Meg Medina’s books really grab you. She writes about identity, family, and culture, particularly within the Latinx community. Her stories often feature young people trying to find their way.
If you enjoy books with a similar focus, you might be wondering about other authors who explore similar themes. Well, you are in luck. This article will highlight some writers who create books with a similar feel.
Readers who enjoy Meg Medina’s heartfelt storytelling may appreciate Erika L. Sánchez, an author who beautifully captures young Latinx experiences.
Her book “I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter” follows Julia, a teenage girl struggling with the expectations of her traditional Mexican immigrant family after the sudden death of her sister, Olga.
In her quest to discover Olga’s secrets, Julia uncovers truths about her family and faces her own identity. Sánchez offers an authentic look at family dynamics, cultural pressures, and the personal courage needed to find your voice.
Elizabeth Acevedo is a Dominican-American author and poet who writes honest, emotional stories about young people’s lives and identities. If you’ve enjoyed Meg Medina’s rich storytelling and relatable characters, you might also appreciate Acevedo’s novel “The Poet X.”
This book follows Xiomara Batista, a teenager from Harlem who navigates family expectations, cultural pressure, and self-discovery through poetry. Xiomara’s poems become her voice, and through them, she explores relationships, religion, and finding her own place in the world.
Acevedo writes in a lyrical style that is beautiful and powerful all at once.
Readers who enjoy Meg Medina might also connect with Angela Cervantes. Cervantes writes heartfelt stories that explore themes of identity, family bonds, and facing challenges with courage.
Her book “Gaby, Lost and Found” follows Gaby Ramirez, a young girl whose mother has been deported to Honduras. Gaby finds comfort volunteering at an animal shelter, where helping stray animals gives her hope and a sense of belonging.
The novel thoughtfully portrays Gaby’s struggles and resilience, combining warm, relatable characters with a story that feels authentic and compassionate.
Readers who enjoy Meg Medina’s vibrant storytelling and authentic characters will appreciate Pam Muñoz Ryan. Her novel “Esperanza Rising” follows Esperanza, a young girl whose comfortable life in Mexico changes suddenly after a family tragedy.
Esperanza and her mother move to California during the Great Depression to work in farm labor camps. Through hardships, Esperanza discovers her resilience and courage, finding hope and strength in unexpected places.
Ryan’s storytelling beautifully captures the immigrant experience, family bonds, and the struggle for identity, themes that resonate strongly with Medina’s fans.
Margarita Engle is a Cuban-American writer who creates vivid stories inspired by her Cuban heritage. Her novels and poetry often explore themes of family, cultural identity, and personal journeys shaped by historical events.
If you enjoy Meg Medina’s authentic portrayal of Latino experiences, you’ll appreciate Engle’s novel “Enchanted Air.”
This memoir in verse portrays Margarita’s childhood split between two countries during the Cold War era, when tensions between Cuba and the U.S. affected families deeply.
Through her poetic voice, Engle explores how political conflicts impact personal relationships, family bonds, and a child’s identity. Her storytelling warmly captures moments of discovery amidst hardship, rooted firmly in authentic emotions and relatable struggles.
Renée Watson is an author whose novels explore family bonds, identity, and community life, capturing young voices with honesty and warmth.
In “Piecing Me Together,” the author introduces us to Jade, a high-achieving student who navigates two distinct worlds: the underprivileged neighborhood she calls home, and the well-off private school she attends.
Jade hopes her talent and hard work will lead to opportunities beyond her neighborhood. But when she’s selected for a mentorship program aimed at helping “at-risk” girls, Jade starts to question how society perceives her, and what she truly needs to thrive.
Watson paints a vivid and thoughtful portrait of a girl’s journey toward empowerment and understanding, one that readers of Meg Medina, who appreciate relatable characters and genuine storytelling, will find especially meaningful.
Readers who enjoy Meg Medina’s stories about family, identity, and belonging might connect with the works of Jenny Torres Sanchez. In her novel “We Are Not from Here,” Sanchez introduces readers to three teens, Pulga, Chico, and Pequeña.
These friends make the perilous decision to flee the violence of Guatemala, risking everything for a chance at safety in the United States.
The story portrays their resilience, friendship, and the harsh realities they face along their journey, reflecting a powerful mix of hope and heartbreak.
It’s a narrative that showcases courage amid desperate circumstances, capturing themes familiar to fans of Medina’s authentic storytelling.
Readers who enjoy Meg Medina’s stories might also appreciate author Matt de la Peña. His book “Mexican WhiteBoy” follows Danny, a teenager of mixed heritage who struggles to find his place between two worlds.
Spending the summer with relatives near the Mexican border, Danny navigates family dynamics, identity challenges, and friendships rooted in baseball. The story thoughtfully explores issues of race, belonging, and self-discovery.
Matt de la Peña’s characters are relatable, his narratives genuine, and his writing style engaging for fans of realistic young adult fiction.
Jacqueline Woodson writes powerful stories about young people navigating family, friendships, and their changing worlds. Her novel “Brown Girl Dreaming” is a beautifully written memoir told through poetry.
It takes place during the civil rights movement and follows Jacqueline’s childhood experiences. She grows up split between the North and the South, trying to understand her own identity and family history amid racial tensions and change.
Readers who enjoy Meg Medina’s heartfelt characters and genuine stories about growing up may also appreciate the warmth and honesty in Woodson’s storytelling.
Readers who enjoy Meg Medina’s heartfelt storytelling will probably connect with the books of Christina Diaz Gonzalez. Gonzalez captures engaging narratives about family, culture, and courage.
Her book “The Red Umbrella” tells the story of Lucia, a fourteen-year-old Cuban girl sent to America alone during Operation Pedro Pan. Lucia faces the challenges of adjusting to life away from home, adapting to a new culture and language, and wondering when and if she will ever reunite with her family.
Gonzalez’s writing speaks honestly about identity, resilience, and the immigrant experience, themes that resonate strongly in Medina’s work as well.
Lilliam Rivera is an author you’ll enjoy if you appreciate Meg Medina’s relatable stories about family, identity, and growing up. Rivera often explores Latino experiences through characters who feel authentic and vivid.
Her young adult novel “The Education of Margot Sanchez” is about Margot, a teenager forced by her family to work in their Bronx supermarket for the entire summer after getting caught for spending her father’s money.
Margot struggles to balance family expectations, friendships, and her own dreams. Readers will likely connect with Margot’s voice because Rivera captures the reality of teenage life with warmth, humor, and honesty.
Francisco Stork is a Mexican-American author known for heartfelt storytelling that captures the challenges and triumphs of young adulthood. His novel “Marcelo in the Real World” introduces Marcelo, a thoughtful teenager with a condition resembling Asperger’s syndrome.
Marcelo spends the summer working at his father’s law firm instead of his preferred job caring for horses. There, he navigates a complex adult environment filled with morally ambiguous situations and unexpected friendships.
If you enjoy Meg Medina’s genuine characters and emotionally layered narratives, Francisco Stork’s honest and sensitive exploration of identity and ethics will resonate with you.
If you enjoy Meg Medina’s heartfelt portrayal of family, identity, and culture, you might also appreciate the work of Julia Alvarez. Alvarez is a Dominican-American author who beautifully explores themes of immigration, tradition, and growing up between two worlds.
One of her popular novels, “How the García Girls Lost Their Accents,” captures the journey of the García sisters as they move from the warmth of their Dominican home to life in New York City.
Each sister experiences her own challenges, joys, and confusions while adjusting to a new culture and language. Alvarez sensitively portrays how they navigate their Latina heritage alongside their American lives, and how each sister eventually shapes her unique path.
Readers who enjoy intimate looks at family relationships and identity struggles will find much to connect with in Alvarez’s storytelling.
Rebecca Balcárcel is an author who beautifully blends elements of family, friendship, and cultural identity in her heartfelt stories. Her novel “The Other Half of Happy” follows Quijana, a seventh-grader juggling the challenges of a multicultural identity.
With a Guatemalan father and an American mother, Quijana feels caught between two worlds. Things get more complicated at home when family issues arise and at school when friendships shift.
Balcárcel vividly portrays Quijana’s struggles and triumphs, creating a realistic and relatable voice similar to Meg Medina’s storytelling style.
Readers who appreciate Medina’s honest portrayals of young characters facing tricky interpersonal situations will likely connect with Balcárcel’s work as well.
Books by Benjamin Alire Sáenz often explore heartfelt stories about family, friendship, and identity. If you enjoyed Meg Medina’s novels, you might appreciate Sáenz’s “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe.”
This book introduces Aristotle, who goes by Ari, a quiet and introspective teenager struggling to understand himself and his Mexican-American family. Ari meets Dante, an open-minded kid fascinated by poetry and art.
Their unexpected friendship pushes both boys to confront their own beliefs, identities, and the world around them. Readers who appreciate genuine characters, family dynamics, and stories about self-discovery will connect strongly with Sáenz’s work.