It's Trevor Noah: Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood (Adapted for Young Readers)

Trevor Noah was born a crime; that is, he was never supposed to exist because the union of his Black mother and white father was deemed a serious crime during apartheid in South Africa. His memoir, told with humour and hope, retells the horrors of apartheid and Noah’s struggles of being a mixed-race young man in a place where racial tensions, hunger, and abuse were a part of life. “Born a Crime” is a timely story that illustrates one man’s experience of how the colour of one’s skin could determine how they are treated. The story’s subject matter is suitable for senior secondary students and the book lends itself as a literature circle choice or as a class read-aloud, allowing for opportunities to highlight themes such as racism and apartheid, as well as to emphasize the power of love and commitment in this story of survival.