Review Detail

I'm a huge fan of diversity in YA. OPEN MIC is a collection that addresses the sometimes sensitive topic of race in ways that reflect the diversity of the authors. Most are written in such a way that bring light-heartiness without tearing down a culture. More than a few of these stories had me giggling and also relating with the characters. Love how Mitali Perkins states that shared laughter fosters community and gets us talking about subjects that usually could cause division or discomfort. Each of these short stories/poems/drawings does that and much more!

Some examples:

BECOMING HENRY LEE about a teen who goes out of his way to become all the stereotypes of what his peers think he should be in order to make friends and finds a hidden talent.

One of my favorites is by Mitali Perkins about getting 'points' on the boy scale from her older sisters and feeling that no boy will be interested in her other than being the exotic 'friend'. **I had to laugh as my own sisters had a similar point system with boys though we were from different cultures which shows that we're not that unlike.

UNDER BERLIN by G. Neri shows in free verse the reactions of some on a German subway to an interracial family. The father here is great with how he handles apparent racism with a smile. Love this:

..."See, America's an immigrant country," he told us when we first got here. "We're used to rubbing shoulders with all kinds. But here, they never had immigrants..."

There's also other similar tales in this anthology that brings a smile. Also it shows that humor is universal and can break down barriers.