Born a Crime

Comedian Trevor Noah details his childhood under apartheid in South Africa with candour and honesty. He openly discusses the struggles to fit in as a mixed race child, and how his mother worked hard to overcome the poverty and racism built into the system, while raising her son to build a life that seemed unlikely if not impossible. While Noah provides some history of apartheid at the beginning of each chapter, students may benefit from more context and background. Useful for units on cultural identity, healthy relationships, and overcoming struggle, this fast-paced, engaging book would work well in literature circles or as a full-class novel in grades 11-12.