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Readalikes · September 17, 2020

10 Books Like… Americanah

So you read this classic by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and, now you’re on the hunt for books like Americanah? Welcome!

Recommending readalikes can be a tricky process, but as I said in the first post in this series, I enjoy the process of finding similar threads running through even books that appear different on the surface. Today’s pick is a classic by Nigerian author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie that is both a meditation on race and immigration, as well as a love story. If you haven’t read it yet, you should, as you should all of Adichie’s other books!

americanah
buy on amazon

Published: May 14, 2013

Here’s my readalike criterion: Each book I recommend must have at least three strong similarities with the beloved title. For each recommended book, I’ll also highlight major differences to keep in mind, just in case they might put you off.

Because Americanah is such a big deal (and I don’t read as much adult fiction), I asked some friends to help me choose readalikes! Today, Leggy and Taynement from the book blog TwoNightStands, Dami from What Dami Did, and Cindy from Book of Cinz will also be sharing their recommendations. All of these ladies are Americanah fans, Adichie fans, and bloggers with impeccable taste in books.

Without further ado, if you loved this book, here are 10 more books like Americanah.

Books Like Americanah

Afoma’s Picks

His Only Wife

his only wife - books like americanah
read my review
buy on amazon

Published: September 1, 2020

Similarities

  • Written by a female African author
  • Features love triangle similar to the one in Americanah
  • Also set in Africa
  • Strongly feminist
  • Tackles societal ills in the same tongue-in-cheek tone as Americanah

Differences

  • Ghanaian author and setting, not Nigerian
  • No element of race discourse or racial activism

In Dependence

in dependence - books like americanah
buy on amazon

Published: May 14, 2019

Similarities

  • A love story spanning decades
  • Set partly in Nigeria and in the UK
  • Explores Nigerian culture and societal issues
  • Elements of racial discourse as the protagonists are in an interracial relationship

Differences

  • Historical fiction

What We Were Promised

what we were promised - books like americanah
read my review
buy on amazon

Published: July 10, 2018

Similarities

  • Asian family adjusting to life back in their home country of Shanghai after life as an immigrant in America
  • Experiences of racism in America
  • Strong female protagonist
  • A love triangle

Differences

  • Written by an Asian author and set in Shanghai with Asian traditions

Leggy and Taynment’s Picks

Behold the Dreamers

behold the dreamers - books like americanah
buy on amazon

Published: August 23, 2016

Similarities

  • Immigrant story of a couple relocating from an African country to the United States
  • Rediscovering identity as a foreigner/Black person
  • Struggling in situations that require grappling with moral conscience while in survivor mode and both characters could be morally seen as questionable
  • Ended up with the same decision/solution with dealing with identity crisis
  • For African readers, recognizable sayings, slangs and mentions of familiar cultures
  • Not the most satisfying ending (haha)

Differences

  • Ifemelu is a single Nigerian woman while Jende is a married Cameroonian man with a child.
  • POV is from two characters – Jende and his wife, Neni vs.  just one like Ifemelu
  • Ifemelu is educated and starts her journey in the states. Adichie uses the parts about her blog to highlight topics on racism on a broader level. This book talks about race from an individual level. No form of activism.

Transcendent Kingdom

transcendent kingdom - books like americanah
read my review
buy on amazon

Published: September 1, 2020

Similarities

• First generation immigrant story
• Story told from a uniquely African point of view
• Also dealing with identity crisis caused by straddling two generations of views and experiences (African and American, scientist and Christian)
• Trying to assimilate into a new culture and country

Differences

  • Addiction, depression and suicide are big parts of this book, so trigger warning to everyone who might need it
two night stands blog
About the Curators:

@taynement and @leggylegs love reading and love to talk about books. Visit their blog for more recommendations and reviews.


Dami’s Picks: Books for readers who enjoyed Americanah

Free Food for Millionaires

free food for millionaires - books like americanah
buy on amazon

Published: May 22, 2007

  • Story spanning years
  • Wide cast of characters
  • A complex protagonist that struggles with mental health and is trying to find herself
  • Love triangles

The Farm

the farm - books like americanah
buy on amazon

Published: May 7, 2019

  • Written by an American immigrant
  • Central theme of race and immigration
  • Complex female protagonist

The Vanishing Half

the vanishing half - books like americanah
buy on amazon

Published: June 2, 2020

Published:

  • Story about leaving and cutting ties with home
  • Story about racism and displacement
  • A love story that started when the characters were teenagers and continued when they were adults

About Dami

Dami is a Nigerian lifestyle blogger and illustrator.


Cindy’s Picks

A Girl Is a Body of Water

a girl is a body of water - books like americanah
buy on amazon

Published: September 1, 2020

Similarities

  • Strong female protagonist
  • Feminist story
  • Protagonist struggles with identity and belonging
  • Tackles issues like colorism and patriarchy in African society
  • Set in Africa (Uganda)

Differences

  • Historical fiction
  • Protagonist is trying to break familial generational curses

The Deep Blue Between

the deep blue between - books like americanah
buy on amazon

Published: March 1, 2022

Similarities

  • Migration to another land and learning a new culture and way of life
  • Themes of grief
  • African identity, history and culture

Differences

  • Told from two POVs; twin protagonists
  • Historical fiction
bookofcinz
About Cindy:

Cindy is a Book Blogger, Book Reviewer, Book Club Host, Content Creator and an active member of the Bookstagram community with the handle called @bookofcinz. The goal of my BookOfCinz is to encourage people to read, read more, read widely, and read more Caribbean Authors and literature.


And that’s a wrap: 10 books like Americanah! I really loved seeing what these ladies recommended, and I’m definitely putting several recommendations on my TBR. Please follow all four ladies on their social media accounts for more recommendations and enjoyable lifestyle content.

Which of these selections have you read and enjoyed? Would you recommend any of these to readers who enjoyed Americanah? I’d love to hear your own readalikes for Americanah!

Pin This Post – Books Like Americanah

books like americanah

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Posted In: Readalikes · Tagged: african fiction, readalikes, realistic fiction

About the Author

Afoma Umesi is the founder and blogger at Reading Middle Grade. She's a writer and editor with a deep love for children's literature. Her favorite genre is contemporary realistic fiction, but she'll never say no to a graphic novel. Read More…

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Comments

  1. Janice Spence says

    September 19, 2020 at 1:32 am

    Thanks for these suggestions. I’ve read Behold the Dreamers, and I will be reading The Vanishing Half in the next few weeks for a book group. Several others appeal to me. They all sound good to me!

    Reply
  2. Dee says

    September 19, 2020 at 5:23 pm

    This is the blogpost I did not realize I wanted. Thanks, ladies!!

    Reply
  3. Bushra says

    March 10, 2021 at 11:03 am

    My book club read this after reading Transcendent Kingdom. It was a really interesting pairing and discussion.

    Reply
    • Afoma Umesi says

      March 10, 2021 at 11:08 am

      Ah, both great books! I loved Transcendent Kingdom!

      Reply

What do you think? Leave a commentCancel reply

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📰 a beautiful graphic novel about speaking the 📰 a beautiful graphic novel about speaking the truth 

This stunning graphic novel follows Cinzia, Avvisi writer’s apprentice living in sunny Sianerra. Cinzia and her mestra write news stories/pamphlets to the city, but not everyone likes when they tell the truth. 

After an edition exposing the ruling family for extortion, cinzia and her mestra are arrested at night and she has to join forces with the princess to fight back against censorship. 

Besides the wonderfully imaginative and powerful storyline, loved the visuals and the diversity representation in this graphic novel. The main character has a bad leg and gets around with a walking stick, which is something rarely depicted in graphic novels (and it’s barely even discussed—it just is!).

Although, this book is closer to fantasy (but without magical elements), it’s set in a Renaissance-style Italian village, so it could work for lovers of realistic fiction too.

Look out for it in November! Have you read this graphic novel? Thoughts? Is it on your radar already?

#graphicnovels #mglit #booksforkids
🩰throwback Thursday - meet one of my favorites 🩰throwback Thursday - meet one of my favorites

Looking for an upper middle grade book about ballet, friendships, and body image? Meet TURNING POINT. 

This book focuses on Monique (Mo) and Rasheeda (Sheeda)’s friendship and how it changes over a summer when both girls are drawn into different pursuits. Mo is off at a ballet intensive with Mila, while Sheeda is stuck at church (with her church “friends”) feeling like she has no life.

At the ballet intensive, Mo comes face to face with her competitive attitude which is fueled by feelings of not “fitting in” with the mostly white, skinny ballet dancers. Even though she makes a couple of friends (who basically lovingly force her to befriend them), she’s insecure at times, afraid to be vulnerable because everything feels so different. On the other hand, Sheeda is desperate for something new. Unfortunately, she falls into a risky situation with Mo’s brother whom she happens to have a crush on.

Paula Chase is one of my favorite writers for this audience and this may be my favorite of hers so far. It’s in the same universe as two of her previous books, DOUGH BOYS and SO DONE but you don’t need to read them in order. 

I’d say her books are great for kids ages 12+
Have you read any books by this author? Which ones are your favorites?

#booksbooksbooks #mglit #bookstagram
🇲🇽Twins on opposite sides I’d seen this b 🇲🇽Twins on opposite sides

I’d seen this book floating around for ages but was never drawn to it (the cover maybe?) until I saw a review somewhere I can’t remember 🤪 I was pleasantly surprised!

Twins Luisa and Fernando find their paths diverging as they’re entering sixth grade. Luisa will be attending middle school in the US just across the border from Fernando’s school in Mexico. There, they come to face to face with different, but equally pressing challenges that threaten to tear them apart.

I really enjoyed this book. The side by side depictions of both kids parallel lives, the way the illustrations celebrate Mexican culture, living, and traditions, and the heartwarming way the twins find their way back to each other. 

I’d recommend this one to 6th graders and up (heads up for content warning: text mentions and depicts illicit drug use by a minor, although portrayed in a negative light) as a fascinating look into Mexican culture, life as a twin, and finding your own identity.

#kidlit #graphicnovels #mglit #booksforkids
♠️ on spades and what it means to be a man An ♠️ on spades and what it means to be a man

Ant isn’t your average 10 year old. He loves a good game of spades and he and his best friend are planning to revamp their reputation after losing badly at the last spades tournament. But things are changing in Ant’s life. His dad is acting weird, asking him to hide things from his mom. There’s a new girl in class who Ant maybe likes and who plays spades better than many boys he knows. 

When his best friend is grounded, Ant teams up with Shirley, hoping to impress his father and finally be tough like Joplin men should be. But instead, he learns what it really means to be a man—and it’s not about never crying.

There’s SO MUCH going on in this story, but the author does a stunning job of keeping all the threads in place. I was very surprised by all the protagonist has to manage at his age and the fact that it all remains believable. The story is told by Ant’s ancestor, lending a touch of magic realism. There are also many details about playing a game of spades and I loved, loved the audiobook narrator.

If you’re looking for a meatier middle grade book perfect for kids ages 9-12 (and older, really—love the cover!) looking for books that balance levity and relatability with real issues like toxic masculinity, parental addiction, friendship issues, and crushes.

#mglit #middlegrade #middlegradebookies #kidlit #booksforkids
❤️ a protagonist for the times Willow (Lolo) ❤️ a protagonist for the times

Willow (Lolo) Weaver’s summer is not going well. Her grandfather has recently died, her grandma isn’t herself and she’s given away her grandfather’s foster dog, Hank. Lolo’s mother is heavily pregnant and Lolo is in summer school because she didn’t do too well in her last exams. On top of that their lake town isn’t a lake town anymore because the lake’s been drained and smells awful now. 

Lolo wants to help her grandmother feel better and she’s convinced that getting back her grandfather’s dog will do the trick. The only problem is that the dog now belongs to someone else. So Lolo gets on Pop’s boat to steal Hank back—only to run into her summer school classmate, Noah (who’s the new dog owner).

I really enjoyed Lolo’s story. It’s strongly reminiscent of classics like Ramona and Lolo’s voice leaps off the pages. The setting is also an unmistakable part of this story and the story feels drenched in summer. My heart went out to Lolo who always feels like she’s the reason why everything’s gone awry. I also laughed plenty at her way of seeing the world. 

This book is perfect for family readalouds especially for kids in grades 3-5. Dog lovers and kids who like a good adventure with a sprinkle of mischief will love it too.

#mglit #summerbooks #booksforelementaryschoolkids #booksbooksbooks #bookstagram
🎸 believe the hype I was very nervous about re 🎸 believe the hype

I was very nervous about reading a book about a kid with cancer, but there’s no better author than Rob Harrell to do this. 

When Ross is diagnosed with a rare lacrimal gland cancer (in his eye), it’s like a new trial for his seventh grade existence. Add to that the fact that his mom died from cancer years before, he’s going blind in one eye, his best friend is moving away soon, and mean kids at school are making terrible memes about his illness and you have a dumpster fire of a year waiting to happen. Or is it?

As heavy as everything I’ve mentioned above sounds, this book is more hopeful than anything else. We follow Ross through radiotherapy and the painful, sad side effects of cancer medications, but also through learning to play the guitar, an unlikely friendship with a school bully, and a closer relationship with his dad.

I especially loved the audiobook version which has fun interdissions featuring Will’s comic alter-ego BatPig (with a different narrator, background jingles and everything). 

I would recommend this book to 6th graders and up looking for funny books with male protagonists. It’s also a great one to hand to kids coping with cancer or chronic illnesses. 

If you’re in the WINK fan club, you just got a new member 😉

#mglit #books #bookstagram
🧽 an engaging, compelling story about addiction 🧽 an engaging, compelling story about addiction recovery

After years of dealing with opioid addiction, Franny’s mom is finally sober and on the right track with a cleaning job and a cozy apartment upstairs from a laundromat. But then she gets in an accident and has to be prescribed opioids again, sending Franny into a frenzy. 

Franny starts doing her mom’s cleaning jobs behind her back — even blackmailing a school rival into working with her — to ensure they don’t run out of money. But she soon learns that worrying about adult problems isn’t her job.

I read this book in one sitting and loved it—as I do everything Sumner writes. Maid for It is an informative, gripping, and accessible middle grade book about living with a parent recovering from addiction. This one is a page-turner.

Sumner does a great job tackling important issues like poverty, classism, and drug misuse and presenting everything in an age-appropriate fashion for middle schoolers. If you’re looking for books about parents with addiction, this is a great pick.

Have you read any books by this author? Which one is your favorite? I think this might be mine 🥰

#bookstagram #kidlit #mglit #bookworm #amreader
🦸‍♂️ a zippy new superhero series with pl 🦸‍♂️ a zippy new superhero series with plenty of charm

What if you woke up to new powers every day? Such is the fate of our protagonist in this graphic novel-prose hybrid (think PIE IN THE SKY format—swipe for photos). Daily, he develops and loses everything from potent superpowers like telekinesis and super speed to cute, but not-so-useful ones like bubbles and speaking cat. He’s even recruited by the city’s superhero to help fight the villains popping up everywhere. The one thing he can’t seem to figure out though is where his scientist mom is.

As each day passes, readers follow Switcheroo one step closer to the mystery of his mom’s whereabouts and why there are so many villains around all of a sudden. 

With illustrations on every page and graphic panels on nearly every other page, this book is bound to appeal to fans of graphic novels. I expected a wacky adventure, but this story has so much more heart than I anticipated—especially about judging people for how they look, a criteria that is often outside their control.

Hand this new release to kids ages 8+ particularly if they’re obsessed with superheroes, robots, graphic novels, and love a sensitive, funny protagonist.

#superherobooks #amreading #booksforkids #bookstagram #bookworm
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