This year, my goal was to try harder not just to read diverse books, but to focus on reviewing books by #ownvoices authors, specifically for Naz’s challenge at Read Diverse Books.  And while I think I’m doing pretty well with keeping up with the reading, I’m clearly behind on my reviews.  Again.

Links below are to my reviews where available.

#OwnVoices Authors

DC Super Hero Girls: Hits and Myths by Shea Fontana and Yancey Labat – middle grade graphic novel

Lowriders in Space by Cathy Camper and Raul the Third – middle grade graphic novel

Talkin’ About Bessie by Nikki Grimes and E.B. Lewis – this is a beautiful longer picture book biography in poems about famous aviatrix Bessie Coleman.

The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich – middle grade historical – this is a reread, because my daughter’s class had read it and she loved it so much she wanted to listen to it again.

March. Book Three by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, Nate Powell – teen/adult graphic biography – review to come.

Binti by Nnedi Okorafor  – adult sci-fi  review to come.

Juana & Lucas by Juana Medina  – early chapter book –  review to come.

The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon  – YA contemporary – review to come.

White Authors, Diverse Characters

The Lion Hunter by Elizabeth Wein – YA historical fantasy – Wein’s superb Arthurian-in-Ethiopia series continues with this story, starring Medraut’s son with an Ethiopian princess.

Stone Mirrors: the Sculpture and Silence of Edmonia Lewis by Jeannine Atkins – YA – I first heard of Edmonia Lewis when she was the subject of a Stuff You Missed in History Class podcast earlier this year and was very excited to see a YA novel-in-verse about her.  Somehow, though, it had some problematic elements regarding the depiction of her Native family and writing her as straight, when though there isn’t any written evidence one way or the other, she’s often claimed as a member of the Queer community.

A Little Taste of Poison by R.J. Anderson – middle grade fantasy

Miss Ellicott’s School for the Magically Minded by Sage Blackwood  – middle grade fantasy

Hilo: Saving the Whole Wide World by Judd Winick – middle grade graphic novel

The White Road of the Moon by Rachel Neumeier – YA historical fantasy

Under the Sugar Sun by Jennifer Hallock – an unusual historical romance that I heard about from Chachic, between an American schoolteacher in the Philippines and the local sugar baron.  It did once push my submission-is-(not)-romantic button, but the history is fascinating.

My TBR shelf currently includes American Street by Ibi Zoboi, SuperMutant Magic Academy by Jillian Tamaki, and Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee. What else should I add?  What are you enjoying?

[Edited 1/24/18 to include links to books reviewed after this post was first published.]