Books hold a lot of power. They transport readers to other worlds, offer a range of perspectives, and educate generations of people. The most powerful thing a book can do is influence. Books can influence mindsets, emotions and choices. This is why representation in literature is so important. It offers readers the valuable opportunity to be influenced by more than just one reality. It allows all people to see a part of themselves in literature, something they can relate to and identify with.
Growing up, a lot of the books I read at school, or even in libraries, only told narratives from a white female perspective. While I could find personality traits or interests I could relate to, I still had an underlying desire to read a story about someone who looked like me. Representation in literature doesn’t just offer a good range of narratives, it emphasizes that those perspectives are important too. Stories about Black, Latina, Native and Asian women are just as important. Today, I feel as though we are beginning to witness more books with diverse main characters and rich storylines. I celebrate that! I encourage everyone to find books where they can relate to the characters. I also encourage you to read books about people who have different experiences from your own. It opens your eyes to a more colorful, deeper world.
Last May, I read a book that I felt embodied the importance of diverse characters while also providing a captivating plot. This book was Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. It follows a young Mexican woman who travels to a mysterious estate to investigate her cousin’s cries for rescue from her husband. The book includes vivid imagery of the beauty of Mexico and its culture and it addresses topics like women’s rights, colonialism, colorism, physical and sexual abuse, family, friendship as well as romance. It was really powerful and inspiring to read about the strength and intelligence of Latin women and the beauty of Mexico in the 1950s. Stories where we can find a piece of ourselves, our experiences and our backgrounds are so essential.
Here is a list of books from a diverse range of authors:
- Black Girls Must Die Exhausted by Jayne Allen
2. Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen
3. The Wrath & the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh
4. Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
5. Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh
6. I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sanchez
7. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
8. a good girl’s guide to murder by Holly Jackson
9. Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
10. brown skin girl by Mytrae Meliana
11. The Round House by Louise Erdrich
Literature has the power to shape our perspectives on life. I encourage everyone to pick at least one book where they can identify with the main character and one book about a person of a different race to read this year. Read books by Black authors, Latin authors, Native authors, Asian authors and white authors. It can deepen and widen our understanding of ourselves and others. Literature is a palette filled with more than just one color. Let’s paint our world-views with multiple hues and shades.
