It's Trevor Noah: Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood

by Trevor Noah

A New York Times Bestseller

The host of The Daily Show, Trevor Noah, tells the story of growing up half black, half white in South Africa under and after apartheid in this young readers' adaptation of his bestselling adult memoir Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood.

BORN A CRIME IS SOON TO BE A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE STARRING OSCAR WINNER LUPITA NYONG'O!

Trevor Noah, the funny guy who hosts The Daily Show on Comedy Central, shares his remarkable story of growing up in South Africa with a black South African mother and a white European father at a time when it was against the law for a mixed-race child to exist. But he did exist--and from the beginning, the often-misbehaved Trevor used his keen smarts and humor to navigate a harsh life under a racist government.

This fascinating memoir blends drama, comedy, and tragedy to depict the day-to-day trials that turned a boy into a young man. In a country where racism barred blacks from social, educational, and economic opportunity, Trevor surmounted staggering obstacles and created a promising future for himself, thanks to his mom's unwavering love and indomitable will.

It's Trevor Noah: Born a Crime not only provides a fascinating and honest perspective on South Africa's racial history, but it will also astound and inspire young readers looking to improve their own lives.

"Through the foreign, the familiar, and the funny, Born a Crime is a piercing reminder that every mad life--even yours--could end up a masterpiece." --JASON REYNOLDS, New York Times bestselling author

"His mother raised him with an imagination and showed that there were no barriers to whatever he wanted to be. Readers will find this journey through Noah's formative years humorous and exciting." -- BOOKLIST

"Startling in its honesty, humor, and humility." -- KIRKUS REVIEWS

"For readers who will appreciate and understand how a parent's love enabled Noah to become the successful man he is now." -- SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Biography, Middle Grade, School, Autobiography, Humor

304 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2019

About the author

Trevor Noah is one of the most successful comedians in the world and was the host of the Emmy® Award-winning “The Daily Show” on Comedy Central for seven years. Under Trevor, “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah” broke free from the restraints of a 30-minute linear show, producing engaging social content, award-winning digital series, podcasts and more for its global audience. Last year, “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah” landed a record number of seven Emmy Award nominations.

Trevor is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller “Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood” and its young readers adaptation, released in 2019, “It’s Trevor Noah: Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood,” which also debuted as a New York Times bestseller. The Audible edition of “Born a Crime,” performed by Trevor, was produced by Audible and remains one of the top-selling, highest-rated, and most-commented-on Audible performances of all time. To date, “Born a Crime” has sold over 3 million copies across all formats.

Reviews

[Amber Kuehler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went into this really hesitant because I’ve read the adult version and it was explicit and mature. However, they did a fantastic job paring down the content that was too mature without sacrificing the story. I would recommend it for grades 5 and up.

[Saipriya N · Rating 5 out of 5]

            This is the first time I have read something related to South Africa and apartheid. Though it's legally forbidden, strangely, racism still prevails in most parts of the world socially. It's great how Nelson Mandela Sir has made a huge impact on anti-apartheid.

The reason why I love to read (auto)biographies are because through one's life we get to know about their childhood, upbringing, family, friends, hardships, education system, culture, traditions, society, taboos, their government, etc. 
I remember watching Trevor Noah's stand-ups, they were hilarious. When I knew there is his autobiography I thought I'd try it. It's very inspirational. A person coming from such a poor background and becoming a global figure today isn't so easy.

In his book includes how apartheid affected most of the lives in South Africa. As he is one of the popular comedians, and it's quite obvious that he must have also included humor. And he does.
Coming to his: 
1.  Writing and narration: on point, easy language used. What is the most that I liked is, his narration of embarrassing events that he has faced in his life, he turns them into funny and at the same time makes the reader feel sad that such thing happened.
2. His family: a review written by Washing Post "a love letter to his mother" and completely agree to that. His mum is just amazing. I loved her.
He pays a good tribute to his parents. 
3. He describes many events that black, colored, and Indian people face. I was taken-back after knowing about them. 
4. He makes the best out of his life with limited or with lesser resources.
5: The quote that I liked the most is, " We live in a world where we don't see the ramifications of what we do to others, because we don't live with them. If we could see another's pain and empathize with one another, it would never be worth it to us to commit the crimes in the first place. "

The book is damn interesting to the fault. It made me feel like reading more on the history of South Africa and Long Walk To Freedom , of course!

[Camelia Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this young reader's version with my son. He said it was an eye-opening book to him. It gave us a lot of topics to talk about: race, identity, gender, the history of European colonialism, etc...

Highly recommended for parents looking for reading materials for your children on the topic of race.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book, adapted from the adult version for a younger audience, should be required reading for anyone interested in understanding the effects of poverty, racism, and apartheid on a generation and a society. And just as stark as the violence and desperation that lead to and often accompany crime is the awareness of what the love and guidance of a parent can do for a child. In this memoir, Trevor Noah shares humorous, painful, and confusing moments during his years growing up in South Africa, the son of a white father and a black mother. Trevor was considered to be "born a crime" because of the Immorality Act of 1950, and he describes often finding it hard to fit in anywhere even while his country's laws limited the opportunities for those like him. His sense of humor and unique perspective on his own experiences make the book infinitely relatable for middle graders and teens struggling with their identity and trying to choose which path to follow. He never talks down to his readers or condescends, but simply shares his own journey. There were a couple of places that seemed repetitive or lacked context, but that didn't mar my appreciation for this book. It's hard not to read it and consider how very differently this man's life could have turned out.

[Elvina Zafril · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read the other version of this book and it was the same story.

Trevor Noah grew up in South Africa during apartheid. He was identified as a white child when he was with his mother and was identified as black when he was with his father. It was quite confusing for his identity. Trevor Noah struggled in his life with his identity and has been bullied quite frequently because of the skin color. His parents were divorced. There wasn't much stories told about his father since his father did not influence his life so much after moving to Cape Town and left him with his mother.

In this book, Trevor Noah told us about in detail about how he growing up in the society. There was poverty and racism in South Africa. Blacks were often arrested if they rebelled against the law. But because it was unjust law, that's why they became rebellions.

I liked the story about his mom and how badass she was. She was rebellious until at certain point she became a typist and learned how to type. It was unusual event where black women to perform any job outside of menial position. I liked his mom.

Trevor Noah provided us with the humor in this book literally in each character. I thought there weren't any some bad words or violent language since it's adapted for the young readers. But if they change it, the readers won't find it realistic since we know how Trevor Noah is like.

Despite all the hard time Trevor Noah went through, he finally managed to get through those hard times and now he is a successful person. WOW!
Really recommend this book!

Thank you Times Reads for sending me a copy of It's Trevor Noah: Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood (Adapted for Young Readers) in return for an honest review. This book is available at all good bookstores.

[sofi🎀🧸 cortis’ version~off hiatus!🧸 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished this like 4 months later because my dumbass lost the book w only one chapter left.

💗5 glorious stars!! •*•⭐️
this is my first nonfiction book of the year and it was amazing. it was what made me love memoirs.
Trevor Noah made a perfect memoir highlighting so many real issues in the world with poverty and the endless cycle of violence, poverty, and death for black people and people of color (like myself) especially in bad places.
his mom is a testament to what the love of god and your children can do and she is the strongest woman in the world. to survive a shot to the head?? she showed trevor love and gave him the means and lessons of life to do what he has done. i know this is a short review, but it’s much different for me to review a nonfiction book.
I truly enjoyed this, and can’t wait to read more memoirs! if u want to get into nonfiction or try something new, read this!! it’s funny, entertaining, and u will learn valuable lessons in every silly chapter.
BYEE LOVELIES!! 💕💗

[N · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this was an inspiring and wonderful memoir written by one of our comedic talents today. Mr. Noah writes without self pity, and writes about his harrowing childhood with wit, and in a style that seems adventurous and exciting especially in a time where apartheid has just ended.

Even though on paper it seemed that apartheid seemed to have disappeared under the release of President Mandela, this is one of those rare young adult novels that treat its subject with utmost seriousness, intentionally a work that can be used as a teaching tool to help teach our young scholars that systemic racism is still very real, and can be deadly.

Mr. Noah’s relationship with his mother is the heart of this memoir, and it is what centers him to his current success as a commentator and an advocate against systemic racism.

One day I will read the adult version of this book, but for now, it is one of the best and well told memoirs I’ve read designed for young readers.

[Hannah - The BookSirens Babe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read the adult version of this book, I was unsure how his story would be condensed into a more age-appropriate one. However, I absolutely loved the way the story was conveyed. The autobiography tackles essential issues such as apartheid and racial discrimination while keeping a light-hearted tone with humorous inserts here and there. Definitely, one I’ll be re-reading.

[Maya ☾ · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMGGG THIS WAS SO GOODDDDD

Not only is it a really important book to read because it deals with South Africa and its history, you also get a personal experience and so many amazing lessons and quotes and thoughts about life in general. EVERYONE can take something from it.

[olivia ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

“We tell people to follow their dreams, but you can only dream of what you can imagine, and, depending on where you come from, your imagination can be quite limited.”

Plot Summary: This book is about Trevor Noah, a popular comedian and the current host of "The Daily Show". He grew up in South Africa during apartheid and this book is about some of his experiences during it. This is the young readers edition which I accidentally got but, I enjoyed. The normal version is Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood.

My Opinion: I enjoyed reading this a lot and I learned so much about apartheid which I knew almost nothing about before hand. It was interesting and he gave such great advice throughout it.

[Katherine Vocelka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Made it all the way to the end before realizing I was reading the Young Readers edition. Still slapped.

Can’t wait to read the adult version after I get my parents to sign my permission slip.

[David S · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose It’s Trevor Noah: Born a Crime because the title was intriguing to me, and I wanted to learn more about the term “apartheid”. I had to search for apartheid and I learned that it’s another word for a police system of segregation or discrimination in South Africa. I wondered what the differences were between the apartheid and racial segregation in the United States. Trevor Noah provided an autobiographical account of what it was like to grow up in South Africa during the apartheid. Trevor wasn’t really black, but he also wasn’t white, he just had really light skin.

Trevor Noah grew up in South Africa during apartheid, as a biracial boy. His mom was black and his dad was white. When he was with his mom, he was identified as a white child, and when he was with his dad, he was considered to be black. Noah struggled early on in life with his identity and was often bullied for the color of his skin. It’s Trevor Noah: Born a Crime goes into a lot of detail about growing up in a society where poverty ruled and racism oppressed blacks living in South Africa. Blacks were often arrested if they rebelled against the unjust laws. Trevor’s mom was rebellious to the point where she took a job as a typist, and she had learned how to type at a time when it was unusual for black women to perform any job outside of menial position. His parents were divorced, and his dad did not influence his life, as he moved to Cape Town. The title, Born a Crime, reflects how his parents were not supposed to have a mixed child, and they never should have married.

I liked how Noah provided a sense of humor in each character, and threw some violent language into the story, which made it more interesting and realistic. Noah did a great job of breaking down his childhood and his young adult years to the readers and gave a great example of what it was like growing up in South Africa during apartheid. Noah also made the story more humorous by showing us how he was constantly a failure in life, and couldn’t do anything right. This was relatable to growing up as a teenager.

I thought that maybe Noah could have added more information about the people around him, but the reader learns the devastating effects of domestic violence and how it tears apart families. Despite all Trevor went through living in apartheid South Africa, he managed to get through those hard times and come out as a positive and successful person.

[BradMD · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fairly disappointing. Descriptions of the culture and location were interesting, but the author was a self-described, arsonist, bootlegger, and thief. The most ruinous thing in his country was the minimum wage and he totally failed to recognize that it was keeping blacks out of the workforce and in poverty. Apparently, it continued even after freedom was obtained. 7/10 rating. I would never read this book again.

[Leah Kiers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second read: and it’s been taught! Thank you Trevor Noah for a book that my non-readers read! Thank you!

FINALLY a book I can teach to my tenth graders. I’ve been searching for so long.

But for real, I was impressed with the voice and humour of the book paired so well with the heartfelt moments and struggles of his childhood.

[SvetlanaG · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trevor Noah expertly blends history about apartheid in South Africa and his memories of growing up as a child in a racist, divided country. Against the stark reality of living in government-sponsored racial segregation where being a child of mixed-race meant he was a crime, he was surrounded by a nurturing environment that his mother created for him - one of limitless love, valuable lessons, and the Christian faith. She was the ultimate embodiment of a fearless woman who would not let society dictate her life and who tried to instill this in her son too as he struggled to make sense of his existence being born "a crime" and in his search for belonging.

Being familiar with Trevor Noah from his show, I could almost hear his voice as I read the book, and as a fan of his sense of humor, I was amazed at how he was able to intertwine the comedic with the heaviness of it all. I appreciated the tidbits of historical information about apartheid, as well as the comparison of it to the racial segregation of Jim Crow laws in the U.S. south as it really put into perspective the large scale (government-sponsored) aspect of it in South Africa. He presented this information in an easy to understand way, and the stories from his childhood made me laugh out loud, providing comic relief but also making me a more engaged reader. I will forever remember the description he used of himself as a chameleon who was able to blend in among the various ethnic groups of South Africa because he learned numerous different languages, which in effect became his armor, shielding him from precarious situations in which he could be considered an outsider or outcast, and it highlights the power language holds and the advantages of being multilingual.

[Sharulnizam Yusof · Rating 4 out of 5]

1. Saya tidaklah begitu mengikuti Trevor Noah ini, seorang stand-up comedian yang agak terkenal saya kira.

2. Video "lawak" beliau selalu muncul di feed FB saya, selalunya saya tonton juga.

3. Lama baru saya tahu, dia adalah anak kacukan orang "putih" dan orang Afrika, dan berasal dari Afrika Selatan.

4. Buku ini muncul serentak dengan waktu saya mengikuti videonya, jadi timbul rasa ingin tahu kisah di sebalik kehidupan seorang Trevor Noah.

5. Seperti tajuk buku, isinya lebih banyak menceritakan kisah hidup beliau bersama ibunya dalam suasana Afrika yang mendesak; lahir ketika dasar apartheid masih menguasai, kehidupan yang tidak berpihak kepada orang "hitam" termasuklah anak kacukan seperti beliau.

6. Buku ini jelas sebagai satu dedikasi Trevor kepada ibunya, yang sangat kuat dan tabah mengharungi hidup sebagai ibu tunggal, kemudian berkahwin dengan pembuli, dan klimaksnya terjadi satu insiden yang hampir meragut nyawa.

7. Ibu Trevor sememangnya menjadi inspirasi hidup yang sangat kuat. Kecekalannya untuk keluar dari kebiasaan dan melanggar aturan masyarakat, membentuk Trevor yang ada pada hari ini.

8. Tidak ada langsung kisah bagaimana Trevor menjadi seorang comedian. Buku ini hanya menceritakan kisah hidup zaman kecil (dan remaja) beliau. Saya jangka, akan ada buku yang lain untuk bab ini.

9. Kalau mahu mencari inspirasi (bersempena tahun baru), saya sarankan buku ini untuk dibaca.

[nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

So informative and eye-opening, but also witty and funny and emotional.

Apartheid was not something I knew much—if anything—about, but this really taught so much about it, and prompted me to want to learn more. There are some lines in here that really stuck with me.

“𝐖𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐝𝐨 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦. 𝐈𝐟 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫’𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫; 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐮𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞.”

“𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐬 𝐚 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐚 𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠.”

“𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲. 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞.”

“𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲’𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲’𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐢𝐬𝐡, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐧𝐨 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐚 𝐟𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐨𝐝.”

“… 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐠𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬. 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐚 𝐠𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐬.”

“𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐳𝐨 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐧’𝐭. 𝐇𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫. 𝐇𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞.”



There were funny chapters (“Go Hitler!”, “Trevor, Pray.”); emotional, tense chapters (“The Mulberry Tree”, “My Mother’s Life”, “The World Doesn’t Love You”)—but they all served a purpose and a lesson and were so well written and informative (even the “funny” chapters) and wonderful… I could go on and on.

Anyway, the only reason this isn’t a full five stars is because I got really confused with the timeline at times since it skipped around (it’s told in chapter-long anecdotes about his life). So I think that was more of a me thing, but the order of things threw me off a little bit.


Also: I liked the little preface-like things before each chapter. They really coordinated with the chapter and were very informational.

Highly, highly recommend

[Sarah Levin · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s Trevor Noah: Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood is a memoir adapted for young readers from Trevor Noah’s original adult memoir. Noah recounts his childhood growing up in South Africa during and after apartheid. He was born to a Black South African mother and a white European father at a time when interracial relationships were illegal under apartheid. Because of his racial identity and the laws of the country, Noah's childhood was shaped by racism, segregation, poverty, and questions about where he belonged. Throughout the memoir, he describes his relationships with his family, his experiences with school and friends, and the ways that language and humor helped him navigate different communities.
One of the strongest elements of the book is Noah's use of humor and personal storytelling to address serious subjects. The memoir does not present apartheid as simply a historical event; instead, readers learn about its effects through Noah's personal experiences. His experiences with racism, poverty, discrimination, and violence help readers understand how larger social and political systems can affect an individual and a family. Kirkus Reviews describes the young readers' adaptation as retaining the potency of Noah's story while making it appropriate for a younger audience. The book also demonstrates evidence of literary quality through professional recognition and reviews. It was selected as a 2020 YALSA Best Book for Young Adults and a 2019 Chicago Public Library Best Book. It was also nominated for several 2022 young-reader awards, including the Illinois Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Award. Professional reviews from Booklist, Kirkus Reviews, and School Library Journal also provide evidence of its literary quality.

The memoir is organized around individual memories and experiences from Noah's childhood rather than presenting his life as a simple chronological biography. This structure allows each story to communicate a larger idea about his experiences with family, race, identity, and South African society. Noah's first-person point of view is especially important because readers experience these events through his perspective as a child looking back on his experiences.
The adaptation itself is also an important feature of the book. Because the original Born a Crime was written for adults, this edition was adapted specifically for younger readers. The publisher identifies the book as a middle-grade title for Grade 5 and up, with a Lexile level of 780L. The adaptation makes Noah's story accessible to younger readers while maintaining the central themes and experiences of the original memoir. The physical design also supports the book's purpose. The cover presents Noah against a blue sky and city background, visually connecting him with the South African setting in which his childhood took place. The cover also clearly identifies the book as “Adapted for Young Readers,” which immediately communicates its intended audience and distinguishes it from the original adult memoir. Language is another significant textual feature. Noah's experiences with different languages demonstrate how language can affect relationships, identity, and belonging. His ability to communicate with different groups becomes an important part of how he navigates his environment. This makes language more than simply a communication tool; it becomes part of the memoir's exploration of identity and culture.

Diversity is central to this memoir. Noah's experiences provide readers with a personal perspective on race, culture, language, identity, and apartheid in South Africa. His mixed racial background places him in a complicated position because the racial categories created by apartheid affect how other people perceive and treat him. Rather than presenting identity as simple or fixed, Noah shows how identity can be influenced by family, culture, language, history, and social expectations.
The memoir also provides opportunities to discuss cultural authenticity and representation. Noah writes about his own childhood and experiences, allowing readers to encounter South African culture through the perspective of someone who lived through the events he describes. The book addresses racism and prejudice directly while also showing the complexity of life within South African communities. The publisher identifies cultural diversity, acceptance and belonging, and racism and prejudice among the book's central themes. Another important theme is family and resilience. Noah's mother plays a significant role in shaping his understanding of the world. Her determination, independence, and expectations for her son influence his development and his ability to respond to difficult circumstances. At the same time, the book does not minimize the seriousness of his experiences. Topics such as poverty, violence, racism, and abuse require thoughtful consideration when the book is used with younger readers.

I would recommend this book primarily for students in grades 5 and up, consistent with the publisher's recommended grade level. It could be particularly useful in a middle-grade literacy classroom because it provides opportunities to study memoir while also making connections to social studies.
In literacy instruction, teachers could use the book to teach first-person point of view, memoir, characterization, theme, author's purpose, and narrative structure. Students could examine how Noah uses specific childhood experiences to communicate larger ideas about race, identity, family, and society. They could also analyze how humor changes the tone of the memoir and how Noah balances humorous experiences with serious subject matter.
The book would also support cross-curricular connections with social studies and history. Teachers could introduce students to the history of apartheid and then ask them to examine how historical systems affected Noah's everyday experiences. The publisher's educator materials specifically include questions about apartheid, language, religion, identity, and Noah's relationship with his mother's advice. A literacy lesson could also focus on language and identity. Students could examine how Noah uses language differently depending on the people and situations around him and discuss how language can help people build connections across cultural or social groups. This could lead to a broader discussion about multilingualism and the ways language contributes to a person's identity. Because the memoir contains mature topics, including racism, poverty, violence, and abuse, I would recommend that teachers preview the book and provide appropriate historical and cultural context before using it in the classroom. The book can support meaningful discussion, but students should have appropriate preparation and opportunities to process difficult content.

This is a compelling memoir that combines personal storytelling with important historical and cultural themes. What makes the book particularly useful for young readers is the way Noah connects his individual experiences to larger issues involving race, apartheid, identity, family, language, and belonging. His use of humor makes the narrative engaging while still allowing readers to recognize the seriousness of the experiences he describes. As a literacy educator, I see several opportunities to use this book to help students develop both literary skills and cultural understanding. Students can analyze the memoir as a piece of literature while also examining how historical and social circumstances can influence an individual's experiences. The book provides opportunities for students to consider perspectives different from their own and to think critically about identity, culture, prejudice, and belonging.

[Joyce Yattoni · Rating 5 out of 5]

A teacher friend texted a couple of us over the weekend and said you have to read this. So, I ordered it and got it the next day and couldn’t put it down. I’m a teacher, so I go to bed most nights by 9:00pm. I’m not in the know about late night comedy. LOL. Come to find out Trevor Noah is the man who took over for Jon Stewart on The Daily Show. I digress. 🤪 His stories about growing up in post Apartheid South Africa are at times funny, but also maddening and sad. Not only did I learn a lot about apartheid, but it has lit a fire under my butt to stand up to bullies who marginalize any people who are not “white”. This poor kid never fit in anywhere in his home country because his Mom was black and his dad was white. I am happy that he is finding much success in Africa, the US and abroad. Now I need him to write an autobiography so I know how he opened up his doors of opportunity. Great read especially for young readers who prefer nonfiction. It will enlighten many about how the laws of the past continue to haunt many groups of people today.

[Nihal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trevor Noah lived his life in a judgemental and colour-biased area but turned out to be a successful comedian of today’s times. But what inspires me the most is how he lived in it.

In this book, Trevor Noah mainly writes about his life growing up in a newly independent Africa. It wasn’t easy being a son of a black mother and a white father in the middle of apartheid. During the apartheid, relations between the foreigners and the local Africans weren’t allowed. And because of that Trevor Noah, was born a crime. He described how people felt about him. He tells about how unique he felt, even though he could fit in all the people and speak more than five languages.

This autobiography was written beautifully and in an easy-to-understand writing style. It was fun to read as well as touching in some parts. This is one of the best autobiographies I’ve ever read. And if you love humorous stories and books based on real-life difficulties - you’ll love this one.

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an instant favorite. Now I must go write a proposal to Donors Choose to try to get copies of this
memoir for my 8th grade classroom.

[Andrea Zulawski · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's Trevor Noah: Born a Crime follows the life and upbringing of Trevor in South Africa during the apartheid. The title mentions "Born a Crime" because Trevor was born from a black mother and a white father, which back during the apartheid was illegal making him a "crime". Because of this, he was raised mostly by his Xhosa mother and could rarely see his father. Due to his illegal status, Trevor was mostly kept hidden his whole childhood and could not play outside with the other kids or. even walk next to his mother or father as he and his family could be punished since he is mixed. Trevor's mother's side is Xhosa, a major cultural group in South Africa, and speak the Xhosa language. Trevor has the advantage from learning multiple different cultural languages which help him get by in places where he may look like he doesn't belong due to his skin color and violence between cultures. Throughout the book we get to see different perspectives and experiences of Trevor and his mother. Trevor is more free spirited and not afraid to break societal norms as well as his mother who is fearless and very religious. We are shown their struggles and determination to have a better life when not much is given to them. In the field of literacy, this book offers critical examination of language, culture, and identity as we get to see how Trevor struggles with identifying who he is and where he belongs in this world and the battles he has to face along the way. I rated this book 5/5 stars as it was a very informational read of what someone like Trevor's life was like in South America during and after the apartheid, which I was unfamiliar with.

[S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edited version of the original memoir. Excellent for middle school and up (there is still some violence).

[kate. · Rating 4 out of 5]

i had more fun reading this book than i've had reading nonfic for a LONG TIME.
def rec for the rep, but also just for the book! it's such an enjoyable read. i love the way noah writes and how he tells his life story.
:)

fave quote:
"being chosen is the greatest gift you can give to another human being."

[♰ hana · Rating 3 out of 5]

read but not by choice

[Cate · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel kept my attention the entire time. Trevor Noah is funny, realistic, relatable, and very wise. It walked me through what parts of his life were like during apartheid with many turns that were both emotional and comedic at times. He has a unique way of describing different experiences and scenes in his life that helped me to picture exactly what was going on and his thoughts, emotions, and reactions. Even though I did not know much about apartheid prior to reading this book, it helped me to understand the context and impacts on him, his family, and others during this time period and in this setting. The explanations throughout the book, often noted in a different font and format, helped to preview some of the historical and cultural contexts that I may have been unaware of without reading it. I have never been a big fan of nonfiction novels, but this book was and continues to be my favorite. I have also used sections of this novel with my 8th grade and high school aged students, and they find it very entertaining and a great model for writing personal memoirs and adding details to stories. I specifically have used it for "show, don't tell" details and purposeful dialogue in the classroom. Overall, it was a very captivating novel that I think everyone should read.

[Samantha Gehrs · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's Trevor Noah: Born a Crime (Adapted for Young Readers) is an engaging memoir that balances humor with a thoughtful look at family and injustice during Apartheid. Adapted for middle-grade and young adult readers, the book keeps the emotional weight of Noah's experiences while remaining age-appropriate and easy to follow. Born to a white father and a Black other when interracial relationships were illegal, Noah navigates a world where his very existence was a crime. Throughout the chapters, he shares stories about learning different languages, making connections in his school and community, and building a relationship with his mother. Overall, this book is a great educational tool that gives his readers the historical context in each chapter to understand discrimination across different stages of life.

[Michelle Zhou · Rating 4 out of 5]

okay first of all i am extremely upset right now because I DIDNT REALIZE I GOT THE YOUNG READERS VERSION AND I WAS SUPPOSED TO GET THE REGULAR ONE FOR IB LIT SO I THINK I JUST WASTED MY ENTIRE AFTERNOON AND HAVE TO READ THE OTHER BOOK. ive heard theyre similar but i dont want to miss out so im MAD AT MYSELF WHY DO THE COVERS LOOK EXACTLY THE SAME UGHHHHHHHHH UGH UGH UGH UGH UGH UGH UGH WHY AM I AN IDIOT I DONT WANT READ ESSENTIALLY THE SAME BOOK LITERALLY TWO DAYS APART even though this book was a banger and i almost cried a little

[Anna S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trevor Noah’s memoir is a masterful blend of humor, honesty, and history. He pulls readers in with his funny, authentic storytelling, then shifts to powerful reflections on South Africa’s past, exposing the brutal realities of apartheid and its lasting impact. Just when the narrative feels too raw to bear, Noah lightens the weight with wit and relatability, creating a rhythm that keeps you turning the pages. One of the most striking moments comes when he writes, “We tell people to follow their dreams, but you can only dream of what you can imagine, and, depending on where you come from, your imagination can be quite limited” (Noah, p. 75). This line captures both the limitations and the resilience woven throughout his story. Much like his presence as a host, the book is witty, engaging, and deeply human—an unforgettable read that balances laughter with truth.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

My second time reading this I read it 10 years ago when it first came out and I enjoyed it more this time.
I learned a lot too.