Antiracism Books for Kids –The Review for Tiny People and Their Parents

antiracism antiracism education book review books intersectionality pupils schools teaching children Mar 13, 2023

 

By Rebbecca Hemmings

 

As someone who has worked with children for over 20 years exploring identity and culture, and as a parent, I believe (and yes, I am biased) that I have a good understanding of how children respond to conversations about race, difference and belonging. Their responses often help them make meaning of the world, or sometimes leave them feeling perplexed. This is why pitching books at the right developmental level is so important, particularly when introducing concepts linked to diversity and inclusion, cultural humility, and early awareness of racism definition ideas.

What follows is a snapshot of my reflections as I read. At times, I consulted the real expert, my nine-year-old daughter, as my guide.

The first literary work was What Is Racism? by Katie Daynes and Jordan Akpojaro, illustrated by Sanddhya Prabhat. It’s a lift-the-flap, beautifully illustrated board book aimed at children aged 4–7. While I feel a four-year-old might struggle to fully contextualise the content, the images offer a strong visual grounding in themes of difference, fairness and togetherness. My daughter loved lifting the flaps to see whether the answers matched what she had already imagined.

From my experience in schools, there is often reluctance to talk openly about race and skin colour. This is why it was refreshing to see discussions of melanin, why skin tones differ, and the acknowledgement that humans originate from Africa. These conversations form the foundation of later learning around unconscious bias, inclusion in the workplace, and diversity and inclusion at work, long before adulthood.

However, the emotional tone shifted for my daughter when the book introduced slavery and the displacement of Jewish communities from Eastern Europe. We paused reading at this point, as it felt too heavy for her. This is the delicate balance parents and educators face: how much do we share about racism at workplace and society without creating vicarious racial trauma for children from racially minoritised backgrounds? It requires care, awareness and emotional attunement.

 

The second book that caught my eye was Stay Woke Kids by Kazvare. Its bold title and vibrant illustrations were immediately appealing. Unfortunately, from a children’s learning perspective, it missed the mark for me. The book relies heavily on satire, which requires a level of nuance that younger readers may not possess. Without understanding irony, phrases like “Immigrants are taking our jobs!” risk being taken literally.

There is no stated age group on Amazon, but I would argue the content is better suited to teenagers, although the word “Kids” in the title may deter them. As an adult, I appreciated moments of humour, such as:

“I don’t see colour!” she’ll yell.
Yet her clothes match impeccably well…

For adults processing the emotional weight of unconscious bias, microaggressions, and systemic racism, this book may offer a lighter entry point. I would recommend it for adults rather than children.

With a foreword by Dr Kimberlé Crenshaw, the civil rights scholar who coined the term intersectionality, I knew I was going to enjoy Intersection Allies by Chelsea Johnson, LaToya Council, and Carolyn Choi, illustrated by Ashley Smith.

As a parent, I immediately appreciated the two pages designed specifically for grown-ups, offering guidance on how to use the book. The illustrations are bold, inclusive and joyful, making space for conversations about gender, race, disability, LGBTQ+ identities and justice. These themes are essential precursors to later discussions about equity diversity inclusion, inclusive leadership, and workplace inclusion diversity.

I found myself wishing I had learned about intersectionality through stories like those of Adilah and Nia as a child. The book is adaptable for a wide age range, from younger children through to teenagers. My daughter particularly enjoyed the rhyming structure. At the back, there is further exploration of the themes for older readers. Magic. I really do love this one.

Finally, I approached Antiracist Baby by Ibram X. Kendi with high expectations. While I remain a huge admirer of his work, I found this book did not quite land for its intended age group of babies to three-year-olds. Concepts such as “policies” and “colour-blindness” are simply too abstract for most children at that stage of development.

That said, the illustrations are vibrant and celebratory, offering prompts for songs, rhythms and conversations about difference. While the language may be ambitious, the visuals still provide opportunities for early engagement with ideas linked to anti racism training and cultural awareness in an age-appropriate way.

To be fair to all the authors, racism is an incredibly complex topic for adults, never mind children. Any attempt to simplify it deserves recognition. As I often say, we are all consciously and unconsciously judgemental. You may read these books and have very different experiences and views.

My encouragement to parents and educators is this: try as many books as you can to find the right fit for your child or classroom. The shared message across these texts is that a colour-blind approach is more harmful than allowing children to flourish in their full identities. Avoiding conversations about skin colour often protects the comfort of white children while leaving Black and brown children confused and unsupported.

To support these conversations, The Strawberry Kids have created a song celebrating skin tones, offering another accessible way to explore identity.

Books offer a gentle, guided entry point into conversations many find uncomfortable. Which book will you choose to help children begin their journey towards antiracism and understanding?

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You may also be interested in our podcast episode for schools on antiracism.

For personal or organisational learning, explore our CPD-accredited courses, including Time to Talk About Race and Understanding Microaggressions – The Subtle Racism. These courses form part of our wider DEI training offer, supporting organisations to build an inclusive workplace grounded in empathy, accountability and cultural humility.

Talking about racism can seem difficult and uncomfortable. This CPD accredited course provides a foundational education on racism to help to increase racial literacy which includes building confidence to speak about and deal with issues concerning race. It provides a language through which meaningful conversation can take place (particularly in the workplace).

Time to Talk about Race Online Course

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