A Different Mirror

A Different Mirror for Young People adapts Ronald Takaki’s classic multicultural history for middle and high school readers, retelling U.S. history through Indigenous, African, Asian, Latinx, and European immigrant experiences. The book uses narrative, quotes, and timelines to show how different groups have shaped—and been shaped by—America, emphasizing patterns of exploitation, resilience, and coalition. Parents and educators value its ability to complicate simplified textbook stories and to highlight interconnected struggles for justice. It works well as a spine for a year of U.S. history or as a counterpoint to more traditional texts, encouraging students to think critically about whose stories are centered.