📚 Freedom to Read

Where every story has a place at the table!

At Holy Covenant, we believe access to ideas matters. Our Banned Book Library is a small, growing collection you can borrow from on Sundays — a practical way to stand for curiosity, compassion, and the freedom to read. Stop by the display, pick up a title, and join the conversation.

🆕 ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈! | Check Out Our February Arrivals

This month, Holy Covenant’s Freedom to Read initiative honors Black History Month by lifting up Black authors whose voices have been challenged, questioned, or removed from shelves — yet whose words continue to shape conscience, courage, and community.

Our February focus features four powerful works:

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison — A searing novel confronting racism, beauty standards, trauma, and the longing to be seen, frequently challenged for its unflinching portrayal of abuse and systemic injustice.

The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin — A prophetic collection of essays examining race, faith, and America’s unfinished moral work, often challenged for its direct critique of white supremacy.

When They Call You a Terrorist by Patrisse Khan-Cullors & Asha Bandele — A memoir tracing the origins of Black Lives Matter and the personal cost of justice advocacy, challenged in some districts for its political themes.

Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds & Ibram X. Kendi — A bold, accessible remix exploring the history of racist ideas and the work of antiracism for young readers.

Also new this month: additional titles have been added to the Freedom to Read collection.

📘 Adult Fiction: The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest (Stieg Larsson)
📗 Young Adult: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (Jesse Andrews)

Each week this month, a new Briefing will appear on the display table — an invitation to return, reflect, and rediscover the power of stories that refuse to be silenced.

Explore the library to read the short reviews and discover where each title appears in the collection.

📚 Challenged vs. Banned Books

Challenged means someone has formally requested a book be removed or restricted in a library or school. A challenge seeks to limit access for others.

Banned means the removal or formal prohibition of a book from a library or school collection. Some titles remain available only with limited or conditional access (for example, in a restricted section).

Because the “banned” vs. “challenged” classification of specific books can change over time, HCUCC’s Banned Book Library has been expanded to include books which have been challenged but which currently may not be officially banned somewhere in the United States.

(Definitions adapted from the American Library Association.)

The American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom documented 821 attempts to censor library materials in 2024, targeting 2,452 unique titles. While the volume fluctuates year to year, organized efforts to restrict access continue to affect both school and public libraries nationwide.

🔎 Discover Our Banned Book Library

Explore Holy Covenant’s growing collection of books that have been challenged, questioned, or pushed to the margins — stories too brave and beautiful to silence.

Click on each section below to expand it and browse titles across generations, genres, and journeys.

Here, curiosity is cherished, every voice matters, and the freedom to read is celebrated as a sacred gift.

📘 Classics

Timeless works that have shaped literature, raised big questions about power and morality, and are still frequently challenged for their honesty about race, war, class, and conscience.

📘Click to Explore

Title Author Publisher Year Short Review

Of Mice and Men John Steinbeck Covici Friede 1937 A spare, heartbreaking novel about friendship, dignity, and shattered dreams during the Great Depression.

Fahrenheit 451 Ray Bradbury Ballantine Books 1953 A dystopian warning about censorship and the cost of an unthinking society.

The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald Charles Scribner’s Sons 1925 A glittering Jazz Age critique of wealth, illusion, and the American Dream.

Lord of the Flies William Golding Faber & Faber 1954 Boys stranded on an island reveal how fragile civilization can be.

The Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne Ticknor, Reed & Fields 1850 A woman marked by shame claims courage, truth, and grace in Puritan New England.

Catch-22 Joseph Heller Simon & Schuster 1961 A darkly comic look at war, bureaucracy, and the absurdity of survival.

The Odyssey Homer Ancient Greek epic (various editions) c. 8th century BCE An epic journey home through storms, monsters, and the search for wisdom.

Their Eyes Were Watching God Zora Neale Hurston J. B. Lippincott 1937 A Black woman’s journey to claim her voice, love, and freedom in the Jim Crow South.

Brave New World Aldous Huxley Chatto & Windus 1932 A future of engineered happiness hides deep spiritual emptiness and control.

A Separate Peace John Knowles Secker & Warburg 1959 Friendship and jealousy collide at a boys’ boarding school in wartime.

To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee J. B. Lippincott 1960 A child’s-eye view of racial injustice and moral courage in the Deep South.

📖 Adult Fiction

Novels for grown-up readers that wrestle with trauma, justice, sexuality, and power —often challenged precisely because they name what many would rather leave unspoken.

📖Click to Explore

Title Author Publisher Year Short Review

🆕 The Bluest Eye Toni Morrison Holt, Rinehart and Winston 1970 A haunting novel exploring race, beauty standards, trauma, and the devastating effects of internalized racism.
🆕 The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest Stieg Larsson Norstedts Förlag 2007 The explosive conclusion to the Millennium trilogy, unraveling conspiracy, corruption, and institutional abuse.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Stieg Larsson Norstedts Förlag 2005 A dark investigative thriller exposing violence, corruption, and buried family secrets.

The Other Boleyn Girl Philippa Gregory Touchstone 2001 A historical novel of ambition, rivalry, and power within the court of Henry VIII.

Keeping Faith Jodi Picoult William Morrow 1999 A family’s crisis tests belief, truth, and the fragile line between faith and doubt.

A Court of Thorns and Roses Sarah J. Maas Bloomsbury 2015 A fantasy retelling that blends danger, romance, and resilience in a richly imagined world.

Fates and Furies Lauren Groff Riverhead Books 2015 A marriage examined from two perspectives, revealing power, secrecy, and myth beneath love.

Lilac Girls Martha Hall Kelly Ballantine Books 2016 Interwoven lives reveal courage and moral reckoning during World War II.

Angels & Demons Dan Brown Pocket Books 2000 A high-stakes thriller exploring faith, science, and secrecy within the Vatican.

Rant: An Oral Biography of Buster Casey Chuck Palahniuk Doubleday 2007 A fractured oral history that challenges truth, identity, and social order.

Invisible Monsters Chuck Palahniuk W. W. Norton 1999 A dark satire of beauty, identity, and reinvention told with raw intensity.

Misery Stephen King Viking 1987 A psychological thriller about obsession, control, and survival.

Oryx and Crake Margaret Atwood McClelland & Stewart 2003 A speculative tale of genetic engineering, corporate power, and a remade world.

Between the World and Me Ta-Nehisi Coates Spiegel & Grau 2015 A letter to a son about race, history, and the Black body in America.

The Pillars of the Earth Ken Follett William Morrow 1989 A sweeping medieval epic centered on a cathedral, power, and perseverance.

Water for Elephants Sara Gruen Algonquin Books 2006 A Depression-era circus becomes the backdrop for love, cruelty, and moral choice.

The Kite Runner Khaled Hosseini Riverhead Books 2003 Friendship, betrayal, and the possibility of redemption across Afghan history.

The Cider House Rules John Irving William Morrow 1985 An orphanage, a doctor, and hard questions about choice, care, and autonomy.

The Girl Who Played with Fire Stieg Larsson Norstedts Förlag 2006 A thriller of violence, corruption, and a fierce, unforgettable heroine.

The Things They Carried Tim O’Brien Houghton Mifflin 1990 Linked stories about soldiers in Vietnam and the emotional weight they carry.

Where the Crawdads Sing Delia Owens G. P. Putnam’s Sons 2018 A “marsh girl” grows up alone in the wilds of North Carolina and faces a town’s suspicion.

Change of Heart Jodi Picoult Atria Books 2008 Questions of faith, justice, and forgiveness swirl around a death row inmate’s final wish.

My Sister’s Keeper Jodi Picoult Atria Books 2004 A family confronts medical, moral, and emotional questions when a child is conceived as a donor.

The Color Purple Alice Walker Harcourt Brace Jovanovich 1982 Letters chart a Black woman’s journey from abuse toward self-worth, love, and liberation.

📚 Non-Fiction

Memoir, history, and social analysis that tell the truth about injustice, resilience, and the systems we inhabit — titles often challenged for their honesty about race, poverty, and power.

Click to Explore

Title Author Publisher Year Short Review

🆕 When They Call You a Terrorist (CD) Patrisse Khan-Cullors & Asha Bandele Macmillan Audio 2018 A memoir tracing the origins of Black Lives Matter and the personal cost of justice work.

🆕 The Fire Next Time James Baldwin Dial Press 1963 A powerful collection of essays confronting race, religion, and America’s moral reckoning.

Queerfully and Wonderfully Made: A Guide for LGBTQ+ Christian Teens Edited by Leigh Finke Augsburg Fortress 2023 A compassionate guide affirming LGBTQ+ teens as beloved by God and fully at home in their faith.

Educated: A Memoir Tara Westover Random House 2018 A woman’s journey from isolation to self-definition through education.

Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America Ibram X. Kendi Bold Type Books 2016 A comprehensive history tracing the roots and evolution of racist thought.

Nickel and Dimed Barbara Ehrenreich Henry Holt and Company 2001 A journalist goes undercover in low-wage jobs to expose the realities of the working poor.

Born a Crime Trevor Noah Spiegel & Grau 2016 Memoir of growing up mixed-race under apartheid and finding humor amidst injustice.

me and white supremacy Layla F. Saad Sourcebooks 2020 A guided workbook calling readers to examine and dismantle internalized racism.

Just Mercy Bryan Stevenson Spiegel & Grau 2014 A civil-rights lawyer chronicles cases that expose injustice in the U.S. criminal system.

The Glass Castle Jeannette Walls Scribner 2005 A memoir of an unconventional, often chaotic childhood and the strength to move forward.

The 1619 Project Nikole Hannah-Jones et al. One World 2021 Essays and poetry reframing U.S. history around the legacy of slavery and Black resilience.

🌟 Young Adults

Stories that meet teens where they are — exploring identity, grief, joy, queerness, violence, and courage. These are among the most frequently challenged books in the country.

🌟Click to Explore

Title Author Publisher Year Short Review

🆕 Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You Jason Reynolds & Ibram X. Kendi Little, Brown Books for Young Readers 2020 An accessible, urgent remix examining the history of racist ideas and the power of antiracism for young readers.

🆕 Me and Earl and the Dying Girl Jesse Andrews Abrams 2012 A darkly funny young adult novel about friendship, illness, awkwardness, and finding meaning in unexpected places.

Flowers for Algernon Daniel Keyes Harcourt Brace Jovanovich 1966 A moving exploration of intelligence, dignity, and what it means to be human.

Hatchet Gary Paulsen Bradbury Press 1987 A survival story of resilience and self-reliance after a boy is stranded in the wilderness.

All Boys Aren’t Blue George M. Johnson Farrar, Straus and Giroux 2020 A series of personal essays exploring identity, family, and self-acceptance.

Firekeeper’s Daughter Angeline Boulley Henry Holt and Company 2021 A Native teen is drawn into an undercover investigation, confronting corruption, identity, and truth in her tribal community.

Blubber Judy Blume Bradbury Press 1974 A frank look at bullying, peer pressure, and empathy among schoolchildren.

Deenie Judy Blume Bradbury Press 1973 A teen navigates disability, expectation, and self-acceptance.

The Hunger Games Suzanne Collins Scholastic Press 2008 A televised death match becomes the spark of a rebellion against oppression.

Forged by Fire Sharon M. Draper Simon Pulse 1997 A boy raised in abuse finds courage to protect his sister and himself.

Stella by Starlight Sharon M. Draper Atheneum Books for Young Readers 2015 A girl in 1930s North Carolina confronts racism and discovers the power of her voice.

George Alex Gino Scholastic Press 2015 A trans girl longs to be seen as herself in school, family, and onstage.

The Fault in Our Stars John Green Dutton Books 2012 Two teens with cancer fall in love as they wrestle with meaning, mortality, and joy.

The Fault in Our Stars (CD) John Green (audio edition) Audio publisher varies 2012 (text) Audiobook of the bestselling love story, ideal for listening and discussion.

Looking for Alaska John Green Dutton Juvenile 2005 A boarding school story about friendship, love, and grief divided by a single tragedy.

The Outsiders S. E. Hinton Viking Press 1967 Greaser and Soc teens clash and connect in a story of loyalty and loss.

A Wrinkle in Time Madeleine L’Engle Farrar, Straus and Giroux 1962 Meg Murry travels across space and time to rescue her father and fight darkness.

New Moon Stephenie Meyer Little, Brown and Company 2006 In the Twilight saga’s second book, heartbreak and supernatural danger deepen.

Puddin’ — Don’t Break the Rules. Change ‘Em. Julie Murphy Balzer + Bray 2018 Texas girls push back against expectations in a companion to *Dumplin’*.

Pumpkin — This Year, Prom’s a Drag. Julie Murphy Balzer + Bray 2021 A queer teen and aspiring drag queen shakes up prom and small-town norms.

Monster Walter Dean Myers HarperCollins / Amistad 1999 A teen on trial writes his story as a screenplay, questioning guilt, identity, and labels.

This Is Where It Ends Marieke Nijkamp Sourcebooks Fire 2016 A school shooting unfolds over 54 minutes from multiple student perspectives.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone J. K. Rowling Bloomsbury (UK); Scholastic (US) 1997 An orphan discovers he’s a wizard and enters a world of magic, friendship, and danger.

They Both Die at the End Adam Silvera HarperTeen 2017 Two boys meet on the day they’re told will be their last and choose how to live it fully.

The Egypt Game Zilpha Keatley Snyder Atheneum 1967 Children create an elaborate Egyptian role-playing world that intersects with real-life mystery.

The Hate U Give Angie Thomas Balzer + Bray 2017 A teen witnesses police violence and must decide how boldly to speak out.

Dragonwings Laurence Yep Harper & Row 1975 A Chinese boy joins his father in San Francisco and dreams of flight amid prejudice and change.

Genesis Begins Again Alicia D. Williams Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books 2019 A girl wrestles with colorism, family instability, and learning to love herself.

brown girl dreaming Jacqueline Woodson Nancy Paulsen Books 2014 A memoir in verse about growing up Black in the 1960s–70s and finding a writer’s voice.

The Pigman Paul Zindel Harper & Row 1968 Two teens befriend a lonely man, with consequences they can’t anticipate.

📗 Picture Books & Young Readers

Books for children and early readers that spark curiosity, introduce elections and identity, and celebrate diverse families and bodies — often challenged for exactly those reasons.

📗Click to Explore

Title Author Publisher Year Short Review

First Strawberries: A Cherokee Story Retold by Joseph Bruchac Dial Books for Young Readers 1993 A Cherokee creation story teaching forgiveness, harmony, and love.

Last Stop on Market Street Matt de la Peña G. P. Putnam’s Sons 2015 A child learns to see beauty, kindness, and community in everyday places.

Not My Idea: A Book About Whiteness Anastasia Higginbotham Dottir Press 2018 An age-appropriate conversation starter about race, power, and responsibility.

Smoky Night Eve Bunting Harcourt Brace 1994 A child’s view of community, fear, and solidarity during urban unrest.

Kapaemahu Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer & Joe Wilson Kokila / Penguin Random House 2022 A radiant retelling of a Native Hawaiian legend honoring the Mahu—people of dual male and female spirit—and their healing gifts.

Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story Kevin Noble Maillard Roaring Brook Press 2019 A warm and lyrical celebration of Native identity, family, and food, told through the shared experience of making fry bread together.

The Adventures of Super Diaper Baby George Beard & Harold Hutchins (Dav Pilkey) Scholastic 2002 A wildly silly spin-off from Captain Underpants, full of potty humor and comic-book antics.

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing Judy Blume Dutton 1972 Peter navigates life with his lovable but exasperating little brother, Fudge.

Bad Kitty for President Nick Bruel Roaring Brook Press 2012 A mischievous cat runs for office, introducing kids to elections with humor.

Mixed Me! Taye Diggs Henry Holt and Company 2015 A young biracial boy celebrates his identity and all the colors of who he is.

Harold and the Purple Crayon Crockett Johnson Harper & Brothers 1955 A boy with a purple crayon draws his way into and out of adventures.

All the Colors We Are (English/Spanish) Katie Kissinger Redleaf Press 1994 A child-friendly explanation of skin color, identity, and diversity in two languages.

Dancing with the Indians Angela Shelf Medearis Holiday House 1991 Based on a family story, a girl joins a Native American powwow and celebration.

Sulwe Lupita Nyong’o Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers 2019 A dark-skinned girl struggles with colorism and learns to see her own inner light.

Captain Underpants and the Perilous Plot of Professor Poopypants Dav Pilkey Scholastic 2000 Captain Underpants faces a villain whose name inspires endless giggles.

Captain Underpants and the Preposterous Plight of the Purple Potty People Dav Pilkey Scholastic 2006 Time travel, alternate realities, and lots of slapstick chaos.

Captain Underpants and the Sensational Saga of Sir Stinks-a-Lot Dav Pilkey Scholastic 2015 A smelly superhero showdown, with jokes and heart in equal measure.

And Tango Makes Three Justin Richardson & Peter Parnell Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers 2005 A true story of two male penguins who raise a chick together at the Central Park Zoo.

No, David! David Shannon Blue Sky Press/Scholastic 1998 A mischievous little boy hears “No!” a lot—but is embraced with love at the end.

📖 Learn More!

Want to go deeper? These resources offer clear explanations, real-world examples, and current perspectives on how and why books are challenged or banned in schools and libraries.

Understanding Book Bans and Challenges (USA Today)

This USA Today article walks through what “banned books” are, how bans and challenges unfold in schools and libraries, and how organizations like PEN America track and define book censorship in the United States.

Learn more

“And Tango Makes Three” – A Frequently Challenged Picture Book

This resource page highlights And Tango Makes Three, the bestselling true story of two male penguins at New York’s Central Park Zoo who raise a chick together — a tender, LGBTQ+-inclusive family story that has become one of the most frequently challenged children’s books in the United States.

Learn more

Title	Author	Publisher	Year	Short Review
Of Mice and Men	John Steinbeck	Covici Friede	1937	A spare, heartbreaking novel about friendship, dignity, and shattered dreams during the Great Depression.
Fahrenheit 451	Ray Bradbury	Ballantine Books	1953	A dystopian warning about censorship and the cost of an unthinking society.
The Great Gatsby	F. Scott Fitzgerald	Charles Scribner’s Sons	1925	A glittering Jazz Age critique of wealth, illusion, and the American Dream.
Lord of the Flies	William Golding	Faber & Faber	1954	Boys stranded on an island reveal how fragile civilization can be.
The Scarlet Letter	Nathaniel Hawthorne	Ticknor, Reed & Fields	1850	A woman marked by shame claims courage, truth, and grace in Puritan New England.
Catch-22	Joseph Heller	Simon & Schuster	1961	A darkly comic look at war, bureaucracy, and the absurdity of survival.
The Odyssey	Homer	Ancient Greek epic (various editions)	c. 8th century BCE	An epic journey home through storms, monsters, and the search for wisdom.
Their Eyes Were Watching God	Zora Neale Hurston	J. B. Lippincott	1937	A Black woman’s journey to claim her voice, love, and freedom in the Jim Crow South.
Brave New World	Aldous Huxley	Chatto & Windus	1932	A future of engineered happiness hides deep spiritual emptiness and control.
A Separate Peace	John Knowles	Secker & Warburg	1959	Friendship and jealousy collide at a boys’ boarding school in wartime.
To Kill a Mockingbird	Harper Lee	J. B. Lippincott	1960	A child’s-eye view of racial injustice and moral courage in the Deep South.

Title	Author	Publisher	Year	Short Review
🆕 The Bluest Eye	Toni Morrison	Holt, Rinehart and Winston	1970	A haunting novel exploring race, beauty standards, trauma, and the devastating effects of internalized racism.
🆕 The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest	Stieg Larsson	Norstedts Förlag	2007	The explosive conclusion to the Millennium trilogy, unraveling conspiracy, corruption, and institutional abuse.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo	Stieg Larsson	Norstedts Förlag	2005	A dark investigative thriller exposing violence, corruption, and buried family secrets.
The Other Boleyn Girl	Philippa Gregory	Touchstone	2001	A historical novel of ambition, rivalry, and power within the court of Henry VIII.
Keeping Faith	Jodi Picoult	William Morrow	1999	A family’s crisis tests belief, truth, and the fragile line between faith and doubt.
A Court of Thorns and Roses	Sarah J. Maas	Bloomsbury	2015	A fantasy retelling that blends danger, romance, and resilience in a richly imagined world.
Fates and Furies	Lauren Groff	Riverhead Books	2015	A marriage examined from two perspectives, revealing power, secrecy, and myth beneath love.
Lilac Girls	Martha Hall Kelly	Ballantine Books	2016	Interwoven lives reveal courage and moral reckoning during World War II.
Angels & Demons	Dan Brown	Pocket Books	2000	A high-stakes thriller exploring faith, science, and secrecy within the Vatican.
Rant: An Oral Biography of Buster Casey	Chuck Palahniuk	Doubleday	2007	A fractured oral history that challenges truth, identity, and social order.
Invisible Monsters	Chuck Palahniuk	W. W. Norton	1999	A dark satire of beauty, identity, and reinvention told with raw intensity.
Misery	Stephen King	Viking	1987	A psychological thriller about obsession, control, and survival.
Oryx and Crake	Margaret Atwood	McClelland & Stewart	2003	A speculative tale of genetic engineering, corporate power, and a remade world.
Between the World and Me	Ta-Nehisi Coates	Spiegel & Grau	2015	A letter to a son about race, history, and the Black body in America.
The Pillars of the Earth	Ken Follett	William Morrow	1989	A sweeping medieval epic centered on a cathedral, power, and perseverance.
Water for Elephants	Sara Gruen	Algonquin Books	2006	A Depression-era circus becomes the backdrop for love, cruelty, and moral choice.
The Kite Runner	Khaled Hosseini	Riverhead Books	2003	Friendship, betrayal, and the possibility of redemption across Afghan history.
The Cider House Rules	John Irving	William Morrow	1985	An orphanage, a doctor, and hard questions about choice, care, and autonomy.
The Girl Who Played with Fire	Stieg Larsson	Norstedts Förlag	2006	A thriller of violence, corruption, and a fierce, unforgettable heroine.
The Things They Carried	Tim O’Brien	Houghton Mifflin	1990	Linked stories about soldiers in Vietnam and the emotional weight they carry.
Where the Crawdads Sing	Delia Owens	G. P. Putnam’s Sons	2018	A “marsh girl” grows up alone in the wilds of North Carolina and faces a town’s suspicion.
Change of Heart	Jodi Picoult	Atria Books	2008	Questions of faith, justice, and forgiveness swirl around a death row inmate’s final wish.
My Sister’s Keeper	Jodi Picoult	Atria Books	2004	A family confronts medical, moral, and emotional questions when a child is conceived as a donor.
The Color Purple	Alice Walker	Harcourt Brace Jovanovich	1982	Letters chart a Black woman’s journey from abuse toward self-worth, love, and liberation.

Title	Author	Publisher	Year	Short Review
🆕 When They Call You a Terrorist (CD)	Patrisse Khan-Cullors & Asha Bandele	Macmillan Audio	2018	A memoir tracing the origins of Black Lives Matter and the personal cost of justice work.
🆕 The Fire Next Time	James Baldwin	Dial Press	1963	A powerful collection of essays confronting race, religion, and America’s moral reckoning.
Queerfully and Wonderfully Made: A Guide for LGBTQ+ Christian Teens	Edited by Leigh Finke	Augsburg Fortress	2023	A compassionate guide affirming LGBTQ+ teens as beloved by God and fully at home in their faith.
Educated: A Memoir	Tara Westover	Random House	2018	A woman’s journey from isolation to self-definition through education.
Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America	Ibram X. Kendi	Bold Type Books	2016	A comprehensive history tracing the roots and evolution of racist thought.
Nickel and Dimed	Barbara Ehrenreich	Henry Holt and Company	2001	A journalist goes undercover in low-wage jobs to expose the realities of the working poor.
Born a Crime	Trevor Noah	Spiegel & Grau	2016	Memoir of growing up mixed-race under apartheid and finding humor amidst injustice.
me and white supremacy	Layla F. Saad	Sourcebooks	2020	A guided workbook calling readers to examine and dismantle internalized racism.
Just Mercy	Bryan Stevenson	Spiegel & Grau	2014	A civil-rights lawyer chronicles cases that expose injustice in the U.S. criminal system.
The Glass Castle	Jeannette Walls	Scribner	2005	A memoir of an unconventional, often chaotic childhood and the strength to move forward.
The 1619 Project	Nikole Hannah-Jones et al.	One World	2021	Essays and poetry reframing U.S. history around the legacy of slavery and Black resilience.

Title	Author	Publisher	Year	Short Review
🆕 Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You	Jason Reynolds & Ibram X. Kendi	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers	2020	An accessible, urgent remix examining the history of racist ideas and the power of antiracism for young readers.
🆕 Me and Earl and the Dying Girl	Jesse Andrews	Abrams	2012	A darkly funny young adult novel about friendship, illness, awkwardness, and finding meaning in unexpected places.
Flowers for Algernon	Daniel Keyes	Harcourt Brace Jovanovich	1966	A moving exploration of intelligence, dignity, and what it means to be human.
Hatchet	Gary Paulsen	Bradbury Press	1987	A survival story of resilience and self-reliance after a boy is stranded in the wilderness.
All Boys Aren’t Blue	George M. Johnson	Farrar, Straus and Giroux	2020	A series of personal essays exploring identity, family, and self-acceptance.
Firekeeper’s Daughter	Angeline Boulley	Henry Holt and Company	2021	A Native teen is drawn into an undercover investigation, confronting corruption, identity, and truth in her tribal community.
Blubber	Judy Blume	Bradbury Press	1974	A frank look at bullying, peer pressure, and empathy among schoolchildren.
Deenie	Judy Blume	Bradbury Press	1973	A teen navigates disability, expectation, and self-acceptance.
The Hunger Games	Suzanne Collins	Scholastic Press	2008	A televised death match becomes the spark of a rebellion against oppression.
Forged by Fire	Sharon M. Draper	Simon Pulse	1997	A boy raised in abuse finds courage to protect his sister and himself.
Stella by Starlight	Sharon M. Draper	Atheneum Books for Young Readers	2015	A girl in 1930s North Carolina confronts racism and discovers the power of her voice.
George	Alex Gino	Scholastic Press	2015	A trans girl longs to be seen as herself in school, family, and onstage.
The Fault in Our Stars	John Green	Dutton Books	2012	Two teens with cancer fall in love as they wrestle with meaning, mortality, and joy.
The Fault in Our Stars (CD)	John Green (audio edition)	Audio publisher varies	2012 (text)	Audiobook of the bestselling love story, ideal for listening and discussion.
Looking for Alaska	John Green	Dutton Juvenile	2005	A boarding school story about friendship, love, and grief divided by a single tragedy.
The Outsiders	S. E. Hinton	Viking Press	1967	Greaser and Soc teens clash and connect in a story of loyalty and loss.
A Wrinkle in Time	Madeleine L’Engle	Farrar, Straus and Giroux	1962	Meg Murry travels across space and time to rescue her father and fight darkness.
New Moon	Stephenie Meyer	Little, Brown and Company	2006	In the Twilight saga’s second book, heartbreak and supernatural danger deepen.
Puddin’ — Don’t Break the Rules. Change ‘Em.	Julie Murphy	Balzer + Bray	2018	Texas girls push back against expectations in a companion to Dumplin’.
Pumpkin — This Year, Prom’s a Drag.	Julie Murphy	Balzer + Bray	2021	A queer teen and aspiring drag queen shakes up prom and small-town norms.
Monster	Walter Dean Myers	HarperCollins / Amistad	1999	A teen on trial writes his story as a screenplay, questioning guilt, identity, and labels.
This Is Where It Ends	Marieke Nijkamp	Sourcebooks Fire	2016	A school shooting unfolds over 54 minutes from multiple student perspectives.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone	J. K. Rowling	Bloomsbury (UK); Scholastic (US)	1997	An orphan discovers he’s a wizard and enters a world of magic, friendship, and danger.
They Both Die at the End	Adam Silvera	HarperTeen	2017	Two boys meet on the day they’re told will be their last and choose how to live it fully.
The Egypt Game	Zilpha Keatley Snyder	Atheneum	1967	Children create an elaborate Egyptian role-playing world that intersects with real-life mystery.
The Hate U Give	Angie Thomas	Balzer + Bray	2017	A teen witnesses police violence and must decide how boldly to speak out.
Dragonwings	Laurence Yep	Harper & Row	1975	A Chinese boy joins his father in San Francisco and dreams of flight amid prejudice and change.
Genesis Begins Again	Alicia D. Williams	Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books	2019	A girl wrestles with colorism, family instability, and learning to love herself.
brown girl dreaming	Jacqueline Woodson	Nancy Paulsen Books	2014	A memoir in verse about growing up Black in the 1960s–70s and finding a writer’s voice.
The Pigman	Paul Zindel	Harper & Row	1968	Two teens befriend a lonely man, with consequences they can’t anticipate.

Title	Author	Publisher	Year	Short Review
First Strawberries: A Cherokee Story	Retold by Joseph Bruchac	Dial Books for Young Readers	1993	A Cherokee creation story teaching forgiveness, harmony, and love.
Last Stop on Market Street	Matt de la Peña	G. P. Putnam’s Sons	2015	A child learns to see beauty, kindness, and community in everyday places.
Not My Idea: A Book About Whiteness	Anastasia Higginbotham	Dottir Press	2018	An age-appropriate conversation starter about race, power, and responsibility.
Smoky Night	Eve Bunting	Harcourt Brace	1994	A child’s view of community, fear, and solidarity during urban unrest.
Kapaemahu	Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer & Joe Wilson	Kokila / Penguin Random House	2022	A radiant retelling of a Native Hawaiian legend honoring the Mahu—people of dual male and female spirit—and their healing gifts.
Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story	Kevin Noble Maillard	Roaring Brook Press	2019	A warm and lyrical celebration of Native identity, family, and food, told through the shared experience of making fry bread together.
The Adventures of Super Diaper Baby	George Beard & Harold Hutchins (Dav Pilkey)	Scholastic	2002	A wildly silly spin-off from Captain Underpants, full of potty humor and comic-book antics.
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing	Judy Blume	Dutton	1972	Peter navigates life with his lovable but exasperating little brother, Fudge.
Bad Kitty for President	Nick Bruel	Roaring Brook Press	2012	A mischievous cat runs for office, introducing kids to elections with humor.
Mixed Me!	Taye Diggs	Henry Holt and Company	2015	A young biracial boy celebrates his identity and all the colors of who he is.
Harold and the Purple Crayon	Crockett Johnson	Harper & Brothers	1955	A boy with a purple crayon draws his way into and out of adventures.
All the Colors We Are (English/Spanish)	Katie Kissinger	Redleaf Press	1994	A child-friendly explanation of skin color, identity, and diversity in two languages.
Dancing with the Indians	Angela Shelf Medearis	Holiday House	1991	Based on a family story, a girl joins a Native American powwow and celebration.
Sulwe	Lupita Nyong’o	Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers	2019	A dark-skinned girl struggles with colorism and learns to see her own inner light.
Captain Underpants and the Perilous Plot of Professor Poopypants	Dav Pilkey	Scholastic	2000	Captain Underpants faces a villain whose name inspires endless giggles.
Captain Underpants and the Preposterous Plight of the Purple Potty People	Dav Pilkey	Scholastic	2006	Time travel, alternate realities, and lots of slapstick chaos.
Captain Underpants and the Sensational Saga of Sir Stinks-a-Lot	Dav Pilkey	Scholastic	2015	A smelly superhero showdown, with jokes and heart in equal measure.
And Tango Makes Three	Justin Richardson & Peter Parnell	Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers	2005	A true story of two male penguins who raise a chick together at the Central Park Zoo.
No, David!	David Shannon	Blue Sky Press/Scholastic	1998	A mischievous little boy hears “No!” a lot—but is embraced with love at the end.