This Book Is Anti-Racist - by Tiffany Jewell (Paperback)

About the Book

This book is written for the young person who doesn't know how to speak up to the racist adults in their life. For the 14 year old who sees injustice at school and isn't able to understand the role racism plays in separating them from their friends. For the kid who spends years trying to fit into the dominant culture and loses themselves for a little while. It's for all of the Black and Brown children who have been harmed (physically and emotionally) because no one stood up for them or they couldn't stand up for themselves; because the colour of their skin, the texture of their hair, their names made white folx feel scared and threatened. It is written so children and young adults will feel empowered to stand up to the adults who continue to close doors in their faces. This book will give them the language and ability to understand racism and a drive to undo it. In short, it is for everyone.

Book Synopsis

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Recommended by Oprah's Book Club, ESSENCE, We Need Diverse Books, ellentube, Brit + Co, PureWow, Teen Vogue, Time, New York, USA TODAY, and TODAY.com

Also available: This Book Is Anti-Racist Journal, a guided journal with more than 50 activities to support your anti-racism journey

Who are you? What is racism? Where does it come from? Why does it exist? What can you do to disrupt it? Learn about social identities, the history of racism and resistance against it, and how you can use your anti-racist lens and voice to move the world toward equity and liberation.

"In a racist society, it's not enough to be non-racist--we must be ANTI-RACIST." --Angela Davis

Gain a deeper understanding of your anti-racist self as you progress through 20 chapters that spark introspection, reveal the origins of racism that we are still experiencing, and give you the courage and power to undo it. Each lesson builds on the previous one as you learn more about yourself and racial oppression. An activity at the end of every chapter gets you thinking and helps you grow with the knowledge. All you need is a pen and paper.

Author Tiffany Jewell, an anti-bias, anti-racist educator and activist, builds solidarity beginning with the language she chooses--using gender neutral words to honor everyone who reads the book. Illustrator Aurélia Durand brings the stories and characters to life with kaleidoscopic vibrancy.

After examining the concepts of social identity, race, ethnicity, and racism, learn about some of the ways people of different races have been oppressed, from indigenous Americans and Australians being sent to boarding school to be "civilized" to a generation of Caribbean immigrants once welcomed to the UK being threatened with deportation by strict immigration laws.

Find hope in stories of strength, love, joy, and revolution that are part of our history, too, with such figures as the former slave Toussaint Louverture, who led a rebellion against white planters that eventually led to Haiti's independence, and Yuri Kochiyama, who, after spending time in an internment camp for Japanese Americans during WWII, dedicated her life to supporting political prisoners and advocating reparations for those wrongfully interned.

Learn language and phrases to interrupt and disrupt racism. So, when you hear a microaggression or racial slur, you'll know how to act next time.

This book is written for EVERYONE who lives in this racialized society--including the young person who doesn't know how to speak up to the racist adults in their life, the kid who has lost themself at times trying to fit into the dominant culture, the children who have been harmed (physically and emotionally) because no one stood up for them or they couldn't stand up for themselves, and also for their families, teachers, and administrators.

With this book, be empowered to actively defy racism and xenophobia to create a community (large and small) that truly honors everyone.

Review Quotes

"STARRED REVIEW: A guidebook for taking action against racism. The clear title and bold, colorful illustrations will immediately draw attention to this book, designed to guide each reader on a personal journey to work to dismantle racism. In the author's note, Jewell begins with explanations about word choice, including the use of the terms "folx," because it is gender-neutral, and "global majority," noting that marginalized communities of color are actually the majority in the world. She also chooses to capitalize Black, Brown, and Indigenous as a way of centering these communities' voices. Organized in four sections--identity, history, taking action, and working in solidarity--each chapter builds on the lessons of the previous section. Underlined words are defined in the glossary, but Jewell unpacks concepts around race in an accessible way, bringing attention to common misunderstandings. Activities are included at the end of each chapter; they are effective, prompting both self-reflection and action steps from readers. The activities are designed to not be written inside the actual book; instead, Jewell invites readers to find a special notebook and favorite pen and use that throughout. Combining the disruption of common fallacies, spotlights on change-makers, the author's personal reflections, and a call to action, this powerful book has something for all young people no matter what stage they are at in terms of awareness or activism. Essential. (author's note, further reading, glossary, select bibliography) - Kirkus Reviews

"STARRED REVIEW: Using clear, compelling language, Jewell employs four sections to deftly explain progressive understandings of identity, history, action, and solidarity as tools to encourage antiracist reflection, thought, and action. From the author's note introducing the idea that "racism is a problem, a very serious problem," to the volume's explorations of "spending that privilege" and "calling out and calling in," Jewell offers readers at various points in their activist journeys a necessary primer on antiracist thinking (a glossary helpfully defines underlined terms used throughout, including cisgender, neurodiverse, and femme). Thoughtful, energizing calls to action and journal prompts encourage readers to check in with themselves and to "grow from our discomfort." Durand's stylish illustrations punctuate the text-heavy pages; robust supplemental materials, including notes on the text and suggested reading, point toward ongoing learning." - Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

"WOW. Have you ever wanted to better understand who you are? What's happening to us in this racially-divided world, and what we can do about it? This Book Is Anti-Racist is bold in its honesty, and brilliant in its illustrative breakdown of an essential vocabulary on race and identity. This racial and intersectional literacy tool models what creative anti-racist work can look like. It has renewed us to keep up the fight." - Winona Guo and Priya Vulchi, student activists, authors of Tell Me Who You Are: Sharing Our Stories of Race, Culture, and Identity, and co-founders of Choose.org

"...a clear guidebook for how to stop racism in our own hearts and minds." - TODAY.com

"...empower[s] teens and young adults to undo racial oppression." - ESSENCE

"...equip[s] young people with the tools they need to be actively antiracist." - TIME Magazine

"...help[s] young people learn in a gentle, thoughtful way." - USA Today

"A book that brings together kids, families, teachers, and administrators in conversation. Tough, vulnerable, important conversation." - Matthew Winner, The Children's Book Podcast

"I was so fortunate to have my kids learn about social justice in Tiffany's classroom, so I know firsthand the profound impact her teachings have. Now young people everywhere can benefit from Tiffany's wisdom with her debut title, This Book is Anti-Racist. This book is a gift to our future." - Jarrett J. Krosoczka, National Book Award Finalist and author of Hey Kiddo

"Writer and educator Jewell successfully combines personal experience and social and historical issues in this colorful and informative guidebook. Each chapter contains exercises to help readers conceive of their own identities, recognize how society allocates power to certain people, and learn how individuals can stand up to injustice while keeping themselves safe from harm. Durand's vivid, dynamic illustrations are as crucial to the book as the text itself. Though the formatting, which involves pull quotes, font changes, shifting columns, and other graphic elements, may be confusing to some young readers, the information is written clearly and thoughtfully. Concepts like institutional racism and internalized inferiority are relayed in concise language without talking down to the audience. Several terms are underlined and defined in the glossary. Footnotes and a bibliography also appear in the back matter. A further reading list includes a mix of adult, teen, and children's materials. The work will particularly resonate with fans of Anastasia Higginbotham's Not My Idea: A Book About Whiteness. VERDICT A visually exciting and well-crafted antiracist guide for all children. A work that fills a much-needed gap between the feel-good but vague messages of empathy and acceptance in some picture books, and the advanced terminology and theory in young adult nonfiction on racial justice. Recommended for any juvenile nonfiction collection." - School Library Journal, Starred Review

About The Author

Tiffany Jewell, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller This Book Is Anti-Racist, is a Black biracial writer and Anti-Racist Montessori educator and consultant. She spends her time baking bread and macarons, building LEGOS, watching British detective shows, and dreaming up how she can dismantle white supremacy. Tiffany currently lives in Western Massachusetts (on the occupied land of the Wabanaki and the Nipmuck) with her two young activists, her partner, and a turtle she's had since she was nine. Find her on instagram: @tiffanymjewell.

Aurélia Durand is a French graphic artist. Her work, which includes the illustrations for the #1 New York Times bestseller This Book Is Anti-Racist, is a vivid celebration of diversity; she dedicates her artistic voice to matters involving representation. Aurélia represents Afro-descendants as joyful, proud, and empowered -- a united community whose destinies are intertwined. These colorful personalities present the unified voice of a global community whose hopes, dreams, and desires envision an inclusive future for all. Her work has been featured in advertising campaigns, galleries, and editorial magazines; her clients include Nike, The New Yorker, Facebook, and more. Find her on Instagram: @4ur3lia.