10 Best Young Adult Books Depicting Cross-Cultural Interactions
In an increasingly globalized world, an understanding and appreciation for different cultures is not just important, but necessary. With this in mind, we have compiled a list of ten highly recommended young adult books that beautifully illustrate cross-cultural interactions. These novels don't just entertain, but they enlighten, opening windows to environments, traditions, and perspectives beyond the reader's personal experience. From heartwarming friendships to blooming romances, from household dramas to epic adventures, these stories pack both punch and purpose. They present a diverse spectrum of authentic characters that navigate cultural gaps and manage to find common ground despite their differences. These books champion a kind of narrative that prompts understanding, empathy, and unity in diversity. So, buckle up and get ready to travel far and wide, without even leaving your couch. Prepare to confront prejudices, shatter stereotypes, and see the world through new eyes. Each page you turn is a step towards becoming a true global citizen. No passports necessary, just an open mind and a thirst for insightful, inclusive stories. Right, enough of the introduction. Let’s dive right into these compelling and enriching reads that you absolutely wouldn't want to miss!
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Price | unknown |
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Source | Google Books |
『Clap When You Land』
In a novel-in-verse that brims with grief and love, National Book Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Acevedo writes about the devastation of loss, the difficulty of forgiveness, and the bittersweet bonds that shape our lives. Camino Rios lives for the summers when her father visits her in the Dominican Republic. But this time, on the day when his plane is supposed to land, Camino arrives at the airport to see crowds of crying people… In New York City, Yahaira Rios is called to the principal’s office, where her mother is waiting to tell her that her father, her hero, has died in a plane crash. Separated by distance—and Papi’s secrets—the two girls are forced to face a new reality in which their father is dead and their lives are forever altered. And then, when it seems like they’ve lost everything of their father, they learn of each other. Great for summer reading or anytime! Clap When You Land is a Today show pick for “25 children’s books your kids and teens won’t be able to put down this summer!" Plus don't miss Elizabeth Acevedo's The Poet X and With the Fire on High!
Author | Elizabeth Acevedo |
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Price | $13.99 |
Publisher | HarperCollins |
Release Date | May 05, 2020 |
Source | Google Books |
『Eleanor & Park』
A stunning debut young adult novel about two misfits falling in love for the first time
Author | Rainbow Rowell |
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Price | unknown |
Publisher | Macmillan |
Release Date | Feb 26, 2013 |
Source | Google Books |
『Parachutes』
Speak enters the world of Gossip Girl in this modern immigrant story from New York Times bestselling author Kelly Yang about two girls navigating wealth, power, friendship, and trauma. They’re called parachutes: teenagers dropped off to live in private homes and study in the United States while their wealthy parents remain in Asia. Claire Wang never thought she’d be one of them, until her parents pluck her from her privileged life in Shanghai and enroll her at a high school in California. Suddenly she finds herself living in a stranger’s house, with no one to tell her what to do for the first time in her life. She soon embraces her newfound freedom, especially when the hottest and most eligible parachute, Jay, asks her out. Dani De La Cruz, Claire’s new host sister, couldn’t be less thrilled that her mom rented out a room to Claire. An academic and debate team star, Dani is determined to earn her way into Yale, even if it means competing with privileged kids who are buying their way to the top. But Dani’s game plan veers unexpectedly off course when her debate coach starts working with her privately. As they steer their own distinct paths, Dani and Claire keep crashing into one another, setting a course that will change their lives forever.
Author | Kelly Yang |
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Price | $13.99 |
Publisher | HarperCollins |
Release Date | May 26, 2020 |
Source | Google Books |
『Field Notes on Love』
"Utterly romantic." --Jenny Han, NYT bestselling author of To All the Boys I've Loved Before Two teens are thrown together on a cross-country train trip that will teach them about love, each other, and the futures they can build for themselves in this meet-cute romance from the bestselling author of Windfall and The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight. It's the perfect idea for a romantic week together: traveling across America by train. But then Hugo's girlfriend dumps him. Her parting gift: the tickets for their long-planned last-hurrah-before-college trip. Only, it's been booked under her name. Nontransferable, no exceptions. Mae is still reeling from being rejected from USC's film school. When she stumbles across Hugo's ad for a replacement Margaret Campbell (her full name!), she's certain it's exactly the adventure she needs to shake off her disappointment and jump-start her next film. A cross-country train trip with a complete stranger might not seem like the best idea. But to Mae and Hugo, both eager to escape their regular lives, it makes perfect sense. What starts as a convenient arrangement soon turns into something more. But when life outside the train catches up to them, can they find a way to keep their feelings for each other from getting derailed? "One of the loveliest, most touching romances of 2019 thus far that gets at the nature of something deeply uried in all of our hearts." --Entertainment Weekly
Author | Jennifer E. Smith |
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Price | unknown |
Publisher | Ember |
Release Date | Mar 17, 2020 |
Source | Google Books |
『Love from A to Z』
Eighteen-year-old Muslims Adam and Zayneb meet in Doha, Qatar, during spring break and fall in love as both struggle to find a way to live their own truths.
Author | S. K. Ali |
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Price | unknown |
Publisher | Simon and Schuster |
Release Date | Jun 09, 2020 |
Source | Google Books |
『The Sun Is Also a Star』
The #1 New York Times bestseller and National Book Award Finalist from the bestselling author of Everything, Everything will have you falling in love with Natasha and Daniel as they fall in love with each other. Natasha: I’m a girl who believes in science and facts. Not fate. Not destiny. Or dreams that will never come true. I’m definitely not the kind of girl who meets a cute boy on a crowded New York City street and falls in love with him. Not when my family is twelve hours away from being deported to Jamaica. Falling in love with him won’t be my story. Daniel: I’ve always been the good son, the good student, living up to my parents’ high expectations. Never the poet. Or the dreamer. But when I see her, I forget about all that. Something about Natasha makes me think that fate has something much more extraordinary in store—for both of us. The Universe: Every moment in our lives has brought us to this single moment. A million futures lie before us. Which one will come true? *** "Beautifully crafted."--People Magazine "A book that is very much about the many factors that affect falling in love, as much as it is about the very act itself . . . fans of Yoon’s first novel, Everything Everything, will find much to love—if not, more—in what is easily an even stronger follow up." —Entertainment Weekly "Transcends the limits of YA as a human story about falling in love and seeking out our futures." —POPSUGAR.com
Author | Nicola Yoon |
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Price | $5.99 |
Publisher | Delacorte Press |
Release Date | Nov 01, 2016 |
Source | Google Books |
『To All the Boys I've Loved Before』
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is now a major motion picture on Netflix and the inspiration for the spin-off series XO, Kitty—now streaming on Netflix! A Time Best YA Book of All Time (2021) Lara Jean’s love life gets complicated in this New York Times bestselling “lovely, lighthearted romance” (School Library Journal) from the bestselling author of The Summer I Turned Pretty series. What if all the crushes you ever had found out how you felt about them…all at once? Sixteen-year-old Lara Jean Song keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her. They aren’t love letters that anyone else wrote for her; these are ones she’s written. One for every boy she’s ever loved—five in all. When she writes, she pours out her heart and soul and says all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly, Lara Jean’s love life goes from imaginary to out of control.
Author | Jenny Han |
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Price | unknown |
Publisher | Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers |
Release Date | Jul 10, 2018 |
Source | Google Books |
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Source | Google Books |
『Mexican WhiteBoy』
Newbery Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Matt de la Peña's Mexican WhiteBoy is a story of friendship, acceptance, and the struggle to find your identity in a world of definitions. Danny is tall and skinny. Even though he’s not built, his arms are long enough to give his pitch a power so fierce any college scout would sign him on the spot. Ninety-five mile an hour fastball, but the boy’s not even on a team. Every time he gets up on the mound, he loses it. But at his private school, they don’t expect much else from him. Danny is brown. Half-Mexican brown. And growing up in San Diego that close to the border means everyone else knows exactly who he is before he even opens his mouth. Before they find out he can’t speak Spanish, and before they realize his mom has blond hair and blue eyes, they’ve got him pegged. But it works the other way too. And Danny’s convinced it’s his whiteness that sent his father back to Mexico. That’s why he’s spending the summer with his dad’s family. But to find himself, he may just have to face the demons he refuses to see--the demons that are right in front of his face. And open up to a friendship he never saw coming. Matt de la Peña's critically acclaimed novel is an intimate and moving story that offers hope to those who least expect it. "[A] first-rate exploration of self-identity." --SLJ "Unique in its gritty realism and honest portrayal of the complexities of life for inner-city teens...de la Peña poignantly conveys the message that, despite obstacles, you must believe in yourself and shape your own future." --The Horn Book Magazine "The baseball scenes...sizzle like Danny's fastball. Danny's struggle to find his place will speak strongly to all teens, but especially to those of mixed race." --Booklist "De la Peña blends sports and street together in a satisfying search for personal identity." --Kirkus Reviews "Mexican WhiteBoy...shows that no matter what obstacles you face, you can still reach your dreams with a positive attitude. This is more than a book about a baseball player--this is a book about life." --Curtis Granderson, New York Mets outfielder An ALA-YALSA Top Ten Best Book for Young Adults A Junior Library Guild Selection
Author | Matt de la Peña |
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Price | unknown |
Publisher | Ember |
Release Date | Jan 12, 2010 |
Source | Google Books |
And there you have it, folks! These are some of the best young adult books that perfectly portray cross-cultural interactions. Diving into stories that allow us to explore various cultures that we may not be familiar with can be a truly enriching experience. They underline the importance of understanding, respecting and embracing diversity. So, whether you're young or just young at heart, these novels are a must-read. Cross-cultural novels serve as a gentle reminder that despite our different upbringings and backgrounds, fundamentally, we're all the same, seeking connection and understanding. Last but not least, remember, every book you read opens the door to a universe different from yours, so start journeying now. And who knows, along the way, you might just unearth pieces of yourself that you never knew existed. Happy reading, everyone!
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