The Antiracist Kid: A Book About Identity, Justice, and Activism by Tiffany Jewell

The Antiracist Kid: A Book About Identity, Justice, and Activism Reviews

• 
  Corinne

  I really look forward to the release of this book because I will be buying a print copy to have at home. The author uses really clear, plain language to explain some topics that people have trouble understanding. In fact, I think that even adults would benefit from reading this book - even if you already understand the concepts of identity, justice and activism - because it provides really straightforward language to understand and talk about it.
  
  Because I reviewed an ARC I didn't get get to see all the artwork but what is there is lovely. Also I think there may be some room for some tightening up on a bit of repetition but again, this is a really early ARC so I'm sure much of that will be addressed.
  
  My 11 year old son read the book with me and he also said he found it really clear and easy to understand.
  
  I received a digital Advanced Review Copy from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
• 
  Peter Z.

  Racist book.
• 
  Tiff

  This was extremely informative and easy to read. The author here knows her demographic and how to speak to children. It's absolutely wonderful. This is a great aide in getting children to talk about diversity across the board. A wonderful book. The illustrations are fun too! My children are probably a bit younger than the intended audience for this book, but it's never too early to start these conversations and teach these ideals. I will 100% be acquiring a copy for my classroom at some point.
  
  Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an early copy of this in exchange for an honest review (and a big thank you fo the author/illustrator team for producing this!)
• 
  Genevieve Trono

  As a mother to middle-grade readers, I am always on the lookout for informative non-fiction books to add to our home library.
  
  This book is expertly written and has the perfect balance between identity, justice and activism to be both informative and inspiring. The writing is accessible and inclusive and I loved the broken down descriptions.
  
  This is a book I know we will be adding to our bookshelves and I appreciate having the opportunity to read and review this galley.
• 
  Kendra

  This is one I'll come back to again and again for plain language definitions and explanations and examples.
• 
  Marie

  Pre-reading before I share with my son and I can honestly say it will be totally appropriate for an 11 year old. Great examples of real-life discriminatory practices in an easy to understand format.
• 
  Emily

  This book is aimed at a young audience—older Elementary and middle school aged children. I thought this brief book was really informative. The author was addressing serious issues in clearly defined, easily understood terms. I feel that it teaches about respecting yourself and the rest of the members of the human family.
• 
  Faye Bertenshaw

  The Antiracist Kid absolutely needs to be a staple book in all school libraries and classrooms! It covers so many important topics such as stereotypes, gender pronouns, activism and race whilst also teaching children to own their identity and use their voice. I particularly liked how each section was broken down making it easy to read and understand, even myself as an adult learnt a thing or 2 whilst reading this book.
  
  I would highly recommend this book to all parents and educators who are looking at approaching any of these topics but aren’t quite sure where to start as. This book would make a great ice breaker and opens up plenty of opportunity for discussion.
  
  Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
• 
  Jess

  This book is necessary. We must have deep conversations with our kids. This book is a great start. The book itself is well organized and covers a range of topics beyond race (it includes gender identity, socioeconomic status, etc). My one complaint is then that the title should dare to go beyond just being an anti racist kid. The book is boldly attempting to create more open minded and empathic children. I do feel like the word usage brings the book to upper middle level kids as there are a lot of words on one page and that is often too difficult for younger readers. Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review. I am grateful to have read a book that is this important.
• 
  Karen

  The title implies that this book is a primer on race and how to transform racism. Yes, it does address race. However, the subject matter is much broader.
  
  Jewell and her illustrator, Nicole Miles, discuss identity, justice, and activism on the issues of race, ethnicity, family structure, gender identity, sexual preference and how power structures support some of these identities and oppress others.
  
  The text has a lot of white space around paragraphs that are often set on color swatches to make them more distinct from each other. The book defines a lot of concepts and provides some historical examples. However, it also has images of people (some created to illustrate identities, some real people who are activists from the past and present). There are a lot of efforts in the writing, illustration, and graphic design to make the book accessible.
  
  There also invitations for the reader to reflect and respond to questions (but this is not a workbook; readers would need to do this on a separate piece of paper).
  
  For example, under the section "What You Can Do!" are these questions with suggested responses: What do I do when someone is acting prejudiced towards me? How do I advocate for myself? What do I do if someone says that I am prejudiced? Can I repair with myself too? Is Racism more than personal prejudice and bias? How can I spot injustice? How do I talk about racism and injustice with people?
  
  The back matter includes acknowledgements, bios for the author and illustrator, a glossary of about 100 terms, and a list of "Books to Read to Keep Learning and Growing" aimed at young readers and another list "Books for the Adult Readers (so They can keep Learning and Growing too!)
  
  I can see students ages 10 to 15 being the ideal audience for this book. Nevertheless, I found the content interesting, informative, and provocative--with an aim towards personal transformation.
  
  
• 
  Katey (Kaje)

  I received an ARC of The Antiracist Kid from Netgalley as an educator, for the purpose of reviewing it for my classroom setting. This book was an absolute gem (no pun on Jewell's name intended). I previously purchased This Book is Antiracist, which was an amazing resource that I ensured was place in the middle school classroom at my last teaching job. I will definitely be getting a physical copy of this book to keep in my classroom and lend out to other teachers! Tiffany Jewell knows exactly how to talk to children. This book was friendly and easy to read without seeming like she was dumbing down the information. Sometimes I think that authors don't always understand how to present facts and vocabulary to young readers. Students have, in the past, given feedback that books they read for school feel too childish. I think this book targets its intended audience excellently.
  
  I wish I had this book when I was a kid and I can't wait to share it with my students! The Antiracist Kid by Tiffany Jewell is out on September 20th of this year (2022). If you're a parent or someone who works with kids in any capacity, I recommend preordering this book to share with your little ones. It was incredible. It is recommended for children between 6-9 at grade levels 1-4. I do think it could be given to even middle grade students, however, and this is based on reading level or how aware they already are of the world. It is such an amazing introduction to social justice for all kids.
• 
  Rebecca Ambrose

  Jewell's 2020 debut "This book is anti-racist" is an excellent resource which I have used in lessons in my secondary school classes, as well as taking a lot from myself. This follow-up, which takes the same lessons and aims them at a younger age-group is another excellent read and is so accessible, whether read at home or in an educational setting.
  The chapters are laid out really well, with simple and accessible language about how race is defined by society and how negative treatment of people because of their race is perpetuated. It teaches the reader easy to undertand lessons about how we can be better allies and people in general, and is unequivocal in the reasoning for why these lessons are so necessary. It does this in a matter-of-fact way, stating the issues and suggested solutions, so the reader is able to feel empowered by the information given to them, even if their behaviour has been unacceptable in the past, that they can move on now with a new mindset and make a diffference.
  I will be using this in school with my younger classes and with my own children. An excellent, and important, read.
• 
  Therearenobadbooks

  I love this book. We could discuss each page in the classroom and all would be valuable. Children learn all different concepts from personal (identity) to general (society, community). 
  
  "You know who you are!
  You know who you are better than anyone else! 
  You are the one who gets to choose how you identify!
  You get to decide how much you will share with others!
  You are learning more about yourself and your history every day.
  No one can tell you who you are.
  It does not feel good when other people try to tell you who you are.
  You have a right to be yourself.
  You have a right to be protected, to be heard, to be seen, to be respected, and to be a part of your community and society..."
  
  The book is well put together. Goes from passive to active (learning about it, knowing how to act, to be heard, to advocate, and to repair). We all make mistakes. You can repair too: to listen and to be heard. 
  
  The design is amazing including 130 vibrant pages with a pleasant font. Recaps of highlight information at the end of each chapter and conversation starters for a deeper discussion. 
• 
  Novel Obsession

  Tiffany Jewell provides a kid accessible take on racism in The Antiracist Kid. This illustrated chapter book walks readers through definitions and tools for becoming antiracist, because simply following along with a racist system without doing anything to combat that racism isn’t enough. Geared for elementary ages, this complements This Book Is Antiracist, although I admit to liking the latter book better. I think some of the definitions in this book could have been written more clearly to avoid confusion, particularly when defining that racism is not merely prejudice but also includes the systemic oppression of marginalized people and an imbalance in power.
  
  I am always looking for good books to help kids learn empathy and to stand against oppression, so this can be a good conversation starter for younger kids to address some of those issues.
  
  Disclaimer: A copy was provided by the publisher.
• 
  Bea

  This is a fabulously informative book to not only being antiracist but also discrimination and segregation & understanding innate privilege that many people don't understand they are born with based on the colour of their skin & where they were born. This book was the perfect book to read with my nearly 10 year old about racism & inequality in our world. I loved the text bubbles, that included definitions, basic history, examples of what the main text was explaining, and all in a way that made it easy for the young audience to absorb the information. I loved that the book asks questions of the reader, it encourages discussions & further research. This book should be added to every library, school, & home library. I was given the opportunity to read this as a digital ARC via Netgalley. All viewpoints are my own.
• 
  Andee

  Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for review.
  
  I love "This Book Is Anti-Racist" by Jewell - so much that we have 100 copies in our middle school library. I wanted to read The Antiracist Kid to see how similar it was. This book for elementary kids covers a lot of the same information. More for upper elementary than younger.
  
  Jewell does a great job with definitions, vocabulary, and having the reader dive into their own identity. I'd love for this to be required reading. But we know there are people all over the country who would flip out at the suggestion of reading a work like this. Which is really too bad.
  
  This is a great book for groups or guidance by an adult that could help with any questions. I'm glad this material is out there. Now if people would just get to the point where this is common knowledge.
• 
  Jessica Harrison

  The Antiracist Kid is an excellent tool in helping kids — and adults — identify discrimination and how to stand up to it. Written in clear, concise and comfortable prose, each idea or point is easy to identify and understand.
  
  Author Tiffany Jewel begins with the basics of identity — personal, social, race and ethnicity — and celebrating differences. The next section focuses on justice — what is fair and what is not. And ends with activism — the little and big changes kids can make.
  
  At 130 pages, The Antiracist Kid is fairly short, but kids/adults will likely spend time discussing/thinking about the topics in greater detail. Illustrator Nicole Miles helps break up information with fun illustrations, and the text itself is broken up into short paragraphs, bullet points and calls to action.
  
  The Antiracist Kid is a strong resource for families and teachers. I highly recommend it.
• 
  Lydia Haydeé

  I have to say I LOVED this book by Tiffany Jewell. I have followed her brilliant Instagram for years so seeing her work and words come to life was a joy. Her book is deeply informative and age appropriate for the targeted audience. It truly breaks down the heart and history of tough questions like “What is culture?” And how to talk about differences. I would not only purchase this book to discuss with middle schoolers, I am happy to know it exists for my daughter to read one day. I would point to this book for parents that want to discuss the tough topics of race and racism with their kids but do not know where to start.
• 
  Mary

  This is a great introduction to not only being antiracist but also everything that goes into that. This book is great for 9-12 y/o. It introduces them to identity, slavery, prejudice, racism, activism, and so much more. There is the main text, which has a lot of repeating points which is helpful in remembering important points. There is also a lot of text in bubbles, that includes definitions, history, examples, and more. There are a lot of questions asked of the reader, which invites discussions or journaling. This would make a great addition to any library, school, or home library. (Read a digital ARC via Netgalley.)
• 
  Miari Davidson

  I really enjoyed how detailed the authors made this book. I am constantly looking for books that may be beneficial to add to my toddler's library. This is a book that may be best suited for older adolescents simply for the ease of understanding the definitions given in the book. I think the content is great for all ages, though. I liked how there were plenty of examples given for points made and how inclusive the art and stories were. I did feel like some of the topics jumped around a bit and would have been best kept with the introduction of that topic.
  
  
  * Many thanks to NetGalley and Clarion Books for providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
• 
  Sam - Read & Buried

  This books is a great way to introduce kids to the concept of being antiracist. Jewell lays things out in an easy-to-understand format that isn't overwhelming, making the book ideal for a wide range of ages. The artwork is adorable, big concepts are explained in a no-nonsense way, and there are little prompts throughout to get kids thinking and beginning to start their own activism in small steps. I can see this being a book for families and kids to return to regularly, especially when talking about issues that might come up at school or in the news.
  
  Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a copy for review.
• 
  Kathy Iwanicki

  I cannot thank @netgalley and Tiffany Jewell enough for the eArc of this incredible book. I am a big fan of Tiffany Jewell and love the book This Book is Antiracist and refer to it often when planning for my classroom. The Antiracist Kid needs to be in the hands of every child in every classroom. The book is divided into sections of Identity, Justice and Activism. Using child friendly vocabulary, Ms Jewell’s approach to teaching will keep all students learning. I highly recommend it for grade 3 - 7.
  
  I give this book the highest rating of 5 stars, but wish I could give it more. I will be definitely adding it to my classroom library.
• 
  Amanda Murphy

  I received and ARC of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
  
  So...I have mixed feelings about this book. There is some really good, really important information here. Some things that maybe shouldn't need to be said, but do need to be said. But. The author has a very obvious target audience. And shouldn't a book like this appeal to everyone? How do we become "anti-racist" in this country if the only people who are taught it is a problem are the people who suffer from it? I don't get it. I also don't really think it has staying power. It's a great big meh from me. Don't see myself using it to teach my kids about any of the topics it covers.
• 
  Amanda

  The Antiracist Kid by Tiffany Jewell is a must read and I would highly recommend not only to parents but also to any adult who has an impact in a child's life (educators, family members, etc). My nearly-8 year old very much enjoyed learning from this book. We NEED to have deep and meaningful conversations with our children to help shape the next generations to be empathetic, compassionate humans. I hope it gets released in French so I can suggest it to my son's school. I plan to buy Jewell's book "This Book Is AntiRacist" because of this book! Thank you to NetGalley and Clarion Books for this ARC!
• 
  DeAnne

  As soon as I saw this one I wanted to pick it up and give it a read. It's extremely timely considering current events and I think a great addition to libraries or household collections to share with younger readers. I really enjoyed the characters that were created by the author and how they were crafted to help illustrate the concepts and issues being discussed. The way this was written is great for it's target audience, the information is clear and presented in an open and conversational way. I can't wait to see what the finished book looks like with all of the images as I think it will be a winner and great addition to anyone's library.
• 
  Brooke - TheBrookeList

  While many of these terms are confusing and important to understand, this book felt a little too much like an expanded glossary of terms. While I want to teach my children to be better than we have about understanding and respecting others, I'm not sure this is one of the books I would start with. I've read dozens upon dozens of books about social justice or change, and this was not the most captivating or inspiring. I think large sections of this book would be overly confusing for kids, which I believe is counter to the purpose of the book.
  
  Read as a nomination in the non-fiction book award category as a panelist for Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards (Cybils Awards).