How about a heist in space? 'The Stars and the Blackness Between Them' by Junauda Petrus isn't a heist, sorry. It's a beautiful, lyrical story about two Black girls—one in Minneapolis, one in Trinidad—connecting through dreams, astronomy, and a shared sense of displacement.
It has magical realism and a poignant, quiet sci-fi element in its cosmic spirituality. The diversity is in the specificity of their cultures, their queer love, and the tender exploration of illness, fate, and finding home in each other. It's not a space opera; it's a interstellar love poem.
I'm a sucker for epistolary formats. 'The Last Cuentista' by Donna Barba Higuera is about a girl, Petra, who is the only person to remember Earth after her colony ship is hijacked and her people's memories are wiped. She preserves the old stories—cuentos—of her Mexican heritage.
The diversity is in Petra's role as a storyteller and cultural keeper against a homogenizing force. It's a sci-fi story about the power of narrative and heritage as a form of resistance. It won the Newbery, which is rare for sci-fi, and it's absolutely breathtaking and heartbreaking.
I need to shout out 'Cinderella Is Dead' by Kalynn Bayron. Again, fantasy, but it's a dystopian reimagining two hundred years after the fairy tale, where girls are drafted to a royal ball. The protagonist, Sophia, is a Black lesbian who wants to run away with her girlfriend, not marry some prince.
The sci-fi element is in the rigid, technologically enforced societal control. It's a rebellion story about smashing systemic patriarchy and rewriting your own story. The diversity is the point—it's a direct critique of the homogenized, heteronormative princess narrative, making it a fierce and satisfying speculative read.
For a quieter, more philosophical pick, 'The First to Die at the End' by Adam Silvera (the prequel to 'They Both Die at the End') is a great near-future sci-fi. It follows two young men, one Puerto Rican and one of mixed race, who connect on the day a death-prediction service launches.
The diversity is in their backgrounds, their personalities, and the LGBTQ+ representation. The sci-fi concept is the engine for exploring intimacy, mortality, and living without regret. It's less about flashy tech and more about how a technological advance fundamentally alters human connection on the most personal level.
2026-07-21 15:00:03
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