Tiffany Jewell's This Book is Anti-Racist: 20 Lessons on How to Wake Up, Take Action, and Do the Work.
This is a book that's circulated on my periphery for some time. I purchased this along with half a dozen other anti-racist texts, but when I received it, I gave it a cursory glance and thought, "looks interesting, but maybe not for my students." I pushed it aside temporarily and figured I would get to it. After hearing Jewell speak at #KidLit4BlackLives, the book immediately moved to the top of my queue.
I can't stress this enough: this is a book that you need to read. It demands your attention. What it says is important. And it's also wholly different than any other anti-racist text I've read.
What makes This Book is Anti-Racist so different? Well... everything. In some ways, I found Jewell's voice to be celebratory. Where other books suggest you reflect, here each chapter culminated with an activity that works for young readers all the way up to adults. The tasks are varied, from writing down your identity within socially constructed categories to talking to your family about resisted racism or even questioning your comfort level.
The book also gives you clear definitions to make your anti-racist understanding clear. Throughout the book, words are highlighted in black bold type that indicate a term defined in the glossary. What I found most helpful was how she detailed the difference between racism and prejudice. But there were so many other informative definitions (AAVE, ancestral trauma, Folx of the Global Majority) that help clarify the important work Jewell is speaking about.
Each of the 20 chapters moves quickly, and what I love is that much of the work feels like it should be discussed with family. I want my cousin Ricky (13) to read this book. I want my parents, my students, and my students' parents to read this book.
It's also not an intimidating text. Colorful, literally, This Book is Anti-Racist is gorgeously illustrated by Aurelia Durand. Each page is a kaledioscope of color, text and textures. I've never seen anything quite like it. And while the visuals were initially something that made the book feel "young," the vibrancy of the text is what I fell in love with.
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| Beautifully illustrated by Aurelia Durand, you've never seen a book look quite like this one. Photo source SLJ |
In addition to the beautiful images, Jewell's voice is commanding. There's a number of craft moves used throughout the book to keep readers engaged (English teachers take note!). Her voice feels personal, but it also never lacks direction. Jewell finds a balance of anecdotal and historical, and she never gets archaic or theoretical. Ideas never come at the sacrifice of style. Everything here feels harmonious.
If there's any criticism (and there really isn't) is This Book is Anti-Racist doesn't have the grandiosity of other texts. There's talks of systematic oppression and historical issues within the United States and abroad, but Jewell never speaks too long on any given topic. For me, that was a boon. It sets it apart from other Anti-Racist texts. And while she might not reach the scale of other texts, she is far more practical and applicable. Other books made me go "wow, I didn't think about that" but This Book is Anti-Racist asked me to open up and get into action. So read this book. Share this text, with friends, family, neighbors and colleagues. As an educator, the lessons felt practical, the definitions and vocabulary felt clear, and pair that with the illustrations, her voice, and so many other factors, and it's clear, this book is essential.
Daniel Valentin teaches at Horace Greeley High School. He is currently reading Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler and is listening to Our Harlem by Marcus Samuelsson. He wants his students to feel empowered through book. Follow him on Twitter @DanielJValentin
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