10 Diverse Anthologies for Middle and High School Classrooms

Short, diverse texts are exactly what we’re looking for right now.

"Unbroken," "Color Outside the Lines," and "Come on In" Anthology Books.

Teaching secondary ELA is certainly challenging right now. Whether you’re teaching online or in person, you might not be able to teach the novels that have always been in your curriculum. Anthologies to the rescue! The best anthologies for young people combine short, engaging texts from a variety of genres and voices. Think poetry, fantasy, science fiction, romance, or a mash-up of them all. We’re loving the following diverse anthologies for the classroom to help capture students’ attention and interest.

Just a heads up, WeAreTeachers may collect a share of sales from the links on this page. We only recommend items our team loves! 

Unbroken: 13 Stories Starring Disabled Teens edited by Marieke Nijkamp

Writers that self-identify as living with a physical, mental, or neurodiverse disability bring to life characters that reflect the world as they know it.

Fresh Ink: An Anthology edited by Lamar Giles

Created by We Need Diverse Books and award-winning writers such as Walter Dean Myers and Jason Reynolds, this “choose your ending” anthology includes ten stories, a graphic “short,” and a one-act play.

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Once Upon an Eid: Stories of Hope and Joy by 15 Muslim Voices by S. K. Ali and Aisha Saeed

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Colorful illustrations, poetry, and a graphic novel excerpt accompany a selection of narratives centered around festive celebrations of Eid—an important, bi-annual occasion for Muslims.

A Phoenix Must First Burn edited by Patrice Caldwell 

Bestselling authors Dhonielle Clayton and Elizabeth Acevedo are a part of the diverse team behind this YA sci-fi and fantasy anthology.

Come On In edited by Adi Alsaid

The challenges of immigration are explored in fictitious chronicles penned by writers from around the globe.

 Out Now: Queer We Go Again edited by Saundra Mitchell

Seventeen adventures featuring queer protagonists are the heart of this own voices collection.

A Thousand Beginnings and Endings edited by Ellen Oh and Elsie Chapman

Classic fairy tales and myths from East and South Asia are retold through inventive twists imagined by sixteen authors.

Ink Knows No Borders: Poems of the Immigrant and Refugee Experience edited by Patrice Vecchione and Alyssa Raymond

Diverse Anthologies for the Classroom - WeAreTeachers

Lyrical odes reflect the contemporary experiences of immigrants and refugees in a poetry anthology specifically crafted for a teen audience.

Take the Mic: Fictional Stories of Everyday Resistance edited by Bethany C. Morrow

Diverse Anthologies for the Classroom - WeAreTeachers

Themes including anti-racism, allyship, and advocacy are highlighted for middle-grade readers in this fiction compilation.

Color Outside the Lines: Stories About Love edited by Sangu Mandanna

Diverse Anthologies for the Classroom - WeAreTeachers

Brought together through quirky plots and relatable mishaps, teen interracial and LGBTQ+ couples are the refreshing focus of these tender-hearted tales.

Do you have any favorite diverse anthologies for the classroom? We’d love to hear. Share in the comments below!

Also, check out #OwnVoices novels to share in the classroom.

10 Diverse Anthologies for Middle and High School Classrooms