The most recommended books about identity

Who picked these books? Meet our 198 experts.

198 authors created a book list connected to identity, and here are their favorite identity books.
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Book cover of We're All Wonders

Leslie Kimmelman Author Of The Eight Knights of Hanukkah

From my list on more elusive than ever kindness.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am no expert on kindnessā€”though more than twenty years at Sesame Workshop, working on a TV show that focuses on kindness, may give me a slight edge. And I am not unfailingly kind, though I try my hardest. But I am passionate about nurturing this quality in children. At the risk of sounding naive, I feel that itā€™s our last best hope of solving some of the worldā€™s biggest problems.  

Leslie's book list on more elusive than ever kindness

Leslie Kimmelman Why did Leslie love this book?

Adapted by the author from her bestselling Wonder, this book is more of a wish for kindness than an actual portrayal of kindness. Auggie looks different from anyone else, but inside he wants the same things: to have friends, to go on adventures, to be loved for himself. Besides, isnā€™t everyone different in one way or another? Itā€™s a lovely book to read with young children, leading them to the realization that acceptance is not only the best choice, but also the choice that opens up an enormous world of possibilities. As the author concludes, Look with kindness and you will always find wonder.

By R.J. Palacio,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked We're All Wonders as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

I know I can't change the way I look. But maybe, just maybe, people can change the way they see...

For younger readers, the unforgettable story of August Pullman and Wonder reimagined in this gorgeous picture book.

With spare, powerful text and richly-imagined illustrations, We're All Wonders shows readers what it's like to live in Auggie's world - a world in which he feels like any other kid, but he's not always seen that way.

We're All Wonders taps into every child's longing to belong, and to be seen for who they truly are. It's the perfect way for familiesā€¦


Book cover of Nightshade

Heather Hildenbrand Author Of Wolf Cursed

From my list on young adult shifter romance.

Why am I passionate about this?

I've always been a bookworm. From the Boxcar Children and The Hobbit as a kid to Nora Roberts, Danielle Steele, and even Stuart Woods as an adult. None of those genres hold such a special place in my heart as Young Adult. Self-discovery, overcoming pain and trauma of childhood, making deliberate choices about love, and life, and who weā€™re going to be in this worldā€”young adulthood is fraught with the elements necessary for unforgettable stories. Since I began publishing 10 years ago, my books have sold thousands of copies worldwide and won numerous book awards, but the thing that keeps me writing is being a reader first.

Heather's book list on young adult shifter romance

Heather Hildenbrand Why did Heather love this book?

One of the reasons I read this genre is because so many of these stories include strong, fierce heroines and Calla Tor from Nightshade is one of the strongest. In a society and culture that imposes rules and oppression on their people, Calla is forced to test the limits and figure out who she really is and what sheā€™s made of while still being a strong leader to her pack. This story is on my top 5 list because Calla is an unforgettable character, but so much of why youā€™ll love her is thanks to the world this author creates. Nightshade is another unique, fresh take on werewolves that you wonā€™t want to put down.

By Andrea Cremer,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Nightshade as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 14, 15, 16, and 17.

What is this book about?

She can control her pack, but not her heart ...'I wanted him to kiss me-wished he could smell the desire that I knew was pouring off me. You can't, Calla. This boy isn't the one for you.' Calla Tor has always known her destiny: graduation, marriage and then a life leading her pack. But when she defies her masters' laws to save a human boy, she must choose. Is one boy worth losing everything?


Book cover of Tiger Trouble

Helen H. Wu Author Of Long Goes to Dragon School

From Helen's 9-year-old's 3 favorite reads in 2023.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Translator Art enthusiast Asian American heritage advocate

Helen's 3 favorite reads in 2023

Plus, Helen's 9-year-old's favorite books.

Helen H. Wu Why did Helen's 9-year-old love this book?

My kid absolutely adores this book! He's a big fan of anything related to cats and funny stories featuring these furry creatures. So, when he discovered Tiger Trouble with its one little kitty and one giant cat - a tiger, he was over the moon.

It's such a clever twist on the typical cat story, and he finds it very smart and entertaining. This book has become a favorite in our household, delivering both giggles and valuable life lessons about friendship. I highly recommend it to any young cat lover!

By Dan Thompson,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Tiger Trouble as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 5, 6, 7, and 8.

What is this book about?

Lions, Tigers, and . . . a house cat?! Oh my! Life at the zoo gets complicated when a tiger finds out she as a new roommate. A purr-fect graphic chapter book series!

What makes a tiger, a tiger? Is it the stripes? The roar? This is something that Lily, the tiger at the local zoo, has never had to worry about -- until she meets the fiercest animal of them all . . . her new roommate. Tig might look like a house cat, might sound like a house cat, but Tig knows he is a Tiger.

The competitionā€¦


Book cover of Itty-Bitty Kitty-Corn

Shelli R. Johannes Author Of Shine Like a Unicorn

From my list on unicorn in the uni-verse.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have always loved unicorns because they are magical and mysterious. They also represent individuality and uniqueness that makes them different. I love the different takes we see now ā€“ the grumpy unicorn, the difficult unicorn, the stereotypical unicorn, and the kittycorn.

Shelli's book list on unicorn in the uni-verse

Shelli R. Johannes Why did Shelli love this book?

I love Itty Bitty Kitty-Corn because it celebrates the magic of friendship. The book is about Kitty who wants to be a unicorn but her friends try to prove she isnā€™t one. This book encourages kids to be exactly who they want to beā€”no matter what anyone says. The art is adorable to create the most heart-bursting, tail-twitching, fuzzy-feeling, perfectly unicorn-y story imaginable. You canā€™t help but fall in love with Kitty Corn.

By Shannon Hale, LeUyen Pham,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Itty-Bitty Kitty-Corn as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

From bestselling superstar duo Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham comes a delightful kitty and unicorn story that celebrates the magic of friendship-and being exactly who you want to be!

Kitty thinks she might be a unicorn.

She feels so perfectly unicorn-y! "Neigh!" says Kitty.

But when Unicorn clop clop clops over, sweeping his magnificent tail and neighing a mighty neigh, Kitty feels no bigger than a ball of lint.

Can this unlikely pair embrace who they are, and truly see one another?

In their first picture book together, the magical, bestselling team of Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham put theirā€¦


Book cover of Quackers

Phaea Crede Author Of Jet the Cat (Is Not a Cat)

From my list on animals trying on new identities.

Why am I passionate about this?

Iā€™ve always identified as a weirdo and felt misunderstood, which led to lots of wasted time ā€œtrying to fit in.ā€ As an adult, Iā€™ve learned to love myself for exactly who I am, but it took a lot of work and self-reflecting. Looking back, I realize there were actually many kids who felt the same way as me and we just never managed to connect with each other! Finding people who ā€œget youā€ is an important taskā€”but I truly believe self-love and self-acceptance is the greatest goal for all humans. I hope my books speak to the ā€œweirdosā€ and non-weirdos a like, and encourages all readers to love themselves just the way they are.

Phaea's book list on animals trying on new identities

Phaea Crede Why did Phaea love this book?

Quakers thinks he is a duck and discovers heā€™s really a cat! As a person who often felt pulled between many worlds (like being an introvert sometimes and an extrovert other times) and never really ā€œfit inā€ I was cheered to see a relatable journey with a sweet, satisfying ending.

By Liz Wong,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Quackers as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 3, 4, 5, and 6.

What is this book about?

Jumpstart's Read for the RecordĀ® selection!

A cat who thinks heā€™s a duck?  He must be Quackers!!
This quirky funny book is about standing out, fitting in, and building a life with room for all.
 
Quackers is a duck. Sure, he may have paws and whiskers. And his quacks might sound more like...well, meows, but he lives among ducks, everyone he knows is a duck, and he's happy.

Then Quackers meets another duck who looks like him (& talks like him, too!)ā€”but he calls himself a cat. So silly!

Quackers loves being among his new friends the cats, but heā€¦


Book cover of The Truth About Dragons

Jane Yolen Author Of Giant Island

From my list on kids and mythical creatures.

Why am I passionate about this?

Hello! I am Jane Yolen, author of almost 450 books. I write picture books and novels, poetry, and graphic novelsā€“mostly for children. I have published books about just about every subject imaginable. But Iā€™ve always loved fantasy books especially. I grew up on the Alice in Wonderland books and the Arthurian legends. I, of course, carried that love into my writing lifeā€“having written about monsters, mermaids, and unicorns. Iā€™m fascinated by fairies; they show up in a lot of what I write. Give me a real kid and a mythical creature of some sort, sprinkle in a bit of magicā€“Iā€™m in! 

Jane's book list on kids and mythical creatures

Jane Yolen Why did Jane love this book?

This gorgeous book is both metaphoric and literal. A young boy learns about dragons (and himself, his grandmothers, and life) on a mythical bedtime story-walk to find two very different paths.

I love the message here (and that it isnā€™t too in-your-face message-y; the story is really primary). But the art is so gorgeous that I could dive back into it over and over again for that alone. 

By Julie Leung, Hanna Cha (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Truth About Dragons as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

Lean in close,
my darling bao bei,
and I will whisper
a most precious secret
about a powerful magic
that lives inside you.

Brought to life with lavish and ornate illustrations, The Truth About Dragons follows a young child on a journey guided by his mother's bedtime storytelling. He quests into two very different forests, as his two grandmothers help him discover two different, but equally enchanting, truths about dragons. Eastern and Western mythologies coexist and enrich each other in this warm celebration of mixed cultural identity.


Book cover of Darkstalker

Elana A. Mugdan Author Of Dragon Speaker

From my list on for people who love dragons as central characters.

Why am I passionate about this?

Dragons are my passion, I've lovingly been referred to as The World's Foremost Dragon Authority, and I've made it my mission to consume as much dragon media as I can. As someone who also loves science, I'm especially drawn to media that addresses draconic physiology, evolution, and culture. I can name every taxonomic family, genus, and species in the order Draconidae, and there's nothing I love more than sharing my dragon knowledge and stories with others!

Elana's book list on for people who love dragons as central characters

Elana A. Mugdan Why did Elana love this book?

Although this book is aimed at a younger audience, it's one of the most compelling villain origin stories I've ever read. It's a spinoff novel based on lore from the bestselling Wings of Fire series, but can be read as a standalone. It shows the early life of the titular dragon, Darkstalker, who becomes a deadly antagonist in the main novel series.

This was shockingly dark and graphic for a middle grade novel, but I loved that about it, too. Add in the fact that every character in this book is a dragon, and you have a recipe for success. Though the narrative voice reads a little young (hey, it is meant for young readers), Darkstalker's journey toward evil is realistic, poignant, and, at times, heartbreaking.

By Tui T. Sutherland,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Darkstalker as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In the SeaWing kingdom, a young prince learns he is an animus-capable of wonderful magic that comes with a terrible price. In the mind of a NightWing dragonet, a thousand futures unfold-and almost all of them, she knows, lead to disaster and destruction. And under three full moons and the watchful eyes of his NightWing mother and IceWing father, the most powerful dragon Pyrhhia will ever know is clawing his way out of his egg. Darkstalker, the dragon who will change the world forever.