Graphic novelist, Gene Luen Yang, the National Ambassador of Young People’s Literature mission during his term has been to encourage readers to read more diversely with his Reading Without Walls Challenge. It is a simple challenge that asks readers to do one of these three things:
For the month April, there is a nationwide push to have every reader participate.
The YALSA Hub has long supported creating a habit of reading diversely. Here is a roundup of recent booklists that supports each of Yang’s three areas.
Hub blogger Dawn Abron’s ongoing series Diversify YA Life has had many great posts. For new authors, be sure to see her lists of Diverse Debuts of 2017 and Diverse Debuts 2016.
Also check out these posts:
- Diversify YA Life: Islamic Mythology & Middle Eastern Folktales
- Diversity YA Life: Urban Fiction
- Diversify YA Life: Interracial Couples
- Diversify YA Life: Not-So-Skinny POVs
- Diversify YA Life: LGBTQ Fiction and Non-Fiction
- Diversify YA Life: Horror with Diverse Characters
- Diversify YA Life: Social Justice League-Reader’s Advisory for Teens Dealing with Social Issues
- Diversity YA Life: Diverse Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror
Also check out our recent booklist on The Refugee Experience for Teens, as well as the following recent booklists with LGBTQ+ characters:
- 2016 Transgender and Gender Non-conforming Books for Teens
- Asexuality in Young Adult Fiction
- Transgender Day of Remembrance: A Booklist
- Middle School Pride : LGBTQ+ Tweens in Literature for Youth
- An Updated Graphic Guide to LGBTQ YA Literature for Pride Month
Don’t miss more award winning books from The Schneider Family Book Award, the Coretta Scott King Award, and the Stonewall Book Awards lists.
We have covered a variety of topics from social justice to science, and created booklists to go along with them. Here are a few from the past couple of years:
SOCIAL JUSTICE
- 13th Documentary Reading List for Teens
- Memoirs and Biographies of Those Who Broke Equal Rights Boundaries
- Narrative Nonfiction with Social Justice Themes Part II
- Narrative Nonfiction with Social Justice Themes
- 20 Books to Inspire Social Change
SCIENCE
- Fun and Informative Science-Themed Graphic Novels
- New Nonfiction Science
- Books to Celebrate Earth Day and the Environmentalist in All of Us
- Nonfiction Adventures in Space
We also have some resource on the following subjects:
- Child exploitation: What Problems Do You Want to Solve? Using Literature to Discuss Child Exploitation
- True crime: True Crime: Books, Podcasts, and Documentaries
- Dating issues and sexual assault: Nonfiction, Memoirs, and Resources on Teen Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Rape
For other great titles on a variety of subjects, be sure to look at the award winning books from YALSA’s Excellence in Young Adult Nonfiction Award.
We love promoting the other formats that Yang is encouraging. Here are some lists to help with challenge area three.
GRAPHIC NOVELS
For many fantastic lists with graphic novels and comics, be sure not to miss Hub blogger Carli Spina’s ongoing series Women in Comics. Also be sure to check out our many other lists as well as the vetted lists from YALSA’s Great Graphic Novels.
AUDIOBOOKS
Along with the vetted lists from YALSA’s Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults we have a few lists of own. Check out these lists:
- Reader Response: Amazing Audiobooks
- Great Road Trip Audiobooks for Teens (And their Parents!)
- 2015 Amazing Audiobooks Top Ten Listen-a-Likes
POETRY and BOOKS IN VERSE
We have many lists of books in verse to support this challenge. Check out some of these:
- International Stories in Verse for National Poetry Month
- Novels in Verse for Poetry Month
- Across the Uni-Verse : Novels in Poetry
- Across the Uni-Verse: Novels in Poetry, Part 2
- Telling it Slant: Different Ways to Tell a Story
OTHER
Other formats to consider for this part of the challenge is a book in translation, check out some new 2017 titles with our Translated YA Titles for the New Year. Also, check out our posts that involve books aimed at younger readers with these posts:
- New Interest Group – Picture Books for Young Adults
- Picture Books: Not Just for Kids
- 2016 Middle Grade Titles with Teen Appeal
Challenge yourself, challenge others, read with windows not walls.
–Danielle Jones, currently reading A Crack in the Sea by H.M. Bouwman