It's Trevor Noah: Born a Crime (Young Readers Edition) Review
4.7 / 5
Overall Rating
It's Trevor Noah: Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood (Adapted for Young Readers)
The young readers' adaptation of Trevor Noah's Born a Crime keeps the heart of his apartheid-era childhood while making it accessible to middle-grade readers.
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TL;DR
Trevor Noah's Born a Crime (Young Readers Edition) adapts the bestselling adult memoir for middle-grade audiences without sanitizing the difficult truths of growing up in apartheid-era South Africa. Trevor Noah was literally illegal — born to a Black mother and white father when interracial relationships were criminal. The young readers' version trims explicit language and adult themes while keeping the heart, humor, and cultural insight. 4,200+ ratings agree it lands.
Why It Matters
Memoirs that bridge generations are rare. Born a Crime in its original form is a beloved adult memoir; making it accessible to ages 9-14 means a new generation of readers encounters apartheid history through Trevor Noah's specific, funny, deeply human voice. For classroom use, it's the rare book that's genuinely engaging while teaching real history.
Key Specs
- Author: Trevor Noah
- Adaptation: by Trevor Noah for young readers
- Genre: memoir, adapted for middle grade
- Age range: 9-14 typical
- Pages: ~256
- Publisher: Delacorte Press / Random House
- Format: hardcover, paperback, Kindle, audiobook
- Audiobook narrator: Trevor Noah himself
Pros
- Trevor Noah's narration of the audiobook is industry-best
- Adapted well — keeps voice and humor without trimming meaning
- Genuine cultural and historical content (apartheid, South Africa)
- Engaging anecdotal structure rather than dry chronology
- Strong fit for classroom or middle-grade book clubs
Cons
- Some readers prefer the original adult version (more explicit)
- Adaptation removes some of the funniest adult-only stories
- Specific to the South African experience — readers without context may need supplementary geography
- Better as audiobook than physical book — Trevor's voice carries it
- Not for very young readers (under 9) due to subject matter
Who It's For
Middle-grade readers (ages 9-14). Classroom teachers planning multicultural-history reads. Parents looking for memoirs their teens will actually finish. Skip it if your reader is over 15 (give them the adult version), if you want pure entertainment without history (this is both), or if you're under 9 (subject matter is heavy).
How to Use It
Audiobook narrated by Trevor Noah is the strongest format — his comedic timing carries even the heavier chapters. Pair with a brief introduction to apartheid history if reading with younger audiences. Read in 2-3 sittings; momentum matters. Discussion questions in the back support classroom or family use.
How It Compares
Vs. Born a Crime (adult original): adult version is more explicit and slightly funnier; this version is age-appropriate and equally moving. Vs. I Am Malala (Young Readers): both work as middle-grade memoirs about difficult growing up; Born a Crime leans funnier. Vs. The Diary of Anne Frank: similar tier of historical memoir for middle school, different region and tone.
Bottom Line
The right middle-grade memoir for ages 9-14. Buy it for classroom or family read-alouds. Skip it if your reader is over 15 (give them the adult version) or under 9 (subject matter is heavy).
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