Six little gems of middle grade fiction featuring characters from around the world. One of the best things about fiction is the opportunity to see the world through the characters eyes, to live lives in far away lands and times. Make as many of these characters and places different from your own and you will gain understanding and empathy beyond your life experience. These are exactly the kind of books that will teach our next generation to be accepting and open-minded. 

Amina's Voice by Hena Khan

An 11-year-old Pakistani-American girl navigates her way through friendship, family, religion and dreams for her future.

The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora by Pablo Cartaya 

A developer threatens Arturo Zamora’s family’s Cuban American restaurant in Miami.

Forever, or a Long, Long Time by Caela Carter

An introspective novel about two siblings and their struggle to trust an adoptive family after years in the foster care system.

Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly

Four kids lives intertwine when a bully’s prank lands them all at the bottom of a well together.

Lucky Broken Girl by Ruth

Set in 1966, a 10-year-old Cuban immigrant living in Queens is involved in a massive car accident and must spend a year in a full-body cast.

One Good Thing About America by Ruth Freeman

Congolese immigrant Anais adjusts to her new home in Maine. Readers follow her progress in letters home to her grandmother.

Have trouble reading standard print? Many of these titles are available in formats for patrons with print disabilities.

Staff picks are chosen by NYPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We'd love to hear your ideas too, so leave a comment and tell us what you’d recommend. And check out our Staff Picks browse tool for more recommendations!