Why Are You Afraid?

by Toi Thomas

It’s cold outside, why can’t I wear a hoodie?

Why do people follow me at the store?

There’s no easy way to explain racism, especially to young kids, but the sooner kids learn the truth, the better they can combat it and work to help make changes.

This is a light, yet serious, story about perceptions. This book was written to help parents start the race conversation with their children, whatever their race or skin color may be.

Don’t avoid the race talk. As with many things in life, if you don’t talk to your kids about race, someone else will. Someone else may shape your child’s point of view on race, if you don’t.

36 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 11, 2020

About the author

A self-proclaimed techie and foodie, Toi Thomas was born in Texas, but considers Virginia to be home. Growing up, Toi had a strong interest in reading fiction and loved to watch movies. Working with computers and cooking lavish meals have become reoccurring pastimes for the Education Program Associate of the Muse Writers Center, but now Toi wants to entertain the world with her writing.
Toi Thomas writes clean adult nonfiction and fiction in various genres and pens romantic comedy as Glorie Townson. She also writes and illustrates children's book.
Toi Thomas creates for, and connects with, her fans at Substack & Patreon

Reviews

[M.C.V. Egan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful Message

This book is appropriate for all ages. It addresses racist behavior that can and does happen every day. I found the illustrations are relatable for kids, and sophisticated enough for adults.
The book contains a useful glossary. I strongly recommend this book for all families.

[Chrys Fey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Toi Thomas wrote Why Are You Afraid? in response to the Black Lives Matter movement to start a conversation with young children about racism in all its forms. This is a crucial conversation to have with the children in your life, no matter their age. No child is too young to learn that racism is wrong, what POC (People of Color) experience because of racism, and that POC are just like them. This should be taught from the beginning (and needs to be) with the basics like colors, numbers, and letters. It's that important.

Written in a way that all kids will be able to understand, this story is a great first step to introduce this topic to young children and opens the door to further conversations on the part of educators, parents, and guardians.

Recommended to all.

[J.H. Moncrieff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Racism and discrimination are tough topics to tackle with children. Author and teacher Toi Thomas strikes the right tone in this author-illustrated book about a little boy whose cousin is treated as "suspicious" at a local store.

Sad but also not heavy-handed, this is a great book to open the conversation about racism and discrimination with kids.

I wanted more! :) I wanted to know what the shopkeeper's problem was. But, like in the life, sadly, there are rarely good explanations.

[Toi Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wrote this book as a way to process the emotions and thoughts swirling through my mind in a time of intense social unrest and racial division. It helped me to write it and I hope it helps someone who reads it.