Parents' Guide to

Not My Idea: A Book About Whiteness

By Regan McMahon, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

Powerful, simple story about race and privilege.

Book Anastasia Higginbotham Picture Book 2018
Not My Idea: A Book About Whiteness book cover: A White-skinned girl kneeling on a small raft or boat on choppy waters looks across the title and cover

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

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age 13+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Nats-Family
Nats-Family Parent of 7 and 9-year-old
December 3, 2023
age 7+

Important book for white kids and parents

As a white parent of white children, I’ve been looking for more books to read to my kids to discuss racism in this country. This book offers an age-appropriate (elementary school) discussion of the problems of racism and how white people are often complicit in it. Recommended to read with your kids and discuss, as it does bring up challenging subjects including allusions to violence. Please disregard the problematic reviews by obviously racist white parents. Yes, this book included harsh topics of violence, but nothing a black family would not be well versed in. Time for white folks to toughen up and face the reality of racism.

Ohio500
Ohio500 Adult
July 12, 2021
age 18+

Dangerously biased mis information

Instead of a nuanced approach, the book perpetuates the false narrative that innocent blacks are being killed by white police officers with their hands up and that the problem is “whiteness” The collective guilt aspects based on skin color alone make this openly racist while failing to note progress misleads by omission . Portraying whiteness as the devil in the end is horrific. Pure propaganda.
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

NOT MY IDEA: A BOOK ABOUT WHITENESS begins with TV images of a police shooting of a Black person and a little White girl asking her mom what happened. Mom doesn't want to talk about it, reinforcing what she thinks is a positive family value: "We don't see color." But the girl knows that color matters in how a person is treated. She goes to the library to get informed about the issue of race in the United States and learns about the abolitionist and civil rights movements and important activists like Colin Kaepernick. She also learns about White privilege and realizes that White supremacy isn't her idea, so she doesn't have to defend it.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (2 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

This powerful book offers a basic but clear explanation of White supremacy, White privilege, and the need for families to talk honestly about race. Mixed-media art in Not My Idea: A Book About Whiteness uses archival news and magazine collages to tell the story of the struggle for civil rights and the ongoing issue of police brutality and police shootings. Having the focus be on the little girl's feelings and her quest for knowledge and understanding (then talking to her mom) makes it empowering.

The book is packed with information and context and would be an excellent jumping-off point for a family discussion of racism, protests, and police violence.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about "seeing color" in Not My Idea: A Book About Whiteness. How come the little girl knows that people are treated differently because of their skin color, but her mom seems not to? Why is it important to talk about how attitudes about race can be harmful?

  • How do you feel when you see protests on the television or in the news? Do you understand what's going on? How could you find out more?

  • Have you ever participated in a protest or demonstration? What was it about? What was it like for you? Does calling out injustice help bring about positive change?

  • How does the main character show courage by talking about these issues? Why is that an important character strength to have?

Book Details

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