Welcome to Underground Bookshelf!

This website is dedicated to celebrating diversity in literature! If you like to read work by new writers, please visit Short Stories & Poems. To lcheck out book reviews and to learn about the history of exclusion in film, television, literature, and comic books, visit Essays. On the Resources page, you will find a vast array of articles to help you explore new books and new ways of reading as well as a few articles for the writers among us. All are welcome to participate in the monthly writing contests. Visit Writing Contests to find out this month's theme and to find out how to participate. Visit the Submissions page if you would like to submit your work to be featured on this platform. And if you are an indie, self-published, or up-and-coming author or poet, consider contacting me about being featured in one of the Author Q&A posts or for your book to be included in the Book Release Radar. Underground Bookshelf is on Patreon for those who would like to help me keep this project going. You're also welcome to subscribe to the monthly newsletter to receive regular updates. May you find your next favorite book or author! Happy reading!


Winner (October 2025) "The Requiem of Roses"

"The Requiem of Roses" by Sanchita Sahu tells the story of a village erased from every map, in which four children break the oldest rule to never follow the music. They find a song written in blood, a pact with the dead, and a haunting that never lets go. "The Requiem of Roses" is one of three winners for the October writing contest.

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November 2025 Writing Contest Submissions

Cultures across the world are filled with myths, legends, and tales told over the ages. Sometimes, they're stories meant to teach a lesson or deliver valuable information to the next generation. Other times, they carry religious significance or historical elements. For this challenge, you can retell a myth or legend, tell a story inspired by one, or reference a myth or legend in the writing of your work.

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Books that Center Homelessness for Middle Grade Readers Part 2

 We're back and continuing our series on books that put experiences with homelessness, hunger, and poverty front and center. Reading is an important way for young people to learn about other people's experiences and to process their own, so if you're looking for books on this subject matter, scroll down to view the list. You can also check out the resources directly below for support for yourself or others or to find ways for you and your family to take action locally.

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Books that Center Homelessness for Middle Grade Readers Part 1

 We're back and continuing our series on books that put experiences with homelessness, hunger, and poverty front and center. Reading is an important way for young people to learn about other people's experiences and to process their own, so if you're looking for books on this subject matter, scroll down to view the list. You can also check out the resources directly below for support for yourself or others or to find ways for you and your family to take action locally.

Read more »

Books for Children that Center Homelessness Part 2

In light of the current US administration's recent actions targeting unhoused people, the current resource series focuses on books that center homelessness, hunger, and poverty as a way to humanize a demographic of people who are often vilified and dehumanized. This is Part 2 of children's books! Check out a few links that offer ideas on how to help children volunteer in their own communities in support of unhoused folks in the list directly below and scroll down to check out 12 books you might like to read as a family.

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Books for Children that Center Homelessness Part 1

In light of the current US administration's recent actions targeting unhoused people, the next resource series focuses on books that center homelessness, hunger, and poverty as a way to humanize a demographic of people who are often vilified and dehumanized. We're starting off with children's books! Check out a few US-based and international organizations that provide support for unhoused children, families, and individuals in the list directly below and scroll down to check out a few books you might like to read as a family.

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"The Casket Girls" (a poem)

"The Casket Girls" is based on a spooky tale of young women sent by the king of France to settle in New Orleans. They arrived in the dead of night, ill and washed ashore. Although some of these women became wives, mothers, and important members of their communities, around the time of their arrival, strange stories arose of vampire girls with blood-tinged lips who slept by day and wreaked havoc by night...

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Black Ice (Vol. 2) by Bradford D. Smith II

In Black Ice, Oscar Lewis suddenly wakes up with ice powers and an uncontrollable urge to travel towards an untamed wildfire. During his travel, he notices that he can see a spirit world filled with black wispy creatures.

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Author Q&A: Bradford D. Smith

Q: Please introduce yourself! Share your name, pronouns, and something fun, interesting, curious, or important (take your pick) about yourself that you would like your audience to know.

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