Courtesy of Warner Bros.

In the Heights

Warner Bros. HBO Max. June 10, 2021

The Tony-winning musical about a Dominican American bodega owner and his ­largely Dominican community in the Washington Heights neighborhood in New York City comes to the big screen (and streams on HBO Max) on June 10. Fans of Heights and Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda should enjoy these titles.

READ-ALIKES

On the Come Up. Angie Thomas. HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray. 2019.
Gr 8 Up –African American teen Bri has big dreams of making it as a rapper, and when one of her songs goes viral, she has the opportunity to lift her family out of poverty. For music lovers who appreciate a story about city dwellers with big dreams.

Pride. Ibi Zoboi. HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray. 2018 .
Gr 8 Up –In this retelling of Pride & Prejudice, Dominican and Haitian Zuri Benitez protests the gentrification of her Brooklyn neighborhood when a wealthy African American family moves in across the street. Readers drawn to character-driven stories centered in beloved urban neighborhoods will enjoy this.

With the Fire on High. Elizabeth Acevedo. HarperTeen. 2019.
Gr 9 Up –High schooler Emoni loves to cook, but struggles to balance school and raising her two-year-old daughter with her chef aspirations until she’s accepted in a prestigious culinary arts class. Readers looking for hopeful stories set in urban neighborhoods about teens finding themselves will eat this one up.