Blue Valley Libraries: Exploring Cultures Independent Reading Project-HELA10: Home

Guidelines

Project Guidelines
Refer to these guidelines for a more detailed outline for your project and its goals as well as to ensure your book meets expectations.

Essential Question: How do communication and experiences affect our perspective on cultural differences and our understanding thereof?

Book Choice Guidelines:

Find a novel (or novel-length memoir) about a character that is different from you.
- If novels can be mirrors (reflecting a life similar to your own) or windows/doors (to lives different from your own), this experience should be more of a window/door situation.
More specifically, choose an author or main character from an underrepresented cultural group who is different from you -- this can be in terms of race or ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender expression, religion, or socioeconomic status. You may also choose a book about someone who is differently-abled than you or choose a book that explores mental health issues.
You are encouraged to find a novel that explores a culture you know little about or do not understand.
The important thing is to explore a difference. Your goal is to expand your perspective on the culture that you choose to read about.
You need your novel in hand by January 24-25 (odd-even classes).

Exploring Cultures Graphic Organizer
Make a copy of this document and use it to complete your research of potential books to read for your project.

Which book genre are you?
This fun online quiz is meant to give you ideas about the TYPE of book you may enjoy reading. This is especially useful for those of you who do not consider yourselves "readers."

Resources

LibraryThing
Search by tags! Many of BVSW books have been tagged by keywords or themes. You can explore the tag "diversity" for a wide array of books on many different areas of culture or find a tag that explores the specific area(s) you are interested in.
Goodreads
Search these lists with the tag "Diversity" - you can also type in a specific search to streamline your results.
We Need Diverse Books
This nonprofit organization has lists of resources for finding books that promote diversity.
Diversity In YA
Although nothing has been posted since 2015, this site has some great resources for books that include diverse characters.
#OwnVoices Book List
A list of #OwnVoices titles that the author recommends reading
New 2021 YA Books by Black Authors
A list of brand new books by Black authors that have come out during 2021
45 Must-Read YA Novels
A list of the author's 45 YA novels about Black teens by Black authors that she can't wait to read.
Project Lit Books 2020-21
Not all of these are YA books and not all may work with this assignment! Make sure you research the book that catches your eye to ensure it is YA and fits the guidelines outlined for the project.
Project Lit Books 2021-22
Make sure to research these titles - not all may fit the project guidelines.
LGBTQ+ Book List
JoCo Public Library created this list of LGBTQ+ titles for teens.

If you cannot find your book via the BVSW Library or other libraries in the district, you can try the JoCo Public Library. (You will need a library card in order to check out your materials through JCPL.)