The Help

Set in the American South during the 1960s, this novel explores the transformative power of female friendship and the struggle for civil rights. Like The Help, it features a young white protagonist who finds refuge and wisdom within a community of Black women.

This quintessential American classic examines racial injustice and moral growth in a small Southern town. Fans of The Help will appreciate the similar setting, the focus on social hierarchy, and the perspective of characters confronting deep-seated prejudice.

This dual-narrative historical novel follows the lives of an urban slave and the daughter of her wealthy owner in Charleston. It mirrors the complex power dynamics and the shared, yet vastly different, struggles of women found in Stockett's work.

A contemporary look at race and privilege, this story centers on a Black labor and delivery nurse who is told not to touch the baby of a white supremacist couple. It captures the same tension and moral urgency regarding systemic racism that drives the plot of The Help.

This multi-generational Southern tale uses a dual-timeline structure to explore friendship, loyalty, and the breaking of social taboos. Its warm narrative voice and focus on the bonds between women will resonate strongly with fans of Skeeter and the maids.

This novel follows twin sisters who choose very different paths regarding their racial identity, with one passing for white. It delves into the themes of identity, secrets, and the social constraints of the mid-20th century South with great emotional depth.

Set in post-WWII Mississippi, this story uses multiple perspectives to show how two families—one white, one Black—are bound together by the land and torn apart by racism. It offers a grittier, more visceral look at the same geographical and social landscape as The Help.

Through the letters of Celie, this powerful novel depicts the resilience of Black women in the face of extreme hardship and abuse. It shares the themes of finding one's voice and the life-saving importance of female solidarity in the American South.

This true story of the Black female mathematicians who helped NASA win the space race highlights the intersection of gender and race in the 1960s. Fans of The Help will enjoy seeing real-life figures overcome the same systemic barriers depicted in the fiction.

Combining a coming-of-age story with a murder mystery, this novel features a protagonist who is an outcast in her small Southern community. Its rich atmospheric setting and exploration of social prejudice make it a natural follow-up for readers of Stockett.