Bi-racial Protagonists

In addition to the bi-racial Stranger in a Strange Land novels depicting American teens searching for the cultural roots, many bi-racial or multi-racial children are struggling for identity within America. Here are some fictional stories about children who are half or part ethnic and one hundred percent American.

In Cuba 15 by Nancy Osa, half Cuban, half Polish Violet has just turned fifteen, a milestone in any Cuban girl's life. Violet acquieces to her Cuban grandmother's plans for a quinceanero, a celebration of her 15th birthday. During those plans, Violet discovers her Cuban roots for the first time.

Nothing but the Truth and a Few White Lies by Justina Chen Headley shows half Asian, half white Patty Ho's shift from wanting to be 100% white to accepting her Asian heritage at Stanford math camp.

Rain Is Not My Indian Name by Cynthia Leitich Smith is about a part Native American 14 year old who deals with the loss of her best friend by exploring her Native American heritage.

The House You Pass on the Way by Jacqueline Woodson features Stagerlee, a 14 year old girl who is not only bi-racial (half black, half white) in a predominantly black neighborhood, but she is also questioning her sexual orientation.

Also by Woodson, Miracle's Boys are about three orphaned brothers, aged 13 to 23, who are half Puerto Rican, half black. When their mother dies, they must deal with their grief in their own unique way in addition to confronting racism. Eventually they come together as a family.

The struggle for identity for bi-racial kids especially must be very difficult, as not only do they look different from the mainstream, they usually look very different from one or both parents.