Author Kwame Alexander in a dark green track suit stands and recites in front of middle school students with bassist Amy Shook in the background

Celebrate Reading diverse & inclusive books

Let's read and grow together with 12 months of recommended titles, authors, and teaching resources that promote diversity and inclusion.

Kwame Alexander in a dark green shirt with hands clasped

[The Crossover] is the book I wished I could have read when I was a kid …a book with characters who looked like me, with rhythm and flow and empowering words. I believe the mind of an adult begins with the imagination of a child.

Quote by: Kwame Alexander, poet and author of The Crossover

Watch The Crossover story concert

June 2025

Build Others Up

Books of the month:

Elementary

Leo and the Pink Marker

by Mariyka Foster

When Mom and Mama aren’t looking, Leo takes the opportunity to liven up the dusty, gray scrapyard with his creativity and his pink marker.

Learn more

Middle Grade

The Year My Life Went Down the Toilet

by Jake Maia Arlow

Twelve-year-old Al, short for Alison, navigates an overprotective mother, growing apart from her best friend, and her first girl crush, all while her recent Crohn's diagnosis puts a knot in her stomach.

Learn more

Young Adult

The Deep Dark

by Molly Knox Ostertag

High school senior Magdalena Herrera already has adult responsibilities and a deadly secret hidden in the dark of the basement—one that drains her of energy and leaves her bleeding—until the return of her childhood friend, Nessa, forces her to face the darkness.

Learn more

Celebrate the joy of reading this month with these featured articles and resources.

educator holds a stack of books with Twas the Night Before Pride on the top and visible

LGBTQ+ Books for Schools

Recommended titles that reflect on the LGBTQ+ experience and books about Pride, tolerance, and diversity.

View the list

Raising Literacy Rates in the Digital Age

Competing with technology can be difficult, but these educators are introducing students to books—and the joy of reading in general—in creative ways.

Learn more

Middle Grade Reads for Middle School

Does YA feel too advanced and Middle Grade too young? Here are our favorite upper Middle Grade novels for middle schoolers seeking a “just right” read!

Discover Books!

Comics: The Superheroes of Classroom Diversity

It’s a bird…It’s a plane…It’s a champion of diversity!

teen girl reading a book in the school library next to a stack of books on the desk

Celebrating Jewish Culture with Books

Celebrate Jewish culture, tradition, language, and beliefs as well as the achievements and contributions of Jewish people with these recommended titles from NEA’s Jewish Affairs Caucus and NEA’s Read Across America.

View the list Find titles in your local library

High school student reading graphic novel in the library

Classroom Resources to Celebrate the Freedom to Read

Find book recommendations, posters, bookmarks, stickers, and ways to show your support for banned books and freedom from censorship in the classroom.

Learn more

NEA strives to make sure that every student has access to age-appropriate books that show they are reflected and respected, and opposes efforts to limit students’ access to such books. Nevertheless, NEA urges educators to comply with state and local laws and policies that may limit what books they may teach and recommend to their students.

Click on a month below for our recommended books, plus suggestions for discussions and activities.

August 2024

Compose Bonds

September 2024

Speak Up and Make Change

October 2024

Know Your Power

November 2024

Engage with Community

December 2024

Foster Confidence

January 2025

Find Your Way

February 2025

Pursue Passions

March 2025

Join In

April 2025

Share Your Poetic Voice

May 2025

Revel in Your Heritage

June 2025

Build Others Up

July 2025

Cultivate Compassion

“Diverse stories provide kids with different perspectives and help them see how others think and feel. Put reading to kids on your calendar all year round. Take NEA's Read Across America Diverse Books Challenge and help kids of all ages discover their own voices as they learn from the stories of others.”

Quote by: Marley Dias, Read Across America Ambassador 2021-23, and Founder, #1000BlackGirlBooks

Post this Take the challenge

Hear from Read Across America Authors

We've interviewed several authors on our School Me podcast. Donna Barba Higuera discusses El Cucuy is Scared, Too! and why she is so passionate about writing books that feature multiracial children, families, and identities. Wendy Shang, author of The Secret Battle of Evan Pao talks about why representation matters. Andrea Davis Pinkney, author of Loretta Little Looks Back: Three Voices Go Tell It, discusses the power of storytelling. And Duncan Tonatiuh, author of A Land of Books: Dreams of Young Mexihcah Word Painters, makes the case for the freedom to read.

Sign up to receive EdPractice, our monthly email packed full of advice, tips, and resources to help you be the best educator possible for your students.

Suggested Results

Celebrate Reading diverse & inclusive books

Build Others Up

Leo and the Pink Marker

The Year My Life Went Down the Toilet

The Deep Dark

Ready, Set...Read!

LGBTQ+ Books for Schools

Raising Literacy Rates in the Digital Age

Middle Grade Reads for Middle School

Comics: The Superheroes of Classroom Diversity

Celebrating Jewish Culture with Books

Classroom Resources to Celebrate the Freedom to Read

Cynthia Rylant Introduces Mouse and Spoon!

Here’s What We’re Reading...

Compose Bonds

Speak Up and Make Change

Know Your Power

Engage with Community

Foster Confidence

Find Your Way

Pursue Passions

Join In

Share Your Poetic Voice

Revel in Your Heritage

Build Others Up

Cultivate Compassion

Hear from Read Across America Authors

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Section with embed

Section with embed

About Read Across America

Join Our Community of Readers

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