Wednesday, August 26, 2009

C.O.R.A Diversity Roll Call And A Must Read

This weeks C.O.R.A. Diversity Roll Call is being hosted by Ali @ Worducopia This time we are asked to find titles that would appeal to teens, that featuring male protagonist of color and are set outside of the U.S.

La Linea by Ann Jaramillo- 16 yr old Miguel is trying to cross the border with is younger sister.


The Circuit by Francisco Jimenez- An autobiography that begins in Mexico


City Boy by Jan Michael - Set in Malawi, Africa


Leaving Glorytown: One Boy's Struggle Under Castro by Eduardo Calcines - The story of a boy living under Castro's regime. I really enjoyed this one. my review


Gringolandia by Lyn Miller Lachmann - Much of this novel is set in the U.S. but there are flashbacks to Chile, also the main character Daniel makes his way back to his birth country of Chile. my review

I searched for more titles but I am coming up empty. The next few titles came to my attention thanks to other bloggers.


Taste of Salt: A Story of Modern Haiti by Frances Temple I have Mary Ann to thank for this one.

The Buddha's Diamonds by Carolyn Marsden
A Little Piece of Ground by Elizabeth Laird
Funny boy :a novel by Shyam Selvadurai

Amy Bowllan has a wonderful series going on at her School Library Journal Blog - Writers Against Racism Its a must read.

6 comments:

Niranjana said...

Not sure if this is the place to recommend titles? Anyway, I wanted to mention Salman Rushdie's "Haroun and the Sea of Stories", which is a great story, and a powerful allegory on censorship.

Shyam Selvadurai's novel "Funny Boy", a coming-of-age tale set in Sri Lanka, is very good too.

MissA said...

I read Haroun & The Sea of Stories for school, it was good.
Thanks for all these new titles (I want to read Gringolandia so so bad!) to add to my wishlist Doret :)
I really liked La Linea too.
Sadly I have no titles to recommend :(

Ali said...

Great stuff, I've loved this Roll Call. I'm curious about Leaving Glorytown, will have to take a look for that one--and now I see that I said that when I read your review, also. Okay, Ali. Time to follow through.

Zetta said...

I hope folks DO check out the Writers Against Racism link b/c TODAY, YOU are the featured activist, Doret...blow your own horn, PLEASE!

Lyn Miller-Lachmann said...

Thanks for including Gringolandia on your list. And I have a suggestion for another book--A Little Piece of Ground, by Elizabeth Laird and Sonia Nimr, published in the U.S. by Haymarket Books. It appeared in the U.K. to wide attention and acclaim but could not find a mainstream U.S. publisher because of its controversial content. A Little Piece of Ground portrays a 12-year-old Palestinian boy and his two best friends, one Christian and one Muslim, who build a soccer field in an area declared off-limits by Israeli forces.

Doret said...

Thanks for the suggestions Niranjana and Lyn, will add them to the list.

And thanks Zetta