Genre Mash: RTW x Realistic

Looking for a grounded, contemporary story to read for Read the World? This list has you covered.

Updated April 14, 2026
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The girl with the louding voice A novel
Daré, Abi.
Ebook
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A READ WITH JENNA TODAY SHOW BOOK CLUB PICK!  "Brave, fresh . . . unforgettable."--The New York Times Book Review "A celebration of girls who dare to...

RTW Africa (Nigeria)

The bridge home
Venkatraman, Padma
Paper Book
"Readers will be captivated by this beautifully written novel about young people who must use their instincts and grit to survive. Padma shares with us an unflinching peek into the reality millions of homeless children live every day but also infuses her story with hope and bravery that will...

RTW Asia (India)

Una botella al mar de Gaza
Zenatti, Valerie.
Ebook
Tal, una chica hebrea de 16 a os, se encuentra en casa cuando una bomba estalla en su barrio. Acostumbrada a escuchar este tipo de noticias en la radio o la televisi n, se siente consternada al ser tocada tan de cerca por el odio. Para entender qu pasa del otro lado, c mo piensan y sienten los...

RTW Asia (Israel)

My brother's husband
Tagame, Gengoroh
Paper Book
"When a cuddly Canadian comes to call, Yaichi-a single Japanese dad-is forced to confront his painful past. With his young daughter Kana leading the way, he gradually rethinks his assumptions about what makes a family. Renowned manga artist Gengoroh Tagame turns his stunning draftsmanship to a...

RTW Asia (Japan)

One bird
Mori, Kyoko.
Paper Book
When her mother abandons her, 15-year-old Megumi Shimizu starts to tell lies in an effort to deal with her aching isolation. Only Dr. Mizutani, the spinster lady veterinarian who teaches Megumi how to care for the birds, helps the young girl to deal with the truth of her situation.

RTW Asia (Japan)

Cross my heart and never lie
Dåsnes, Nora
Paper Book
★ WINNER of the 2024 Stonewall Book Award, American Library Association Perfect for fans of The Girl from the Sea by Molly Knox Ostertag, HeartStopper by Alice Oseman, and Jen Wang's The Dressmaker and the Prince. In this fresh, sensitive,...

RTW Europe (Norway)

Swing time
Smith, Zadie.
Ebook
"Smith's thrilling cultural insights never overshadow the wholeness of her characters, who are so keenly observed that one feels witness to their lives." --O, The Oprah Magazine "A sweeping meditation on art, race, and identity that may be [Smith's] most ambitious work yet." -...

RTW Europe (U.K.)

Across a hundred mountains : novela
Grande, Reyna
Paper Book
Winner of the American Book Award, Across a Hundred Mountains is a "timely and riveting" (People) novel about a young girl who leaves her small town in Mexico to find her father, who left his family to work in America--a story of migration, loss, and discovery. ...

RTW North America (Mexico)


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