We’re close to halfway on the official clock and I’ve been absolutely heart eyes emoji about the online #24in48 community today. Between Instagram, Litsy, Twitter, Facebook, and Booktube, you guys are really making this weekend a team sport. I love how inclusive and supportive everyone is and I am here for it. Keep going, guys, you’re doing great!
One of the best ways that the online readathon community works is by exposing your fellow 24in48-ers to books that they may not otherwise have heard of or thought they’d be interested in. Personally, I recommend using readathon to check out diverse titles and authors. We Need Diverse Books in particular is an organization that advocates for changes in the children’s publishing industry in order to promote and encourage greater diversity of authors, characters, and subject matter. Diverse books normalize, empower, and make visible people who otherwise feel invisible or forgotten.
If you’re not familiar with it, #ownvoices describes books written by authors that identify with the same marginalized group as the protagonists that they’re writing. This could include authors that identify as and are writing characters that are POCs, disabled, LGBTQ+, non-cisgender, etc.
The intention is two-fold: 1) reading #ownvoices books sends a message to the publishing community (which is traditionally, white, able-bodied, straight, and cisgender) that these books have audiences and encourage them to publish more of them, and 2) reading about characters from marginalized groups expands your own awareness of diversity and empathy, something I think we can all benefit from.
So for this hour’s challenge, I want you to recommend books by diverse/#ownvoices authors. Either leave a comment with your recommendations or take a photo of some of your favorite diverse books and drop the link/image in the comments. Give your fellow readers some suggestions for diverse books, and think about adding #ownvoices books to your TBR stack for the rest of the ‘thon.
Here’s a stack of our favorite diverse titles that would be perfect for readathoning:
You have until Hour 24 to enter this diversity challenge. And now to announce prize winners for the Hour 12 roadtrip challenge.
Veronica Éles (@vveronica96 on Twitter)
Jess (b-ookaddict.tumblr.com)
Austin R. (@aerobins13 on Litsy)
Stephanie (@realbooks4ever on Litsy)
Karina (@karina.reads on Litsy)
Julie (@den_siste_heksa on Instagram)
Michelle Sorensen (@hikingnugg on Twitter)
Allison Ivy (@msallisonivy on Twitter)
Michelle B. (@coffeecatsbooks on Litsy)
Britain Callen (@callemarie @ Litsy)
Head over to the Prize page and pick your poison in the form. And don’t forget you have six hours left to enter the Intro Challenge from Hour Zero.
24in48 Readathon 
I’m listing titles that I’ve read, but anything by these authors should be great
Son of a Trickster by Eden Robinson
Even this Page is White by Vivek Shraya
The Conjoined by Jen Sookfong Lee
When Fenelon Falls by Dorothy Palmer
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Belief by Mayank Bhatt
The Vegetarian by Kang Han
Natural Order by Brian Francis
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I support WNDB on my blog!! Love everything they do and are about!
Five books I’ve read recently that are diverse would be:
— The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
— Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson
— The Warmest December by Bernice McFadden
— Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera
— The Women of Brewster Place by Gloria Naylor
I signed up as SASHA SPECK, btw… my comment is showing up differently because of my WP blog.
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Sue’s post on Litsy
http://litsy.com/p/YTNsOHY3aHMz
Some other amazing #ownvoices authors – Benjamin Law, Will Kostakis, April Daniels, Ellen Van Neerven, Peter Polites, Omar Sakr.
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I have recently enjoyed:
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
The Hate U Give
Do Not Say We Have Nothing
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I never know what books would fit this category but reading the comments a couple came up. Silver Linings Playbook I thought hit things pretty good about mental illness, same with The Masked Truth or with mental illness A Madness So Discreet would fit too.
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Did a post here https://instagram.com/p/BW3ZdXMAOIK/ and on litsy.
My recommendations were:
Finding Nevo by Nevo Zisin
Sister Heart by Sally Morgan
When Michel Met Mina by Randa Abdel-Fattah
Carpentaria by Alexis Wright
They Cannot Take the Sky – a collection from refugees who are in or have been through Australia’s detention centres
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I’m currently reading The Importance of Being Scandalous and the MC’s sister has a disability which caused her family to be shamed by society.
I’d also recommend By the Rules by Elisabeth Staab, How to Bang a Billionaire by Alexis Hall, and The V Girl by Mya Robarts.
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There are so many, but here are some that comes to mind: Here Comes the Sun, Aristole and Dante Discover the Universe, When Dimple Met Rishi, The Book of Unknown Americans, Brown Girl Dreaming
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Here are mine! https://instagram.com/p/BW3a2wZBROG/
And here is the caption I left on the photo on Instagram:
Here is my diverse books entry for the #24in48 challenge! I love the idea of sharing books with characters who are underrepresented in literature. Here are some of my favorites, what are yours?
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From top to bottom: The Corpse Exhibition (The first book about the Iraq war written by an Iraqi), Song of Solomon and Beloved (both from an African American author), Odd Girl Out (about a girl’s lesbian awakening – cult classic), When the Future Comes Too Soon (LGBTQ female Asian author), Aristotle and Dante (LGBTQ), Pages for Her (LGBTQ), How to Survive a Summer (LGBTQ)
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I could talk for DAYS about my love of Seanan McGuire. Books I mention in my post: Every Heart a Doorway, Down Among the Sticks and Bones, Rolling in the Deep, Rosemary and Rue.
AlwaysBeyondHope’s post on Litsy
http://litsy.com/p/a1BMOEMwQ1pV
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OceanCityMama’s post on Litsy
http://litsy.com/p/eG9EQXBNUFph
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Boy Meets Boy- David Levithan
The Fire Next Time- James Baldwin
The Nightrunner series- Lynn Flewelling
Sula- Toni Morrison
Battle Royale- Koushun Takami
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Here are a just a few books by diverse/#ownvoices authors:
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The photo I took didn’t show up, so I’ll list them here:
Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst
The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
Soulmated by Shaila Patel
Dreadnought by April Daniels
Empress of a Thousand Skies by Rhoda Belleza
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Here’s my post: https://instagram.com/p/BW3ay4dAndM/
My list is:
Revenge by Yoko Ogawa
Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri
Arresting God in Kathmandu by Samrat Upadhyay
The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimanda Ngozi Adichie
Things We Lost in the Fire by Mariana Enriquez
In the Country by Mia Alvar
Love this challenge!
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Hour 18 check in- diversity. I know that I don’t do this well, though I read for escapism. That being said this has been my most moving, engaging, favorite book on diversity. It taught me a lot and spurred me to do my own research. #24in48
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So far this year, I have enjoyed…
Chemistry, by Weike Wang
The Miseducation of Cameron Post, by Emily M. Danforth
The Mothers, by Brit Bennett
Exit West, Mohsin Hamid
The Vegetarian, Han Kang
The Sellout, Paul Beatty
Pachinko, Min Jin Lee
The Absolutely True Story of a Part-Time Indian, Sherman Alexie
Fences, August Wilson
Behold the Dreamers, Imbolo Mbue
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Long Black Veil by Jennifer Finney Boylan
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I really loved WHEN DIMPLE MET RISHI, and on my TBR I have THE HATE U GIVE, and books by Adam Silvera! I want more books with ace rep or demisexual rep, though, and I’m writing a f/f book myself. THE REST OF US JUST LIVE HERE was pretty great.
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So glad to see this post! here’s my insta recommendation:
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White Teeth by Zadie Smith
Memory of Forgetfulness by Mahmoud Darwish
Bad Feminist by Roxanne Gay
And I am about to start Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
I’m on Litsy @parttimedomestic
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Between the World and Me moved me to tears.
Homegoing & Underground Airlines were my favorite book club picks this year.
I’m reading The Leavers right now. I also added Brown Girl Dreaming to my TBR list recently.
For the little ones my baby girl loves Please Baby, Please and Ada Twist, Scientist.
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Great topic! Homegoing was one of my top two favorite books that came out last year. As others have mentioned, Exit West was very good.
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The Six of Crows duology is a fantastic diverse read! With characters who are POCs, LGBTQ+, and have disabilities, Leigh Bardugo is very inclusive in a very natural way.
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I loved Dante and Aristotle Discover the Universe
When Dimple met Rishi
More Happy than Not
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Oh my… I’ve read books about any kind of character you could imagine, but for the most part, I pay little attention to who the authors are, so I need to check my shelves and do back-ground research to answer this one.
The other thing is that I can name a lot of books with Latin-american leads written by Latin-american authors, but that’s not a minority HERE (Argentina), or in any way diverse FOR ME. Perspective is an interesting thing, huh?
Off the top of my head, I would go with Maya Angelou’s “I know why the caged bird sings”. It was powerful, it was charming, and it was very human.
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Here’s a link to my impromptu stack. 🙂
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So many, but I decided on these… https://instagram.com/p/BW3dQUXA37Y
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Anything by Toni Morrison, but I’m partial to Beloved.
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Here are some of my favorite own voices books:
When Dimple Met Rishi
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian
The Wrath and the Dawn
Esperanza Rising
The Kite Runner
Between the World and Me
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It’s really weird that it’s letting me post my actual reading blog: http://zixybooktress.blogspot.com
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http://zixybooktree.blogspot.com
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I know everyone has already recommended The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, but it’s too good not to shout from the rooftops about. I’ve read a lot of fantastic #ownvoices books lately, with some of my all-time favorites being Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera, Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde, Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson, Dreadnought by April Daniels, Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor, If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo, A Crown of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi, Hunger by Roxane Gay, Swing Time by Zadie Smith, 27 Hours by Trista Wright, and The Gallery of Unfinished Girls by Lauren Karcz!
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Yes! Here’s to a future of many, many, many, many, more diverse books and diverse authors! The image in the link are some that I have learned about on Litsy this year and have also recommended to all who will listen.
UwannaPublishme’s post on Litsy
http://litsy.com/p/RlNYU3UwWnFi
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Well my all-time favorite is Wonder by RJ Palacio. It’s a YA book but can profoundly touch readers of all ages.
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– A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
– IO Loves You by IO Tillson
– Exit West by Mohsin Hamid
– Love Warrior by Glennon Doyle Melton
– A Year of Biblical Womanhood by Rachel Held Evans.
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Mentioned two recs here! 🙂 https://twitter.com/booksaremyair/status/888899363510136832
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My TBR for the readathon include these #ownvoices books & authors
-EMERGENT STRATEGY by Adrienne Maree Brown
-OUT by Natsuo Kirino
-HUNGER by Roxane Gay
-THE OBELISK GATE by N.K. Jemisin
-EVERFAIR by Nisi Shawl
-WHO FEARS DEATH by Nnedi Okorafor
-THRONE OF THE CRESCENT MOON by Saladin Ahmed
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Can’t wait to read through these comments!! I picked my favorite recent-ish book (on the edge of gone) and wrote about it on Litsy: VanChocStrawberry’s post on Litsy
http://litsy.com/p/cUFjdWxLZjdH
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My no. 1 #ownvoices recommendation would be: The Color Purple by Alice Walker – challenge tweet: https://twitter.com/keeperofpages/status/888901083992641537
I also recommend for non-fiction- I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and Gather Together in my Name, both by Maya Angelou.
I’ve reserved a copy of Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi from my library so I’m looking forward to reading that. I also bought The Hate You Give – I’ve heard great things about that one so I’m looking forward to read that too!
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Some of my favorite diverse books are:
Kindred by Octavia Butler
Snowflower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
American Street by Ibi Zoboi
My Beloved World by Sandra Sotomayor
Flygirl by Sherri L. Smith
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SarahKat84’s post on Litsy
http://litsy.com/p/cVVkMUpjbFZK
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Hour 18 check in here is my diverse/own voices post. I love NK a Jemisen and Nnedi Okorafor are two of the most awesome Sci-fi writers right now and these amazing women of color are turning industry norms on their head!!
Yeah_I_Read’s post on Litsy
http://litsy.com/p/Zkx0ZkZwVFRv
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A bunch of #ownvoices books that I have either loved or can’t wait to read 📚 #weneeddiversebooks #24in48
http://litsy.com/p/YlZzWmZXSTFw
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12parsecs’s post on Litsy http://litsy.com/p/QXlBSEFJR2dz
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Homegoing was one of my favorite reads of 2016. Anything by Louise Erdrich is well worth reading. I especially recommend The Roundhouse as a starter, but her first, Love Medicine, is a plum. I also love everything by Sherman Alexi and the late James Welch.
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READ EVERY HEART A DOORWAY BY SEANAN MCGUIRE PLEASE
Alicia ❤
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I recently read (and loved):
Binti and Home by Ndedi Okarafor
As well as:
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Exit west by Mohsin Hamid
Becoming Nicole by Amy Ellis Nutt
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A couple of my favorite diverse books, along with some currently-reading and some to-reads – https://instagram.com/p/BW3gvuXA_9_/
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