My favorite book by a writer of color (one of my top 5 favorite novels EVER!) is Beka Lamb by Zee Edgell.

Around the world for a great book pays a visit to Belize. This novel takes place in Belize City when it was still part of one of the last British colonies in the New World mainland. The time is World War II and while some Belizeans are fighting in the British Army, others are agitating for independence. This includes members of young Beka Lamb's family, especially her grandmother, although her father is more keen to not rock the boat. Despite all the political turmoil around her, Beka's biggest problem is getting passing grades at school. While she's a talented essayist she struggles with all her other subjects, and faces expulsion from the elite private school she attends. Worse, her best friend Toycie is pregnant and the father won't acknowledge. As Belize is hit by a hurricane and Toycie goes mad and then dies, things get rather melodramatic. Beka Lamb is interesting for it's historical detail, but not a very interesting book. ( )

Read it in school for Form Three literature I believe...so I didn't really appreciate it then...but now I see it as my foundation in loving Caribbean literature. ( )