Rebekah Gienapp

I’ve been eagerly awaiting the release of The Antiracist Kid, anti-bias educator Tiffany Jewell’s book for ages 8 – 12. I’m constantly recommending her book for teens, This Book Is Anti-Racist, for its practical and informative takes on identity, history, and antiracist activism.

Jewell is a long-time elemetary teacher trained in the Montessori method. She became skilled in exploring concepts like injustice, racism, identity, and power with her learners. That’s why The Antiracist Kid dives deep into concepts of identity and justice, building a strong foundation before moving into discussions of antiracist activism.

Related post: How the Montessori planes of development can support antiracism at every age and stage

Disclosure: For your convenience, this post includes affiliate links. If you purchase items through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I was provided a free review copy of The Antiracist Kid by the publisher in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own. You can read my full disclosure policy here.

The Antiracist Kid: A Book about Identity, Justice, and Activism by Tiffany Jewell. Illustrated by Nicole Miles.

Purchase from Bookshop.org (supports independent bookstores)

Identities of author: Black biracial cisgender woman.

Recommended for ages 8 – 12. Non-fiction illustrated chapter book. 116 pages.

Understanding identities in preparation for antiracist activism

The Antiracist Kid is divided into three main sections: identity, justice, and activism. The identity section comes first, providing kids with lots of background to understand the various parts of their identities. Using three main characters (Ruby, Shawn, and Dani) to provide examples, kids learn how identities come both from the ways we understand ourselves and the ways that others perceive us.

Key terms like “society, race, and ethnicity” are defined in boxes so that kids and adults can refer to them as needed.

Related post: A kid-friendly glossary of basic terms about race

In the identity section of the book, readers will also discover what causes us to have different skin tone, and why this is not the same as what we mean by the word “race.” Jewell describes the origins of the idea of race, tracing it back to ideas developed to justify enslavement.

Children learn that some of their identities will always stay the same as they grow older. They may decide to change other identities. Jewell also emphasizes that “every part of you is the best part of you,” and that no one’s identity is better than another one’s.

Related post: Why social justice education starts with self-identity (with picture book recommendations)

Another key term that I learned from Jewell’s previous book is unpacked in this section: dominant culture. She points out that what we consider “normal” (such as a family that is white, Christian, a mom and and a dad with two kids, and has money) comes from the dominant culture.

In the past, I often used the term “mainstream culture,” but this doesn’t get to the idea of power and control that is conveyed by the word dominant. Jewell explains to kids that some parts of your identity may fit with the dominant culture, while others do not.

Understanding prejudice, racism, and injustice

Adults often use the terms prejudice, bias, discrimination, and racism interchangeably. While the words certainly are related to each other, Jewell take the time to make distinctions. Because of this, important nuances aren’t lost.

For example, she writes that a bias is “a belief about a person, a group of people, a place, or a thing. Everyone has biases.” Biases can be helpful or harmful, and we aren’t always aware of the biases we have.

In contrast, prejudice is “a belief, attitude, or feeling about a person or group fo people. Prejudice comes from not having all of the right information.” Again, everyone has prejudices, but we are usually aware of our prejudices, and most of the time prejudices are harmful.

Related post: 21 powerful books about race and racism for kids and teens

In this section of The Antiracist Kid, children will also discover what it means to have power, and why some groups of people have more power than others. They’ll also learn about colonization (a term I’ve seen very few children’s authors use). A map and accompanying text show the many places in the world that have been colonized by other countries.

Jewell describes a variety of forms of oppression, with examples, including ageism, heterosexism, classisim, and of course racism. Reading this section is an important preparation for antiracist activism. It helps young people understand how institutions, not just individual people, must change in order for racism to end.

There are practical tips on how to advocate for yourself in the face of prejudice and discrimination. Jewell also tends to children’s feelings, with lots of encouraging words to go with these tips. There’s also a section about what you can do to repair things if you have behaved in a prejudiced way.

Understanding and practicing antiracist activism

The final section of the book focuses on activism. It begins with kid-friendly questions about fairness and justice that may inspire their particular path to activism.

Jewell also makes time to distinguish between community service and activism, while emphasizing that both are valuable. Brightly colored upbeat illustrations accompany examples of activism that kids can undertake, including:

• writing letters to decision makers
• boycotting store that discriminate against People of the Global Majority
• and starting an antiracism group with friends.

I especially appreciated her advice on advocating for other people. She asks kids to pause before jumping in and doing what they think is the best solution. She cautions “you will need to take a little time to notice what is happening and to listen to the people around you. The people you want to advocate and stand up for will already have an idea of what needs to be done.”

Related post: 7 examples of kid activists challenging racism

Jewell also doesn’t shy away from the fact that sometimes adults will not want to listen to what children have to say about injustice and racism. With comic strip illustrations, she shows kids how to find support among like-minded peers and other adults in their life who are supportive.

Related post: 15 books to help kids and teens understand Black Lives Matter

Ideas for using The Antiracist Kid with children to encourage antiracist activism and learning

There is so much fantastic content packed into this book that it’s best read a bit at a time, to give space for children to absorb what they’re learning. Here are a few ideas of how to use the book in your family or with your learners:

• Let children look through the picture and comic strips first and offer to read a short section of the book that unpacks what’s happening in the illustrations.

• Pair short readings of The Antiracist Kid with fiction read alouds that deal with racism. For example, if you read The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi, this is an excellent time to read the section of The Antiracist Kid that addresses microaggressions. If you read The Whole Story of Half a Girl by Veera Hiranandani, read the section on dominant culture in The Antiracist Kid.

• In your classroom, read small sections at a time and pair these with antibias, antiracist activities such as making an identity map. Liz Kleinrock’s book Start Here, Start Now: A Guide to Antibias and Antiracist Work In Your School and Community is an excellent resources for these types of activities. If you’re a homeschooler or your child is excited about doing this work on their own, consider getting a copy of Jewell’s This Book Is Anti-Racist Journal as a source for activities.

• In our Montessori-inspired homeschool routine, I’ll be using The Antiracist Kid as a supplement to our history lessons. For example, we’re learning about the 16th and 17th centuries of U.S. history, so unpacking colonization is a key part of our learning.

• As you talk about race with your children, use The Antiracist Kid as a reference guide. When you come across a word that your child doesn’t know, suggest that you look it up together in the book.