How To Use This Site

Everybody Books was built as a tool to help readers in their search for diverse young adult books. The books compiled within this site were chosen not only to fit within the thirteen identity categories, but also to represent a sampling of the full spectrum within each of those identities. This means that there are books from different genres, different protagonist viewpoints, and with intersecting identities that might overlap between two or more of the identity categories. This is not meant to be the definitive tool in the search for diverse young adult books. It is meant, rather, as a starting off point.

There are three main features within Everybody Books. These features are the Identity Book Lists, Website Resources, and Academic Resources.

Identity book lists

There are 13 identity categories within the Everybody Books site. The identity categories are Black & African American, East Asia, South Asian & Middle Eastern, Southeast Asian & Pacific Islander, Disability & Mental Health, Latinx, Jewish, Muslim, Native American & Indigenous, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender & Non-Binary. Within each identity category there are a minimum of 10 books listed (often with many more). Each book has a short description of how it is connected to the identity category as well as a list of other topics included within the book.

Website resources

Because the goal of the Everybody Books site is to act as a jumping off point in the search for diverse young adult books, we want to help you find other identity-specific resources to direct your search for diverse middle grade and young adult books. This is why we have links to at least two websites for each of the identity categories touched on within the Everybody Books site. We also want to make sure that you have access to additional resources for diverse middle grade and young adult literature such as nonprofits, publishers, and other great folks who are making moves within the diverse books world.

academic resources

If you are in search of evidence to prove why it is important for schools and libraries to have access to diverse books, you should check out our Academic Resources section! Students need to feel both seen and heard in their classrooms and schools so that they understand that they are valued and important. Within this section of the Everybody Books site, we give you citations and links to great books, articles, and empirical studies so that you can learn more about how representation matters and how access to diverse middle grade and young adult books in schools and libraries is an educational equity issue.

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