by Marianne Celano, Marietta Collins, and Ann Hazzard

Illustrated by Jennifer Zivoin

4 stars

A nice resource to guide discussions of race, discrimination, and police brutality. The fictional story follows conversations between two families, one White and one Black. These conversations bring up various issues such as racism, discrimination, fairness, and slavery, demonstrating the different reactions and messages of each family. Yet each ends with an emphasis on kindness and standing up for others.

When a new kid joins their class at school, the children demonstrate what they’ve learned through their conversations with the families. Such a sweet ending.

At the back of the book is a section of extensive resources for caregivers to read before discussing with children. It goes through various reasons to talk about racial injustice with children, guidelines for having such conversations, a glossary of terms with kid-friendly definitions, and sample questions and answers for both Black and White families. I enjoyed the no-shame approach, recognizing that children may say something prejudice and how to address it in a way the increases empathy and understanding.

Nice illustrations that help move the story along and reinforce what is discussed. A great way to normalize having difficult conversations.

Though some of the dialogue in the story feels a bit clunky, the backmatter is well worth the read and the story nicely works in various points about racial justice within a framework that is easier for children to understand.

A great emphasis on open dialogue, listening to children, and working through heavy topics.

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