I’m joining the Diversity Reading Challenge hosted at Celebrity Readers again for 2024. The basic goal is to intentionally read more diverse books. The author or the main character – or one of the leads, who preferably has a POV – has to belong to a diverse group. According to the definition of We Need Diverse Books:
“We recognize all diverse experiences, including (but not limited to) LGBTQIA, Native, people of color, gender diversity, people with disabilities*, and ethnic, cultural, and religious minorities.
*We subscribe to a broad definition of disability, which includes but is not limited to physical, sensory, cognitive, intellectual, or developmental disabilities, chronic conditions, and mental illnesses (this may also include addiction). Furthermore, we subscribe to a social model of disability, which presents disability as created by barriers in the social environment, due to lack of equal access, stereotyping, and other forms of marginalization.”
The mini-challenge involves monthly themes:
- JANUARY – diverse folktales/culture/mythology; or diverse retelling; or non-western setting
- FEBRUARY – poc: Black/African American
- MARCH – #ownvoices; or gender: female authors in male-dominated genres/non-fiction
- APRIL – poc: Middle Eastern/South Asian
- MAY – poc: East Asian/Southeast Asian/Pacific Islander
- JUNE – LGBT+ pride summer: sexuality and gender identity
- JULY – LGBT+ pride summer: sexuality and gender identity
- AUGUST – mental health/addiction
- SEPTEMBER – poc: hispanic/latinx
- OCTOBER – physical/sensory/cognitive/intellectual/developmental disabilities; chronic illness
- NOVEMBER – poc: Native American
- DECEMBER – religious minorities
My goal is going to be to read at least 12 books and to aim toward the monthly themes.
Books read:
- Journey Under the Midnight Sun by Keigo Higashino
- The Sacrifice by Rin Chupeco
- A Midnight Puzzle by Gigi Pandian
- The Bell in the Fog by Lev A.C. Rosen
- Sounds Like a Plan by Pamela Samuels Young, Dwayne Alexander Smith
- The Devil's Flute Murders by Seishi Yokomizo
- Death by Bubble Tea by Jennifer J. Chow
- Peking Duck and Cover by Vivien Chien