Not my idea : a book about whiteness
Record details
- ISBN: 1948340003
- ISBN: 9781948340007
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Physical Description:
64 pages : color illustrations ; 23 cm
print - Edition: First edition.
- Publisher: New York, NY : Dottir Press, 2018.
- Copyright: ©2018
Content descriptions
Awards Note: | School Library Journal, starred review. NPR Best Books, 2018 School Library Journal's Best Books, 2018 |
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Genre: | Children's literature. picture books. Instructional and educational works. Picture books. Matériel d'éducation et de formation. Livres d'images. |
Topic Heading: | Black, Indigenous and people of color BIPOC Black lives matter BLM |
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Available copies
- 1 of 1 copy available at Camosun College Library.
Holds
- 0 current holds with 1 total copy.
Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Circulation Modifier | Holdable? | Status | Due Date | Courses |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Interurban Library | E 185.615 H573 2018 (Text) | 26040003421159 | Children's Collection | Volume hold | Available | - |
- ForeWord Magazine Reviews : ForeWord Magazine Reviews 2018 - September/October
A child struggles to understand the violence and social injustice they see on the news and in the community around them in a timely story that addresses racism, civic responsibility, and the concept of whiteness. Mixed media collages and handwritten text personalize the turmoil. The book's emotional plea is for the next generation to embrace knowledge and truth; it recounts the words and actions of those who stand up and speak out for equality.
© 2018 Foreword Magazine, Inc. All Rights Reserved. - Kirkus Reviews : Kirkus Reviews 2018 July #2
A necessary children's book about whiteness, white supremacy, and resistance. Higginbotham's text includes both dialogue among white adults and a white girl grappling with her growing race consciousness and additional text that references and unpacks the ideas in that dialogue. The connective tissue between these two essential pieces of the book can be weak, but the book as a whole is sure to spark conversations, and its collage art and DIY aesthetic may encourage creative expression. The dialogue begins when the girl overhears snippets of a news story about a police officer (whose white hand is shown holding a gun) killing an unarmed black man. "Oh no, not again," says her mother, covering her eyes, and the girl asks "What? Mom. What ânot again'?" Instead of responding, Mom turns off the TV and dodges questions, asserting, "Our family is kind to everyone. We don't see color." The girl grows increasingly frustrated and eventually seeks information independently while al so asserting that she does see color and knows "that what that police officer did was wrong!" Precisely how she came to this raised consciousness isn't clear, and no adults seem sympathetic or overtly supportive. Narrative text directed at readers (perhaps also absorbed by the girl as she reads?) highlights white people engaged in anti-racist activism, and it avoids undermining itself by also placing historical and contemporary black activism at the center. Curiously, however, the text excludes people of other races from its discussion. Important, accessible, needed. (Picture book. 5-12) Copyright Kirkus 2018 Kirkus/BPI Communications. All rights reserved. - School Library Journal Reviews : SLJ Reviews 2018 August
Copyright 2018 School Library Journal.Gr 4â6â In this call to action, a young white child catches news fragments of a police officer shooting an unarmed black man. They witness their family members' discomfort, avoidance, and eventual dismissal of the shooting (and the resulting protests) while claiming, "We don't see color." The child's confusion leads them to the library for answers about the history of racism in the United States. Ultimately, they vocalize feelings of frustration to their parent. Told in second person to an assumed white audience, the text intersperses firm declarations that the structure of whiteness oppresses people of color with gentle reassurances that growth and change are possibleâwhen bolstered by honesty and accountability. Higginbotham's trademark collage connotes the sweet simplicity of homemade crafts sharpened with the candor of radical zines, and adds layers of meaning that can serve as conversation starters for keen-eyed readers. A page discussing economic oppression, for example, depicts white hands with shirt sleeves made of U.S. dollar bills. The inclusion of a relatable narrative alongside age-appropriate language and direct explanations make this an essential text for young readers, and adults, unfamiliar or uncomfortable with the role of white people in dismantling racism. Back pages include an activity section that is visually rich but structurally vague; each page reads more as a discussion point than an exercise. In an image depicting racial profiling, the security guard closely observing a black child also appears to be a person of color; in a book on whiteness, this feels like detraction from an otherwise consistent message.VERDICT A much-needed title that provides a strong foundation for critical discussions of white people and racism, particularly for young audiences. Recommended for all collections.âAshleigh Williams , School Library Journal