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How to Fight Racism Young Reader's Edition: A Guide to Standing Up for Racial Justice
Kids deal with racism and social justice issues every day; give them the tools to effectively fight injustices using Christian principles and practical tools. In this adaptation of How to Fight Racism , New York Times bestselling author Dr. Jemar Tisby helps young readers ages 8-12 understand how everyday prejudice affects them, what they can do to create social change, how to maintain an anti-racist mindset, and make a positive difference in the world. Racism is pervasive in today's world, and in the wake of protests and a call for change, many kids are eager to confront it but aren’t always sure how. Jemar Tisby, author of How to Fight Racism and? The Color of Compromise , believes we need to move beyond mere discussions?about?racism and begin equipping young people with the practical tools to fight against it. In How to Fight Racism Young Reader’s Edition , Dr. Tisby uses history to explore how racism has affected America since before its founding and how it’s continued to grow, as well as examines how true social justice is rooted in the Christian faith. In a format that provides kids with a handbook for pursuing racial justice, readers ages 8-12 will discover: Throughout, kids will learn how to ask questions of themselves and their communities as they stand up to racism in all its forms. This book is for anyone who believes it is time to courageously confront the racism we see in our society today. How to Fight Racism Young Reader’s Edition :
240 pages, Hardcover
Published January 4, 2022
13 people are currently reading
144 people want to read
About the author
Jemar Tisby
28 books482 followersJemar Tisby is president and co-founder of The Witness: A Black Christian Collective. He has written about race, religion, and culture for The Washington Post, CNN, Vox, Christianity Today and The New York Times. He is the co-host of the Pass The Mic podcast, which is frequently rated as one of the top 100 religion and faith podcasts on iTunes. Tisby is a PhD student in history at the University of Mississippi, studying race and religion in the 20th century, and he has spoken to thousands at colleges, conferences, and churches across the country on such topics as “Understanding the Heart Cry of Black Lives Matter,” “The Historical Politics of Race in America,” and “The Image of God and the Minority Experience.” In 2017, the Religion News Association recognized him for excellence in student religion reporting for his articles on the police-related killings of unarmed black citizens. https://thewitnessbcc.com
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
January 3, 2022
Just about a year ago (in January 2021), Jemar Tisby released How to Fight Racism, a practical book filled actionable ideas to make real substantive change in one’s community. Now he’s gone back and adapted that material, along with pieces and ideas of his book The Color of Compromise to create How to Fight Racism Young Reader’s Edition: A Guide to Standing Up for Racial Justice.
Dr. Tisby uses his ARC framework—awareness, relationships, commitment—as the structural poles of the book, interspersing historical vignettes that give examples of standing up for racial justice throughout history. Aimed at ages 8-12, How to Fight Racism Young Reader’s Edition gives kids age-appropriate ideas while also introducing them to important historical figures in the movement.
Since the ARC framework is at the heart of the book, let’s start there. First, there’s awareness. This isn’t just awareness of injustice or of how systems (and not just individuals) can be unjust, but awareness of one’s own racial identity. Tisby spends about half the book in this area, gently educating readers on the racial history of the United States and how racism became embedded into our institutions. More than that, Tisby also records the efforts to fight against racism at every point along the way, reminding readers that they are the latest generation to fight for racial justice. There’re also a few chapters on understanding one’s own racial identity, which is important for all readers, but especially relevant to white readers who, as the cultural majority, may never have had to consider their racial identity before.
Relationships is step two, and it’s a crucial one. How to Fight Racism Young Reader’s Edition walks kids through how to develop diverse friendships and build a multicultural community. He steers readers away from performative wokeness and hashtag activism into the real and messy work of friendship and understanding. The last step is commitment, and here Jemar Tisby talks about taking on systems and making a difference in one’s community. It’s more difficult as kids—who often lack agency—but there are still things kids can do to fight racism on a systemic level.
Along the way, Jemar Tisby pauses to tell some stories in the fight against racism. You’ll read the stories of Rosa Parks, Tamir Rice, Ruby Bridges, Frederick Douglass, and more. Each historical narrative fits with the contemporary application of the surrounding chapters. In my podcast interview with Jemar, he said that he was more excited about the young reader’s version than the version for adults and—well, he’s not wrong. They are both distinct products, but there’s a lot for adults to learn from in this book even though it’s geared for a younger audience. I’d particularly encourage educators and youth pastors to read this book and consider how they can work with their students to implement some of the suggestions Tisby offers.
Point by point, area by area, How to Fight Racism Young Reader’s Edition spells out exactly how to work for racial justice and expose and stand up against racist systems. Tisby is thorough, providing clear and practical advice. It’s not easy advice, understand, because it’s about changing systems not just minds. It’s about practical change, not just intellectual assent. It’s about becoming a person for whom justice and reconciliation are integral parts of life. Read this book with your kids. Have these difficult conversations with him. Help them take advantage of where they are now to build a better world. Kids, you don’t have to wait to be an adult to make a difference. You can fight for racial justice now. Let Dr. Tisby show you the way.
Dr. Tisby uses his ARC framework—awareness, relationships, commitment—as the structural poles of the book, interspersing historical vignettes that give examples of standing up for racial justice throughout history. Aimed at ages 8-12, How to Fight Racism Young Reader’s Edition gives kids age-appropriate ideas while also introducing them to important historical figures in the movement.
Since the ARC framework is at the heart of the book, let’s start there. First, there’s awareness. This isn’t just awareness of injustice or of how systems (and not just individuals) can be unjust, but awareness of one’s own racial identity. Tisby spends about half the book in this area, gently educating readers on the racial history of the United States and how racism became embedded into our institutions. More than that, Tisby also records the efforts to fight against racism at every point along the way, reminding readers that they are the latest generation to fight for racial justice. There’re also a few chapters on understanding one’s own racial identity, which is important for all readers, but especially relevant to white readers who, as the cultural majority, may never have had to consider their racial identity before.
Relationships is step two, and it’s a crucial one. How to Fight Racism Young Reader’s Edition walks kids through how to develop diverse friendships and build a multicultural community. He steers readers away from performative wokeness and hashtag activism into the real and messy work of friendship and understanding. The last step is commitment, and here Jemar Tisby talks about taking on systems and making a difference in one’s community. It’s more difficult as kids—who often lack agency—but there are still things kids can do to fight racism on a systemic level.
Along the way, Jemar Tisby pauses to tell some stories in the fight against racism. You’ll read the stories of Rosa Parks, Tamir Rice, Ruby Bridges, Frederick Douglass, and more. Each historical narrative fits with the contemporary application of the surrounding chapters. In my podcast interview with Jemar, he said that he was more excited about the young reader’s version than the version for adults and—well, he’s not wrong. They are both distinct products, but there’s a lot for adults to learn from in this book even though it’s geared for a younger audience. I’d particularly encourage educators and youth pastors to read this book and consider how they can work with their students to implement some of the suggestions Tisby offers.
Point by point, area by area, How to Fight Racism Young Reader’s Edition spells out exactly how to work for racial justice and expose and stand up against racist systems. Tisby is thorough, providing clear and practical advice. It’s not easy advice, understand, because it’s about changing systems not just minds. It’s about practical change, not just intellectual assent. It’s about becoming a person for whom justice and reconciliation are integral parts of life. Read this book with your kids. Have these difficult conversations with him. Help them take advantage of where they are now to build a better world. Kids, you don’t have to wait to be an adult to make a difference. You can fight for racial justice now. Let Dr. Tisby show you the way.
April 23, 2022
I love that Tisby's book was made into a version for young readers and look forward to exploring and discussing more with my tweens. This is a huge part of our world and knowing how to navigate it as parents from a biblical perspective is so tricky--so thankful for this book to smartly guide us. Thanks for sending a copy for review, Zondervan!
April 14, 2022
I have mixed feelings on this book. I found the parts on the history of racism interesting but much of the book contains too much information for a young reader to absorb. Also, some information might be too detailed or disturbing for younger readers. (It was for me, an adult.) I feel this book is best digested with a parent alongside the reader to help guide and unravel the young person's questions.
I like that Christianity is referenced and how God created us all in His image. I also like how the author promotes meeting, interacting, friending, and loving those who aren’t like you. Such a positive message. And most of all, I like the “Questions to Consider” sections closing out some of the chapters, keeping readers engaged.
Disclosure: #CoverLoverBookReview received a complimentary copy of this book.
I like that Christianity is referenced and how God created us all in His image. I also like how the author promotes meeting, interacting, friending, and loving those who aren’t like you. Such a positive message. And most of all, I like the “Questions to Consider” sections closing out some of the chapters, keeping readers engaged.
Disclosure: #CoverLoverBookReview received a complimentary copy of this book.
November 16, 2021
[Visit my original blog for full review and further reading on this topic]
“God’s plan has always been diversity. Every tribe, tongue, and nation are part of his family and the Bible does not differentiate people based on race.”
This is a simplified version of his book— How to Fight Racism— released January 2021 and is written for children ages 8-12.
I have not read the adult edition of this book but I have read Tisby’s book The Color of Compromise.
Because I haven’t read the adult version, it’s possible some of the comments or questions I have regarding this edition may have been better explained in the adult edition. However, I found Neil Shenvi’s review of that book quite similar to the perceptions and notes I had for this edition, and was helpful as I processed what I read.
Providing a guide for young readers about racism is a worthwhile venture. To this end, he gives a comprehensive historical summary of race in America, and I believe he did a good job charging readers to treat people with respect and stand up for justice. I thought his emphasis on all people being created in the image of God— where our worth and rights find their basis— was strong. His ‘ARC’ acronym integrating Awareness, Relationships, and Commitment is a helpful model to think about in terms of fighting injustices.
The downside for me was similar to my impressions about his book The Color of Compromise— he seems to predicate the material of this book from the assumption that racism is everywhere if we just look hard enough, uses some ambiguous terminology, makes some unsupported claims, downplays the gospel, and communicates in a way that could perpetuate a self-fulfilling prophecy of hopelessness.
I will break it down a little more and let you be the judge of whether you feel this would be a good book for your child to read.
Geared Towards a Young Audience
The topic of racism is an increasingly complicated sphere so I commend his efforts in producing a book geared toward younger students and understand the difficulties of that. There’s only so much context and background you can provide and still keep the book short and simple enough.
One way he meets the needs of his younger audience is by pulling out the big words into ‘glossary boxes’ in the margins. A full glossary is also included at the end.
To keep the readers engaged in the material and remember the main points of each chapter/section, he includes a few questions at the end. I thought this was a good idea to break up the material and keep the kids involved with it.
He tries to include student-relatable experiences when describing certain terms, situations, or feelings. I loved his reminders for readers to stand up for their classmates who are being mistreated and to speak up when kids say inappropriate ‘jokes.’
He also gives some good activities for them to do— a little like homework: research a historical event to learn more, interview a person of another race to hear their experiences, be involved with student government or attend school board meetings where policies and decisions are made, start a book club with people of all races to discuss topics and hear different perspectives, visit cultural fairs and events, etc.
I felt like most of his suggestions were easy enough for any kid to carry out if they wanted to.
The Strength
The strength of this book is two-fold: educating the kids on the history of racism and things that happened that they might not know about (though I would guess it’s more likely to be taught in schools now) and the emphasis of diversity being God’s design from the beginning.
He says,
“The goal for everyone is to have a positive view of their racial or ethnic identity, one that does not require them to fit in with or reject the dominant culture or experiences, and one that values the diversity of other people.”
I like that he is teaching the kids to feel good about how God created them and that we treat others with love because we are all God’s creation. I am pro-positive-view. I am pro-diversity. I also like that that he said people shouldn’t be required to fit in with the dominant culture OR reject the dominant culture. That message isn’t heard as often.
I remember reading The Color of Compromise and hearing some of the historical events and stories for the first time and it is a shocking and uncomfortable feeling— hearing that many Christians believed the Bible supported slavery and the acts they committed in its name are atrocious.
Tisby didn’t include the most graphic stories but he didn’t sugarcoat it either and it will be shocking and uncomfortable for some students to read some of the things that happened to people in our past. I think some of this is a good thing. Might be too much for 8 yos, but 10-12 yos would probably handle it better.
Racial Identity
“Some white people can go their whole lives without ever having an encounter that causes them to think about race. This leads to a shallow relationship with an aspect of who they are.”
Tisby writes a chapter called ‘The Science of Race’ where he points out that ‘race’ is not a scientific term but a social one. Race is just varying melanin levels in the skin as people groups adapted to the sunlight in their geographic location.
“Although race is something imagined (or constructed),” he says, “its effects are real. From lifespan to salary to where you live, race has a measurable impact on a person’s quality of life.”
It felt like he contradicted himself on this point throughout the book. He wants people to recognize that God created people differently and that diversity should be celebrated, that race is an arbitrary exhibiting of melanin in our skin not a depiction of differing worth, but then proceeds to encourage people to research their race and attach significant meaning to that result as part of their identity.
It felt like he is telling his black readership— if you don’t know and “feel in your bones” the history of racism based on the color of your skin, you need to go research it until you do. It’s like he is telling his white readership— if you don’t understand how terrible white people were to black people in history, you need to go research it until you recognize your own part in this tragedy and work to make amends.
If race is not an aspect of who you claim yourself to be, he suggests this is evidence of the harmful practice of “colorblindness” where we fail to celebrate God’s created diversity. But this emphasis on a racial identity seems to be elevated over our identity in Christ where our sinful depravity levels the playing field of transgressions and the power of Christ’s mercy and grace saves, transforms, and unifies us.
Children are doing a lot of work on figuring out who they are and I have concerns about Tisby’s emphasis of a racial identity and attaching historical burdens to kids and telling them it should shape how they view themselves rather than offering spiritual freedoms to define them.
The Questionable
The thing about writing a book for kids ages 8-12 is that they are still developing critical thinking skills. They still view all adults as people of authority and tend to accept everything they say at face value. This gives adults a lot of power to influence the thinking of children and can become a dangerous tool that is wielded.
I feel Jemar Tisby presented some things definitively as common fact or in a more simplistic way that does not account for all the information. He makes certain statements and claims that I think students won’t think to question.
“No matter their level of achievement, people of African descent in the United States, especially those with darker skin, are always placed in the outermost ring of American social circles.”
“Racism today comes in the forms of mass incarceration and police brutality towards people of color. You can find it in the ongoing and widening racial wealth gap…”
“Since white people are in charge of how society is organized, they have a way of making the rules so they always get the best options and opportunities. Maybe this isn’t always intentional, but the results are usually the same.”
“Though Christianity is supposed to bring people together in love, we live in a world where black Christians who stand against police brutality under the banner of #blacklivesmatter are dismissed as radicals by white Christians who justify such police tactics as necessary to keeping the police.”
Though he doesn’t use these exact words, he seems to support Ibram X. Kendi’s words: “When I see disparities, I see discrimination.” He seems to support Robin DiAngelo’s telling people to ask the question ‘How is this racism?’ rather than ‘Is this racism?’
He commemorates every black person who has died at the other end of a police officer’s gun without providing adequate context for each occurrence. Police brutality happens, but I wouldn’t say it’s the ‘norm’ or characteristic of police and it’s helpful to research the statistics on this. We should be wary of making some interactions definitive of all interactions.
He does not provide the statistics that while white people may have greater wealth than black people, white people actually rank 16th in median household income by selected ancestry groups.
One of the major dangers of his emphasis on presenting the notion that America is an elaborate system rigged against black people, where white people will always prevail over them, where black people don’t have the tools they need to succeed, where their future is one of lesser pay, worse jobs, and discrimination, is that it’s likely to cause people to stop trying. After all, what’s the point?
While we always fight injustice, Tisby’s tone and presentation seems likely to perpetuate a self-fulfilling prophecy where black people do not see the value or hope in trying. Tisby ignores the psychology that- You tell a child they are kind, they are smart, they are hard-working, that they can try hard things and they will live up to the picture of them you present— they will be kind and more confident academically. If you tell them they are lacking something, disadvantaged, and their country is actively against them, they will believe it and act accordingly.
I must advocate for two really good, relevant, must-read books here:
The Coddling of the American Mind
Confronting Injustice without Compromising Truth
I think these two books are essential to considering Tisby’s presentation of his ambiguously defined term ‘racial justice.’
Orienting Our Lives to Racial Justice
He advocates that fighting for racial justice is an ongoing battle and true commitment will focus on it daily or orient their lives to it.
“One of the most important racial justice practices is to keep race at the top of your mind even when you have the option of not doing so.”
My concern with this charge is that he’s dangerously close to making racial justice a bigger priority than the gospel. We don’t orient our lives to anything other than the Lord.
Living out of the gospel should spur us to seek justice, but racial justice is not the gospel. The gospel is the Good News that Jesus has died for the sins of the world (of which racism is one) and defeated death and our bondage to our sin so we could experience true life and freedom in him. We do not earn this gift by accomplishing racial justice. If we get this wrong, we have lost the gospel of grace.
The importance and power of the gospel is highly lacking in this book.
Monique Duson shares part of her story in Confronting Injustice without Compromising Truth and says this:
“According to historic Christianity, salvation is the good news of Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection so sinners of all colors can be saved by a free act of divine grace. [Critical Race Theory] had pulled me away from that good news into a social justice gospel in which the finished work of Jesus wasn’t enough. Activism to end “oppression” as redefined by CRT became a gospel essential... According to CRT, humanity’s fundamental problems are whiteness and oppression. The beliefs of CRT weren’t ‘part of the gospel;’ they formed a different gospel altogether.”
To be clear: Tisby does not explicitly advocate or even mention critical race theory, nor does he explicitly say racial justice is a gospel issue. But this idea is worth thinking about because Tisby’s book hints at this belief. He seems to downplay the power of the gospel in seeing true change in the world and promotes activism more heavily.
Another example of Tisby's misleading ‘factual’ phrasings is this discussion question he included at the end of a section where he talked about Quaker Oats’ Aunt Jemima logo:
“What are some ways white people have sought to make less of black people through images and advertising?”
He states this as if advertisers are overtly seeking to hurt black people and asking kids to look for examples. There may be some examples we can prove the motivations of a company in the content they put out, but we have to be very careful when we judge motives. The wording of this question is problematic to me.
Tisby also stated that we need to look at impact not intent when considering evidence of racism. This is a very harmful practice to encourage. Both impact AND intent are important if we want to care about people and if we ignore either one the results will be damaging. (The Coddling of the American Mind discusses this phrase of impact vs intent)
Black vs White Culture
Tisby mentioned several times how the dominant culture is white and that black people have often been forced to change their culture to assimilate into the dominant culture.
This idea of ‘black culture’ and ‘white culture’ is not something I deny exists, but it’s something I was struggling to picture. I wish he would have been more descriptive on what ‘black culture’ is and what ‘white culture’ is. A quick look of google search results is just more ambiguity.
What aspects of black culture are being rejected, looked down on, or demeaned?
He did give the example of hairstyles— that black students are being suspended at schools because their hairstyles didn’t align with the school’s dress codes or ideas of what ‘normal’ or appropriate is. I was shocked to hear this would happen but I can confirm situations in both Texas and Florida where this occurred. Rightly, many states are passing laws that keep schools from using disciplinary actions because of hairstyles.
This is one example, but I think it would be beneficial for everyone to have more clarity on what he means here.
If he wants black culture to stop being suppressed then help us understand how to identify it and how to allow multiple cultures to coexist respectfully.
Tisby’s Solutions
“The bridge between a desire and a destination is a plan.”
“White people are in power because the system has been set up to favor them and something must be done to set historic injustices right.”
“Many people, particularly those in the racial majority, come at the issue of race like it’s something to understand mentally. They think solutions come from good ideas and that people can fix things just by thinking about them more deeply. They don’t realize that race is something other people feel in the bones.”
Based on Shenvi’s review linked above, I think he must use the term reparations in the adult version. He doesn’t refer to that in this book but he likens racism in America to a broken part of a used car you purchased from someone else. It may not be a problem you caused, but you are still responsible to fix it.
We do, as followers of Christ, have the responsibility to pursue justice, to treat others well, and to be generous.
Tisby offers some practical relational and school-related ideas for the students to do to work towards justice, but he still alludes to the bigger picture of correcting the systems that are rigged against black people and doesn’t give many specifics on what those are or how to repair them.
The historic redlining that pushed black people into specific neighborhoods did a lot of economic damage to be sure. School district lines can distribute financial resources unequally between school districts. Criminal sentencing for drug charges for white vs black people shows real disparity.
These are concrete things that I can see at work that disadvantage minorities compared to white people. Besides those, I didn’t feel like Tisby provided many details on what systems he specifically wants to see changed or solutions to do it. That’s probably out of the scope and purpose of this book, but something I thought would have been helpful.
Where Do We Go From Here?
“Whatever your reason for reading, my hope is that you’ll come away with a better understanding of where we’ve been as a nation, a deeper knowledge of who you are as a person, a vibrant connection to people of all backgrounds, and a stronger sense of purpose to fix what needs to be fixed in our broken world.”
This is somewhat his thesis. The first and third in the list are the strengths of this book and the second and fourth are the discussion points.
We all can agree that racism is sinful and should be treated as such. Injustices are wrong and should be fought against. Racism and injustices exist in the world and we need to see that the effects and damages of sin are widespread and long-lasting.
I agree with Tisby on the basis of our equality as humanity, our worth as image bearers, and God’s design of diversity not uniformity. We worship God when we love his creation and exhibit the fruits of the Spirit to our neighbors.
My hangups occur when I think about his perception of systemic racism, racial minorities not having the tools they need to succeed, the emphasis on racial identity, and sparse gospel-as-a-world-changer statements. It makes this an inadequate book for me to present to my child.
Maybe it’s less of a ‘don’t read this book' recommendation and more of a ‘you could probably read this book, but please supplement with some other viewpoints’ type of situation!
Visit my blog www.shelfreflection.com and explore some others!
“God’s plan has always been diversity. Every tribe, tongue, and nation are part of his family and the Bible does not differentiate people based on race.”
This is a simplified version of his book— How to Fight Racism— released January 2021 and is written for children ages 8-12.
I have not read the adult edition of this book but I have read Tisby’s book The Color of Compromise.
Because I haven’t read the adult version, it’s possible some of the comments or questions I have regarding this edition may have been better explained in the adult edition. However, I found Neil Shenvi’s review of that book quite similar to the perceptions and notes I had for this edition, and was helpful as I processed what I read.
Providing a guide for young readers about racism is a worthwhile venture. To this end, he gives a comprehensive historical summary of race in America, and I believe he did a good job charging readers to treat people with respect and stand up for justice. I thought his emphasis on all people being created in the image of God— where our worth and rights find their basis— was strong. His ‘ARC’ acronym integrating Awareness, Relationships, and Commitment is a helpful model to think about in terms of fighting injustices.
The downside for me was similar to my impressions about his book The Color of Compromise— he seems to predicate the material of this book from the assumption that racism is everywhere if we just look hard enough, uses some ambiguous terminology, makes some unsupported claims, downplays the gospel, and communicates in a way that could perpetuate a self-fulfilling prophecy of hopelessness.
I will break it down a little more and let you be the judge of whether you feel this would be a good book for your child to read.
Geared Towards a Young Audience
The topic of racism is an increasingly complicated sphere so I commend his efforts in producing a book geared toward younger students and understand the difficulties of that. There’s only so much context and background you can provide and still keep the book short and simple enough.
One way he meets the needs of his younger audience is by pulling out the big words into ‘glossary boxes’ in the margins. A full glossary is also included at the end.
To keep the readers engaged in the material and remember the main points of each chapter/section, he includes a few questions at the end. I thought this was a good idea to break up the material and keep the kids involved with it.
He tries to include student-relatable experiences when describing certain terms, situations, or feelings. I loved his reminders for readers to stand up for their classmates who are being mistreated and to speak up when kids say inappropriate ‘jokes.’
He also gives some good activities for them to do— a little like homework: research a historical event to learn more, interview a person of another race to hear their experiences, be involved with student government or attend school board meetings where policies and decisions are made, start a book club with people of all races to discuss topics and hear different perspectives, visit cultural fairs and events, etc.
I felt like most of his suggestions were easy enough for any kid to carry out if they wanted to.
The Strength
The strength of this book is two-fold: educating the kids on the history of racism and things that happened that they might not know about (though I would guess it’s more likely to be taught in schools now) and the emphasis of diversity being God’s design from the beginning.
He says,
“The goal for everyone is to have a positive view of their racial or ethnic identity, one that does not require them to fit in with or reject the dominant culture or experiences, and one that values the diversity of other people.”
I like that he is teaching the kids to feel good about how God created them and that we treat others with love because we are all God’s creation. I am pro-positive-view. I am pro-diversity. I also like that that he said people shouldn’t be required to fit in with the dominant culture OR reject the dominant culture. That message isn’t heard as often.
I remember reading The Color of Compromise and hearing some of the historical events and stories for the first time and it is a shocking and uncomfortable feeling— hearing that many Christians believed the Bible supported slavery and the acts they committed in its name are atrocious.
Tisby didn’t include the most graphic stories but he didn’t sugarcoat it either and it will be shocking and uncomfortable for some students to read some of the things that happened to people in our past. I think some of this is a good thing. Might be too much for 8 yos, but 10-12 yos would probably handle it better.
Racial Identity
“Some white people can go their whole lives without ever having an encounter that causes them to think about race. This leads to a shallow relationship with an aspect of who they are.”
Tisby writes a chapter called ‘The Science of Race’ where he points out that ‘race’ is not a scientific term but a social one. Race is just varying melanin levels in the skin as people groups adapted to the sunlight in their geographic location.
“Although race is something imagined (or constructed),” he says, “its effects are real. From lifespan to salary to where you live, race has a measurable impact on a person’s quality of life.”
It felt like he contradicted himself on this point throughout the book. He wants people to recognize that God created people differently and that diversity should be celebrated, that race is an arbitrary exhibiting of melanin in our skin not a depiction of differing worth, but then proceeds to encourage people to research their race and attach significant meaning to that result as part of their identity.
It felt like he is telling his black readership— if you don’t know and “feel in your bones” the history of racism based on the color of your skin, you need to go research it until you do. It’s like he is telling his white readership— if you don’t understand how terrible white people were to black people in history, you need to go research it until you recognize your own part in this tragedy and work to make amends.
If race is not an aspect of who you claim yourself to be, he suggests this is evidence of the harmful practice of “colorblindness” where we fail to celebrate God’s created diversity. But this emphasis on a racial identity seems to be elevated over our identity in Christ where our sinful depravity levels the playing field of transgressions and the power of Christ’s mercy and grace saves, transforms, and unifies us.
Children are doing a lot of work on figuring out who they are and I have concerns about Tisby’s emphasis of a racial identity and attaching historical burdens to kids and telling them it should shape how they view themselves rather than offering spiritual freedoms to define them.
The Questionable
The thing about writing a book for kids ages 8-12 is that they are still developing critical thinking skills. They still view all adults as people of authority and tend to accept everything they say at face value. This gives adults a lot of power to influence the thinking of children and can become a dangerous tool that is wielded.
I feel Jemar Tisby presented some things definitively as common fact or in a more simplistic way that does not account for all the information. He makes certain statements and claims that I think students won’t think to question.
“No matter their level of achievement, people of African descent in the United States, especially those with darker skin, are always placed in the outermost ring of American social circles.”
“Racism today comes in the forms of mass incarceration and police brutality towards people of color. You can find it in the ongoing and widening racial wealth gap…”
“Since white people are in charge of how society is organized, they have a way of making the rules so they always get the best options and opportunities. Maybe this isn’t always intentional, but the results are usually the same.”
“Though Christianity is supposed to bring people together in love, we live in a world where black Christians who stand against police brutality under the banner of #blacklivesmatter are dismissed as radicals by white Christians who justify such police tactics as necessary to keeping the police.”
Though he doesn’t use these exact words, he seems to support Ibram X. Kendi’s words: “When I see disparities, I see discrimination.” He seems to support Robin DiAngelo’s telling people to ask the question ‘How is this racism?’ rather than ‘Is this racism?’
He commemorates every black person who has died at the other end of a police officer’s gun without providing adequate context for each occurrence. Police brutality happens, but I wouldn’t say it’s the ‘norm’ or characteristic of police and it’s helpful to research the statistics on this. We should be wary of making some interactions definitive of all interactions.
He does not provide the statistics that while white people may have greater wealth than black people, white people actually rank 16th in median household income by selected ancestry groups.
One of the major dangers of his emphasis on presenting the notion that America is an elaborate system rigged against black people, where white people will always prevail over them, where black people don’t have the tools they need to succeed, where their future is one of lesser pay, worse jobs, and discrimination, is that it’s likely to cause people to stop trying. After all, what’s the point?
While we always fight injustice, Tisby’s tone and presentation seems likely to perpetuate a self-fulfilling prophecy where black people do not see the value or hope in trying. Tisby ignores the psychology that- You tell a child they are kind, they are smart, they are hard-working, that they can try hard things and they will live up to the picture of them you present— they will be kind and more confident academically. If you tell them they are lacking something, disadvantaged, and their country is actively against them, they will believe it and act accordingly.
I must advocate for two really good, relevant, must-read books here:
The Coddling of the American Mind
Confronting Injustice without Compromising Truth
I think these two books are essential to considering Tisby’s presentation of his ambiguously defined term ‘racial justice.’
Orienting Our Lives to Racial Justice
He advocates that fighting for racial justice is an ongoing battle and true commitment will focus on it daily or orient their lives to it.
“One of the most important racial justice practices is to keep race at the top of your mind even when you have the option of not doing so.”
My concern with this charge is that he’s dangerously close to making racial justice a bigger priority than the gospel. We don’t orient our lives to anything other than the Lord.
Living out of the gospel should spur us to seek justice, but racial justice is not the gospel. The gospel is the Good News that Jesus has died for the sins of the world (of which racism is one) and defeated death and our bondage to our sin so we could experience true life and freedom in him. We do not earn this gift by accomplishing racial justice. If we get this wrong, we have lost the gospel of grace.
The importance and power of the gospel is highly lacking in this book.
Monique Duson shares part of her story in Confronting Injustice without Compromising Truth and says this:
“According to historic Christianity, salvation is the good news of Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection so sinners of all colors can be saved by a free act of divine grace. [Critical Race Theory] had pulled me away from that good news into a social justice gospel in which the finished work of Jesus wasn’t enough. Activism to end “oppression” as redefined by CRT became a gospel essential... According to CRT, humanity’s fundamental problems are whiteness and oppression. The beliefs of CRT weren’t ‘part of the gospel;’ they formed a different gospel altogether.”
To be clear: Tisby does not explicitly advocate or even mention critical race theory, nor does he explicitly say racial justice is a gospel issue. But this idea is worth thinking about because Tisby’s book hints at this belief. He seems to downplay the power of the gospel in seeing true change in the world and promotes activism more heavily.
Another example of Tisby's misleading ‘factual’ phrasings is this discussion question he included at the end of a section where he talked about Quaker Oats’ Aunt Jemima logo:
“What are some ways white people have sought to make less of black people through images and advertising?”
He states this as if advertisers are overtly seeking to hurt black people and asking kids to look for examples. There may be some examples we can prove the motivations of a company in the content they put out, but we have to be very careful when we judge motives. The wording of this question is problematic to me.
Tisby also stated that we need to look at impact not intent when considering evidence of racism. This is a very harmful practice to encourage. Both impact AND intent are important if we want to care about people and if we ignore either one the results will be damaging. (The Coddling of the American Mind discusses this phrase of impact vs intent)
Black vs White Culture
Tisby mentioned several times how the dominant culture is white and that black people have often been forced to change their culture to assimilate into the dominant culture.
This idea of ‘black culture’ and ‘white culture’ is not something I deny exists, but it’s something I was struggling to picture. I wish he would have been more descriptive on what ‘black culture’ is and what ‘white culture’ is. A quick look of google search results is just more ambiguity.
What aspects of black culture are being rejected, looked down on, or demeaned?
He did give the example of hairstyles— that black students are being suspended at schools because their hairstyles didn’t align with the school’s dress codes or ideas of what ‘normal’ or appropriate is. I was shocked to hear this would happen but I can confirm situations in both Texas and Florida where this occurred. Rightly, many states are passing laws that keep schools from using disciplinary actions because of hairstyles.
This is one example, but I think it would be beneficial for everyone to have more clarity on what he means here.
If he wants black culture to stop being suppressed then help us understand how to identify it and how to allow multiple cultures to coexist respectfully.
Tisby’s Solutions
“The bridge between a desire and a destination is a plan.”
“White people are in power because the system has been set up to favor them and something must be done to set historic injustices right.”
“Many people, particularly those in the racial majority, come at the issue of race like it’s something to understand mentally. They think solutions come from good ideas and that people can fix things just by thinking about them more deeply. They don’t realize that race is something other people feel in the bones.”
Based on Shenvi’s review linked above, I think he must use the term reparations in the adult version. He doesn’t refer to that in this book but he likens racism in America to a broken part of a used car you purchased from someone else. It may not be a problem you caused, but you are still responsible to fix it.
We do, as followers of Christ, have the responsibility to pursue justice, to treat others well, and to be generous.
Tisby offers some practical relational and school-related ideas for the students to do to work towards justice, but he still alludes to the bigger picture of correcting the systems that are rigged against black people and doesn’t give many specifics on what those are or how to repair them.
The historic redlining that pushed black people into specific neighborhoods did a lot of economic damage to be sure. School district lines can distribute financial resources unequally between school districts. Criminal sentencing for drug charges for white vs black people shows real disparity.
These are concrete things that I can see at work that disadvantage minorities compared to white people. Besides those, I didn’t feel like Tisby provided many details on what systems he specifically wants to see changed or solutions to do it. That’s probably out of the scope and purpose of this book, but something I thought would have been helpful.
Where Do We Go From Here?
“Whatever your reason for reading, my hope is that you’ll come away with a better understanding of where we’ve been as a nation, a deeper knowledge of who you are as a person, a vibrant connection to people of all backgrounds, and a stronger sense of purpose to fix what needs to be fixed in our broken world.”
This is somewhat his thesis. The first and third in the list are the strengths of this book and the second and fourth are the discussion points.
We all can agree that racism is sinful and should be treated as such. Injustices are wrong and should be fought against. Racism and injustices exist in the world and we need to see that the effects and damages of sin are widespread and long-lasting.
I agree with Tisby on the basis of our equality as humanity, our worth as image bearers, and God’s design of diversity not uniformity. We worship God when we love his creation and exhibit the fruits of the Spirit to our neighbors.
My hangups occur when I think about his perception of systemic racism, racial minorities not having the tools they need to succeed, the emphasis on racial identity, and sparse gospel-as-a-world-changer statements. It makes this an inadequate book for me to present to my child.
Maybe it’s less of a ‘don’t read this book' recommendation and more of a ‘you could probably read this book, but please supplement with some other viewpoints’ type of situation!
Visit my blog www.shelfreflection.com and explore some others!
January 23, 2022
I read How to Fight Racism by Jemar Tisby a year ago and it proved to be one of the most impactful books I read in 2021! The young reader’s edition has just released and it is so good! The chapters are short, key people are highlighted in between sections, and a chunk of the book is devoted to giving a history of racism in the US. Jemar uses engaging analogies, sidebar definitions of key terms, and situations and stories that kids and teens would be familiar with to flesh out the concepts from How to Fight Racism. Like its parent, this book is from a Christian perspective and provides a Biblical basis for fighting racism and gives practical, helpful advice and direction for starting (or continuing) on a personal or communal journey to fight racism. I’m definitely leaving this book out in the living room for my kids to read (and considering how to encourage them to engage and dialogue about it)!
March 16, 2022
I read this as a read aloud for my kids. It was a great conversation starter. I appreciate the way Tisby gives the history of race in America in a way that isn’t too drawn out so that kids can hang in there. My 8 yo lost interest from time to time, so maybe 8 is the minimum age limit - but if you haven’t read much to your kids about race it will be quite hard for them to follow along. They need a good foundation to bridge the parts of this book that will be new to them. I really think Tisby did a great job with this book. As one who has read COC and HTFR I feel like aspects of those two books come out in this one - it is not simply HTFR with simpler vocabulary. It truly is written to help kids understand their role in fighting racism.
August 28, 2022
For more reviews, check out my blog: Craft-Cycle
I went into this without realizing it has a Christian focus. That's my bad for just looking at the title and cover, and not going any further before checking it out from the library.
Note: I am not a Christian so this will be a biased review.
Good for what it is: a book on fighting racism specifically for Christians. The use of specific sections of the Bible and specific ideas about the Christian God make this hard to generalize to anyone who isn't Christian.
Overall, it was fine. Personally, the sections on religion took me out of the subject matter. There is a section on why Christians specifically should fight racism, which may be helpful to many. It uses religion as a motivator such as connecting racism to sin and acts of racism as acts against God.
After each chapter, there are questions to consider. Some help the reader reflect on racism in their lives while others have the reader reflect specifically on religion and their connection to God. Again, good for the intended audience but not something I connected to.
While I can't comment on whether this will be helpful for Christians, I do read a decent amount of children's books and am not sure this would necessarily be of interest to children. I listened to the audiobook, which I personally did not find very engaging. It came off as a school lesson. It's pretty common for children to dislike history because it feels like homework and that's how this book came across. It came from an adult perspective to teach children rather than approaching them on their level. The examples used were simplified for children, but again I don't think they were very engaging for a young audience. It definitely comes off as a book written by a grownup, which may be less appealing for children. Probably best read in a school/church setting as a group.
In the end, if it gets more people to be mindful of the racism in their own lives and fight against racism in the world, then great. It's a step in the right direction.
For a non-Christian audience, I'd recommend going in a different direction. For YA books, I've found Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You and This Book Is Anti-Racist: 20 Lessons on How to Wake Up, Take Action, and Do the Work helpful. For children's books, I liked the Stamped adaptation, Stamped (For Kids): Racism, Antiracism, and You.
I went into this without realizing it has a Christian focus. That's my bad for just looking at the title and cover, and not going any further before checking it out from the library.
Note: I am not a Christian so this will be a biased review.
Good for what it is: a book on fighting racism specifically for Christians. The use of specific sections of the Bible and specific ideas about the Christian God make this hard to generalize to anyone who isn't Christian.
Overall, it was fine. Personally, the sections on religion took me out of the subject matter. There is a section on why Christians specifically should fight racism, which may be helpful to many. It uses religion as a motivator such as connecting racism to sin and acts of racism as acts against God.
After each chapter, there are questions to consider. Some help the reader reflect on racism in their lives while others have the reader reflect specifically on religion and their connection to God. Again, good for the intended audience but not something I connected to.
While I can't comment on whether this will be helpful for Christians, I do read a decent amount of children's books and am not sure this would necessarily be of interest to children. I listened to the audiobook, which I personally did not find very engaging. It came off as a school lesson. It's pretty common for children to dislike history because it feels like homework and that's how this book came across. It came from an adult perspective to teach children rather than approaching them on their level. The examples used were simplified for children, but again I don't think they were very engaging for a young audience. It definitely comes off as a book written by a grownup, which may be less appealing for children. Probably best read in a school/church setting as a group.
In the end, if it gets more people to be mindful of the racism in their own lives and fight against racism in the world, then great. It's a step in the right direction.
For a non-Christian audience, I'd recommend going in a different direction. For YA books, I've found Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You and This Book Is Anti-Racist: 20 Lessons on How to Wake Up, Take Action, and Do the Work helpful. For children's books, I liked the Stamped adaptation, Stamped (For Kids): Racism, Antiracism, and You.
March 5, 2022
This is a difficult for me to review. The audience is young blacks from age 8 to 12. That is fine for me, I am a 75 year white woman. The parts that were difficult to read was the assumption that the audience is Christian. There a lot of references to Bible which is fine. But I thought this is not appropriate for young Muslims, Jews and all other religions that do not believe that the Christian religion is the only religuon for people. I think that I objecting for myself too. A few of the questions at the end of the chapter were only for Christians. The author did reference
places in the bible that were fine but again it was the questions that I thought were too exclusive, assuming that Christinity is only way to fight racism.
Now what I liked and loved. The emphasis on fighting racism by forming friendships with people who are not like you. That made me feel very comfortable because I do that a lot and would love it if more people did. the history of racism was well written. When I was going up the Reconstruction Period was skipped. I remember seeing a political cartoon in for that period that gave me the creeps. It was definitely racist. I want to read the truth of that period. I will be looking for book on that
The author has short chapters on fighters against racism, for me the most inspiring is the one of Fannie Lou Hamer. It is short and leaves out the most heartbreaking moments of her life. I found audio and visual on the Internet that fills many of the holes and is example of a woman who spoke of the importance of voter registration and the power of the vote. Also the painful and deadly struggle for voting rights.
places in the bible that were fine but again it was the questions that I thought were too exclusive, assuming that Christinity is only way to fight racism.
Now what I liked and loved. The emphasis on fighting racism by forming friendships with people who are not like you. That made me feel very comfortable because I do that a lot and would love it if more people did. the history of racism was well written. When I was going up the Reconstruction Period was skipped. I remember seeing a political cartoon in for that period that gave me the creeps. It was definitely racist. I want to read the truth of that period. I will be looking for book on that
The author has short chapters on fighters against racism, for me the most inspiring is the one of Fannie Lou Hamer. It is short and leaves out the most heartbreaking moments of her life. I found audio and visual on the Internet that fills many of the holes and is example of a woman who spoke of the importance of voter registration and the power of the vote. Also the painful and deadly struggle for voting rights.
April 13, 2022
My thoughts: this is a well-written guide to understanding and combating racism written for young adult0s. It is written in the Christian point of view which will make it ideal for Christian schools or Christian parents but not so much for the public school sector. It explains to history of slavery in addition to discussing misconceptions that people have against people of other races. That includes White against black and vice versa. In today's world it is important that everybody needs to learn to get along no matter what color skin you have. We are not segregated and we will never be a segregated again. Intermarriages àre common and so are mixed race neighborhoods. I live in an area where there are not very many people of color. It is rural and forested and in the south and whites are mostly the residents. However, even here there are people of color and we need to get along. My daughter interacts with some Hispanics and she is interested in learning about their culture and she wanted to read this book when I finished reviewing it. There are discussions and questions included at the end of the chapters which would make it ideal for studies either on a private basis or in a group setting. If you are looking for a book on racism and understanding and combating it this would be a book to consider. It is very well written. I was given a copy free and all opinions are my own
October 17, 2022
Jemar Tisby’s adaptation of "How to Fight Racism" to suit a younger audience is a thoughtful and courageous attempt to bring racial consciousness to the Christian family. Aimed at children ages eight through twelve, Tisby breaks down complicated and often-thorny subjects in a way that is easy for young readers to understand. Chapters that feature brave actions and words by activists and scholars such as Jane Elliott, Howard Thurman, John Lewis, Ruby Bridges, and others show the power of standing up for racial justice. In addition to historical background, the book offers excellent learning tools and frameworks, such as lists of “questions to consider,” the ARC of racial justice, and steps to racial identity development.
It’s never too early to start the conversation with children about the effects of prejudice and how to work toward social change. From a Christian perspective, Tisby argues that racism is not simply a difference of opinion: it is a sin. He challenges young people to take up “courageous Christianity,” that is, to fully embody the value that all people are made in the image of God. The book is a great read for young readers and their parents from all racial and ethnic backgrounds. Together as learners, they can understand the history of race, develop awareness about racism, and commit to building a racially inclusive community.
It’s never too early to start the conversation with children about the effects of prejudice and how to work toward social change. From a Christian perspective, Tisby argues that racism is not simply a difference of opinion: it is a sin. He challenges young people to take up “courageous Christianity,” that is, to fully embody the value that all people are made in the image of God. The book is a great read for young readers and their parents from all racial and ethnic backgrounds. Together as learners, they can understand the history of race, develop awareness about racism, and commit to building a racially inclusive community.
December 11, 2021
There are some good books being published for young readers about how to be anti-racist. What makes Tisby's work stand out is its specifically Christian perspective. He is well aware of and points out the many ways Christians of the past have been complicit in racism, but his own faith calls him to advocate for "Courageous Christianity". He shows that believers in Jesus can and should be strong leaders in the fight against racism. Interspersed with descriptions of practical actions young people can take based on his model of ARC: Awareness, Relationships, and Commitment, Tisby shares stories of young people who have battled against systematic racism and the impacts they have had. The publisher lists the book for readers aged 8-12. While the content is generally geared towards that age, the text is a bit dense for many young readers. I wish it had a few more illustrations to break up longer reading passages and to help hold the interest of younger kids. In light of this, I give it an age range of 10-14. This is a book I can't wait to recommend to the young people in my life.
Review based on an e-ARC received via NetGalley.
Review based on an e-ARC received via NetGalley.
September 30, 2021
This is a topic that should be on everyones radar, and everyone and anyone could be doing more to fight racism. I am trying to read up this issue as much as I can so I can be better.
This book states that it's for young readers however the book has so much content,and it's pretty dense so could be difficult to read for younger readers.
I also expected the book to have photographs/illustrations but there weren't any. I think they're missing a trick with this as it could help to illustrate the key points.
One thing I did really like though, were the questions at the end of each section. I think this is useful to focus and question your own thoughts on the topics and ideas brought up.
Overall I think this book is needed, and I did find it informative - however I don't think it's great for its target audience.
This book states that it's for young readers however the book has so much content,and it's pretty dense so could be difficult to read for younger readers.
I also expected the book to have photographs/illustrations but there weren't any. I think they're missing a trick with this as it could help to illustrate the key points.
One thing I did really like though, were the questions at the end of each section. I think this is useful to focus and question your own thoughts on the topics and ideas brought up.
Overall I think this book is needed, and I did find it informative - however I don't think it's great for its target audience.
June 16, 2022
I didn't realize that I had actually downloaded the "Young reader's edition" from the library. Therefore there were a lot of good things in here applicable to all ages - but I am definitely not the intended audience. Unfortunately the "adult version" has several months' wait, but I will get on the list!
Want to read
January 11, 2023This overview makes it clear that it's coming from a Christian perspective. The library overview did not. would not have checked it out if I had known. this may not be super helpful a review since you're already on this page; you know that it's a Christian book about fighting racism, which is better than I was when I got it.
October 9, 2023
Subtitled "A Guide to Standing Up for Racial Justice" and written for probably elementary (with a parent/guide) through middle school. Includes Tisby's own story, stories of persons who fought racism, lots of definitions, questions to consider at the end of each of the 25 chapters, written from a Christian perspective. Uses the ARC of justice -- awareness, relationships, and commitment.
February 13, 2025
I wish this book was a series that delves deeper into this topic. The overwhelming truth in this book needs to be explored & explained over & over. This is excellent material. I shared it with my own children without hesitation & I will continue to recommend it to anyone who has a heart for learning & about evolving.
February 26, 2023
Tisby makes some wonderful points especially that Christians need to see and treat all people as children of God. He seems to make a lot of generalizations about white people especially what they think.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2024
This is just…so helpful! Tisby has a gift for clarifying, defining, and framing the situation in a matter-of-fact way that, at least in this young reader edition, is accessible, understandable, and not too heavy.
I don’t know what the adult edition is like, but I’m going to argue EVERYONE should read this.
Planning to read it again with my kids. 4.5 stars.
I don’t know what the adult edition is like, but I’m going to argue EVERYONE should read this.
Planning to read it again with my kids. 4.5 stars.
June 27, 2024
I read the original—this is the young readers addition. As a parent, I would probably lean toward kids reading this at age 11-12. It states it’s appropriate for 8-12 but I think there would be some parts that would be harder for younger kids (especially kids of color) to handle.
February 23, 2022
Another helpful layer to seeking racial reconciliation. Interesting to read right after Tisby's "Compromise" to see what he found relevant to share with the younger generation.
April 17, 2022
I didn't like the religious bent, but liked the chapters on history. I probably would go for another book if I were to recommend an anti-racist book for kids though.
May 1, 2022
This would be a great book to help kids learn about and understand racism.
August 9, 2022
Book club, Christian, racism, anti-racism
September 10, 2022
This is an anti-racist book written from the Christian perspective an interesting twist.
March 3, 2022
Packed with history and practical advice, this guide for tweens and teens improves awareness about racial injustice and helps them see the importance of relationships and connections with others.
Reviewer #4
Reviewer #4
April 8, 2022
This book is tough for me to rate. It's a topic that is incredibly important and should be on everyone's mind. The concept and takeaways from the book are no doubt 5 star worthy. But I struggled with the religious messaging.
I am guilty of judging books by their titles and covers. This one immediately drew me in with both aspects. However, since I neglected to read the synopsis before requesting a copy from Netgalley, I was unaware of the strong religious tones within the book. As someone who is not particularly religious, the inclusion of Bible versus and messaging took me out of the intended purpose of the book - how to fight racism. The book preaches to love thy neighbor, which is great in theory, but it neglected to address racism within religion, more specifically with the Christian faith.
That's not to say the book is without merit. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about Emmet Till, Ruby Bridges, Tamir Rice, and many others. I also liked how the author at the end of most chapters posed questions designed to make readers think and reflect about their thoughts and actions.
Though I can't say I enjoyed the religious aspect of the book, I still very much appreciate the time and thoughtfulness Jemar Tisby took in creating this book, and adopting it for young readers. It covers important topics and invites readers to reflect on their own biases and provides information on how to be a better ally to the Black community
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a free digital copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.
I am guilty of judging books by their titles and covers. This one immediately drew me in with both aspects. However, since I neglected to read the synopsis before requesting a copy from Netgalley, I was unaware of the strong religious tones within the book. As someone who is not particularly religious, the inclusion of Bible versus and messaging took me out of the intended purpose of the book - how to fight racism. The book preaches to love thy neighbor, which is great in theory, but it neglected to address racism within religion, more specifically with the Christian faith.
That's not to say the book is without merit. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about Emmet Till, Ruby Bridges, Tamir Rice, and many others. I also liked how the author at the end of most chapters posed questions designed to make readers think and reflect about their thoughts and actions.
Though I can't say I enjoyed the religious aspect of the book, I still very much appreciate the time and thoughtfulness Jemar Tisby took in creating this book, and adopting it for young readers. It covers important topics and invites readers to reflect on their own biases and provides information on how to be a better ally to the Black community
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a free digital copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.
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