Saturday, February 26, 2011

2011 Quirky Brown Reading Challenge

By far one of the toughest challenges, Terri has created the Quirky Brown Reading Challenge which forces readers to find books that depict another side of the usual 'Black Experience'. Every Black person has some shared experiences, but also very different and unique ones and this challenge represents that. I think all the books had to be a Black author but there were two books I put on here even though they were by white authors because they sounded so intriguing! I just won't count them.

I, of course, tried to stick with YA/MG and it was not easy! This is all I've got. I counted historical fiction but I'm not sure if fantasy counts...

1. The Kingdom on the Waves (The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Volume 2) by M.T. Anderson (the first book had a very unique and scientific twist on slavery, riveting)

2. Angel's Grace by Tracey Baptiste (Trinidadian main character)

3. Dope Sick by Walter Dean Myers (magical realism)

4. Hot, Sour, Salty, Sweet by Sherri L. Smith (Chinese American and African American)

5. A La Carte by Tanita Davis (Female vegetarian aspiring-chef)

6. The Other Half of My Heart by Sundee Frazier (biracial twins-one looks white, one looks Black, family drama!)

7. Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper (cerebral palsy)

8. Jimi & Me by Jamie Adoff (It's Jimi Hendrix-he defies all stereotypes)

9. Arilla Sun Down by Virginia Hamilton (Black and Native American. Good kind of different)

10. Chess Rumble by Greg Neri (Black people playing chess)

11. The Lion Hunter by Elizabeth E. Wein (Historical spy thriller)

My recommendations (already read and/or on the list for another challenge so I don't count them)

Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves

Slice of Cherry by Dia Reeves

How Lamar's Bad Prank Won a Bubba-Sized Trophy by Crystal Allen

The Kayla Chronicles by Sherri Winston

The Making of Dr. Truelove by Derrick Barnes