World Book Day Celebration: Diverse Books for Kids & Teens

Happy World Book Day!

World Book Day is my favourite day of the year. it’s a wonderful time to get excited about the amazing books there are in the MG/YA world, as well as dress up as some of my most beloved characters!

And this year, this blog hop has been a fantastic way for so many of us readers to share a few of our favourite diverse reads for young people. You can find a full list of everyone taking part at the end of the post.

So without further ado, here are my recommendations!

Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker and Wendy Xu

Nova Huang knows more about magic than your average teen witch. She works at her grandmothers' bookshop, where she helps them loan out spell books and investigate any supernatural occurrences in their New England town.

One fateful night, she follows reports of a white wolf into the woods, and she comes across the unexpected: her childhood crush, Tam Lang, battling a horse demon in the woods. As a werewolf, Tam has been wandering from place to place for years, unable to call any town home.

Pursued by dark forces eager to claim the magic of wolves and out of options, Tam turns to Nova for help. Their latent feelings are rekindled against the backdrop of witchcraft, untested magic, occult rituals, and family ties both new and old in this enchanting tale of self-discovery.

Pet by Akwaeke Umezi

How do you save the world from monsters if no one will admit they exist?

There are no more monsters anymore, or so the children in the city of Lucille are taught. With doting parents and a best friend named Redemption, Jam has grown up with this lesson all her life. But when she meets Pet, a creature made of horns and colours and claws, who emerges from one of her mother's paintings and a drop of Jam's blood, she must reconsider what she's been told. Pet has come to hunt a monster, and the shadow of something grim lurks in Redemption's house. Jam must fight not only to protect her best friend, but also to uncover the truth.

Running With Lions by Julian Winters

Bloomington High School Lions’ star goalie Sebastian Hughes should be excited about his senior year: his teammates are amazing, and he’s got a coach who doesn’t ask anyone to hide their sexuality. But when his estranged childhood-best-friend Emir Shah shows up at summer training camp, Sebastian realizes the team’s success may end up in the hands of the one guy who hates him. Determined to reconnect with Emir for the sake of the Lions, he sets out to regain Emir’s trust. But to Sebastian’s surprise, sweaty days on the pitch, wandering the town’s streets, and bonding on the weekends spark more than just friendship between them.

Catch up on the World Book Day celebration!

We have had a whole wonderful day of World Book Day recommendations, and you can find them all here, as well as using the hashtags #UKYAWBD2021 and #WorldBookDay: