Books About Identity And Belonging

The Best Identity And Belonging Books for Kids

By the Bookroo Editors

Looking for excellent children's books about identity and belonging? This collection brings together Bookroo's highest-rated and most useful picks in one place.

Start with our editorial favorites, then browse recommendations organized by reading stage to find the right book for your reader.

The Shortlist

Our 9 Favorite Books About Identity And Belonging

Rebels with a Cause
Sale price
$1398
Chapter Book · Ages 9–12 · 2019

Rebels with a Cause

By James Patterson, Chris Grabenstein, Beverly Johnson (Illustrator) · Book #2 in the Max Einstein series

Kid geniuses tackle a global water crisis while evading a sinister corporation's kidnapping attempts.

320 pages· 41,092 words· Est. 4.5 hour read
4.3 Goodreads · 1,300 ratings
$14.99Save 7%
Hardcover
Summary: Max Einstein, a 12-year-old prodigy, juggles teaching college classes and dodging kidnappers. As part of the Change Makers Institute, she and her friends face a global water crisis in Ireland and India. But with a greedy corporation always one step ahead, is there a spy among them? Can Max outsmart her pursuers and save the day?
Ninth Grade Slays
Sale price
$1248
Chapter Book · Ages 12–+ · 2008

Ninth Grade Slays

By Heather Brewer · Book #2 in the The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod series

A half-vampire teen faces deadly secrets and a sinister substitute teacher.

278 pages· 61,935 words· Est. 7 hour read
4.1 Goodreads · 26,050 ratings
$12.99Save 4%
Paperback
Summary: Vlad Tod's freshman year is a nightmare. Bullies, a nosy photographer, and failing grades threaten his secret vampire life. A Siberian trip offers new powers, but can he spot a vampire slayer before it's too late? As past secrets resurface, Vlad must navigate a world where danger lurks at every corner. Will he survive the challenges that threaten his very existence?
The Sixth Faction
Sale price
$2469
Chapter Book · 2026

The Sixth Faction

By Veronica Roth

A girl's plan for choosing day collapses when tragedy pulls her into a hidden rebellion.

528 pages· 134,355 words
4.1 Goodreads · 7,696 ratings
$25.99Save 5%
Hardcover
Summary: In a city divided into five factions, Beatrice Prior plans to make the bravest choice and leave Abnegation for Dauntless, even if it means leaving her family. Then tragedy strikes at her choosing ceremony and upends everything. Drawn into an underground rebellion, she must decide whether to trust a secretive boy known only by a number. Veronica Roth reimagines the world of Divergent in this new series opener.
A (Dead) Thing Like Me
Sale price
$1899
Chapter Book · Ages 14–+ · 2026

A (Dead) Thing Like Me

By E.G. Young

A lonely teen ghost, summoned by mistake, longs to befriend the grieving girl who called her.

352 pages· 77,859 words· Est. 7 hour read
4.0 Goodreads · 191 ratings
$19.99Save 5%
Hardcover
Summary: Hot Dog is an invisible teenage ghost haunting a food cart outside the Metropolitan Museum of Art, until a Ouija board accidentally summons her to a party in Florida. Logan, an artist grieving her best friend, can see her and wants to talk. Hot Dog is determined to become Logan's new best friend, but something sinister in Logan's house threatens them both. A darkly funny YA paranormal novel.
All the Broken Pieces
Sale price
$858
Chapter Book · Ages 10–13 · 2009

All the Broken Pieces

By Ann E. Burg

A boy must face his past and choose between silence and truth in a new land.

240 pages· 15,228 words· Est. 1.5 hour read
4.0 Goodreads · 7,610 ratings
$8.99Save 5%
Paperback
Summary: Matt Pin, haunted by memories of war-torn Vietnam and a secret left behind, now lives with a loving adoptive family in the U.S. As he navigates his new life, Matt must confront his past, balancing silence with truth, blame with forgiveness, and fear with freedom. Will he find the courage to embrace his history and heal? This poignant tale, told in evocative verse, explores the enduring scars of war and the transformative power of love.
Nine, Ten
Sale price
$1899
Chapter Book · Ages 10–14 · 2016

Nine, Ten

By Nora Raleigh Baskin

Four kids' lives intertwine as a perfect day turns tragic on September 11, 2001.

208 pages· 32,640 words· Est. 3.5 hour read
3.9 Goodreads · 8,630 ratings
$19.99Save 5%
Hardcover
Summary: In the days before September 11, 2001, four middle schoolers face personal struggles. Sergio grapples with family issues in Brooklyn, Will mourns his father, Naheed feels out of place at her new school, and Aimee misses her mom, who is in New York. Unbeknownst to them, their lives are on a collision course with history. As the world changes forever, how will these young lives intersect amidst the unfolding tragedy?
We Set the Dark on Fire
Sale price
$1697
Chapter Book · Ages 14–+ · 2019

We Set the Dark on Fire

By Tehlor Kay Mejia · Book #1 in the We Set the Dark on Fire series

A top student must choose between privilege and rebellion in a divided society.

364 pages· 84,235 words· Est. 8 hour read
3.8 Goodreads · 21,277 ratings
$17.99Save 6%
Hardcover
Summary: At the prestigious Medio School for Girls, Daniela Vargas excels, hiding a secret that could ruin her. Trained to be a perfect wife, she's drawn into a dangerous game of espionage by a resistance group fighting for equality. As political tensions rise, Dani faces a choice: maintain her privileged facade or risk everything for a chance at freedom and forbidden love. Will she betray her upbringing for a cause that could change her world forever?
The Betrayed
Sale price
$1248
Chapter Book · Ages 13–+ · 2021

The Betrayed

By Kiera Cass · Book #2 in the The Betrothed series

A broken heart, a tyrant king, and a choice that could change everything.

320 pages· 66,095 words· Est. 6 hour read
3.8 Goodreads · 22,160 ratings
$12.99Save 4%
Paperback
Summary: Hollis, fleeing a shattered past, finds refuge with the Eastoffe family in Isolte. As tensions rise, she faces a choice: help unseat a tyrannical king or follow her heart's secret desires. With a surly cousin complicating matters, can Hollis balance her new loyalties with her own longings? The fate of her adopted homeland hangs in the balance, and Hollis must decide if she can risk everything for a chance at peace and love.
Camp Creepy
Sale price
$1697
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2023

Camp Creepy

By Kiersten White · Book #3 in the Sinister Summer series

A summer camp's normal facade hides a strange mystery. Can the kids uncover the truth?

288 pages· 48,736 words· Est. 7 hour read
4.1 Goodreads · 727 ratings
$17.99Save 6%
Hardcover
Summary: Theo and Alexander Sinister-Winterbottom arrive at Camp Creek, where everything seems normal—too normal. As campers start acting oddly, Theo suspects the tie-dye cabin's fumes. Determined to uncover the truth, they dive into a mystery that challenges their perception of 'normal.' What secrets lurk beneath the camp's cheerful surface?
The Bookroo Book Club

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BoardAges 0–3PictureAges 3–6Junior ChapterAges 7–10Middle GradeAges 9–12
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