Like many people my age, I was partly raised by Malorie Blackman. She creates worlds you want to carry with you and each of her stories encourage young readers to ask the important questions in life.
Noughts & Crosses is my absolute favourite of her books. I remember devouring each book in the series as they came out in the early 2000s, desperate for the next instalment. Part of the reason it is so enduring is because while it is written for young adults, it is still a brazenly political read.
It was my first step to understanding racism and classism, opening the door for questions that are just starting to form in young minds – which is why I’m so excited to share that it’s my Monthly Read for July. I hope you find it as pacey, romantic, tortured and enlightening as I did.
Dua x
