Parents' Guide to

This Book Is Anti-Racist: 20 Lessons on How to Wake Up, Take Action, and Do the Work

By Lucinda Dyer, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 11+

Empowering activist guide to defying and disrupting racism.

Book Tiffany Jewell Advice 2020
This Book Is Anti-Racist: 20 Lessons on How to Wake Up, Take Action, and Do the Work Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

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age 12+

Based on 5 parent reviews

Mister B
Mister B Adult
July 1, 2023
age 18+

This book is absolutely racist.

This is a dishonest, hypocritical, and blatantly racist book, written to indoctrinate a new generation of racists into "identity politics" and hating everyone who is "different" than they are. Racist are like Skittles - they come in every color of the rainbow. It is racist hate speech to declare that ALL "white people" are racist. It is racist and supporting racism to declare that racism against "white people" is okay, and isn't actually "racism". I would not want any student in a public school to be forced to read this, or any other hate speech propaganda (for example, KKK literature, or 'Mein Kampf'), except as a way to critically break down the hate, lies, hypocrisy, and racism that this work of racist propaganda contains.
M. B. G.
M. B. G. Adult
April 16, 2023
age 11+
Adds a balanced perspective for historically marginalized people and their allies.

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
See all 5 parent reviews

What's the Story?

THIS BOOK IS ANTI-RACIST begins with "Waking Up: Understanding and Growing into Your Identities," a section that challenges readers to discover their own identity and explores the concepts of race and ethnicity and the differences between personal and institutional racism. "Opening the Window: Making Sense of the World" looks at the importance of knowing your own history, pivotal events in the history of racism, and stories of those who fought against it. The chapters in this section take on (without overwhelming readers with too much information) colonization, colonial rule, the slavery trade, the revolt of the enslaved in Haiti, Caribbean immigration to Great Britain, and the civil rights movement. "Choosing My Path: Taking Action and Responding to Racism" asks readers to build on what they've learned in the previous chapters to learn how to stand up, speak out, and even disrupt when necessary. "Holding the Door Open: Working in Solidarity Against Racism" includes a long and specific list of ways readers can be an ally to those fighting racism: Read books by and about the Global Majority; recognize when you hear racist phrases or see racist behavior and report it to a principal, parent, or trusted adult; stand up against anti-immigrant attitudes and police brutality. Throughout the book, Jewell uses "folx" instead of folks because it's a gender-neutral term created by activists. She also doesn't use the term "minority" in describing people of color because, she rightly points out, they are the majority in the world.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (5 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

A powerful blend of activism and optimism, this is a book for young readers who want to step up, speak out, take action, and see the world in a whole new way. This Book Is Anti-Racist offers parents and kids an opportunity to talk about subjects that may rarely, or perhaps never, have been discussed. What's our family history? Did our ancestors fight against racism or enable it? Do we have privileges simply because of our skin color? Do we speak out against racism and injustice, or have we been taught to stay silent? Why is remaining silent no longer OK?

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what This Book Is Ant-Racist taught them about discovering their own identities. Are there parts of your identity that give you special privileges or power in your school or community? Are there parts of your identity that exist outside of the dominant culture in your school or community?

  • If you hear someone using a racial slur or a "microaggression," what's the best way to deal with the situation? When should you call someone "in" and when should you call them "out"?

  • If you were packing an "anti-racist toolbox," what would you put in it?

Book Details

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