour.
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