Kids Like Me: 18 Books With
Diverse Main Characters

by Melissa Taylor

Photo credit: FatCamera, E+ Collection/Getty Images

“We read to know that we are not alone.” —William Nicholson, Shadowlands

That’s why it’s important kids read engaging stories with main characters that are relatable to their lives. Not just to their humanity, but also to their appearance and their culture.

I could recommend hundreds of books with diverse main characters. Here’s a shortlist of some to check out.

For more book suggestions with diverse characters like these, I recommend these blogs:

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2015 and updated in 2020.