Diversity in Books Blog Tag

The #WeNeedDiverseBooks hashtag began as a way to draw attention to the importance of representation in publishing, whether it's representing a diversity of characters or publishing a more diverse array of authors. 

This blog tag's rules were:

1. Post a diverse book.
2. Say why you liked it.
3. Explain what the diversity meant to you.
4. Link to the post that tagged you and tag someone else!

My book is: Mister Monday by Garth Nix

What it is/Why I liked it

This is the first book in The Keys to the Kingdom series by Garth Nix. It's an MG fantasy series of 7 books about a kid named Arthur who's chosen to be the heir to the universe because of a bureaucratic hiccup. 

Arthur unwillingly attempts to fulfill his Chosen One role in order to get the minions of his competitors to leave him, his family, and Earth alone. I really enjoyed the extremes of imagination that went into this book and the whole series. It was a wild ride from start to finish and it did not do what I expected.

Diversity

Arthur is adopted and comes from a large, blended family. His dad has a few kids from different mothers from his rock band days, his mom has kids from a previous marriage, and his parents have kids together. Not all of the siblings are close in age or in ethnicity, but they all consider themselves to be part of the same loving, functional family. 

Also, Arthur has asthma. When I first read this book, it was gratifying to see an asthmatic protagonist. I could sympathize with people not taking him seriously, and how he struggled with physical activities that most people take for granted. I used to do a lot more sports, but it was always harder for me, and it got frustrating when my asthma stopped me from having fun. Having an asthma attack is terrifying, and Mister Monday depicted it accurately.

I now tag Patrice at Whimsically Yours!