This Book is Anti Racist: 20 Lessons on How to Wake Up, Take Action and Do the Work

This attractively designed, engaging book is a fabulous primer probably for kids aged 10+ around understanding what racism is, both on a personal and structural level. Jewell guides the young reader through an understanding of the different elements of identity we all possess (including considerations of gender and sexuality), and the different ways that the parts of our personal identities intersect with each other, before outlining issues of race inequality in the world at large, what race is, and how history has shaped how we perceive it, and how race inequality is perpetuated, looking at issues such as housing, justice, education and government.

Split into four clearly explained sections - Waking up: Understanding and growing into my identities, Opening the window: Making sense of the world, Choosing my path: Taking action and responding to racism, and Holding the door open: Working in solidarity against racism, Jewell also sets the reader frequent reflective journaling tasks, ensuring that kids will take on board the importance of understanding their own relationship with race,  thereby be empowered to make a positive difference in the world as an individual and as part of the collective.

Often using personal anecdotes about her own schooling, family and experiences as a young mixed race girl, Jewell’s fascinating, friendly and hugely relatable guide is essential reading for kids with questions about racism, politics and history as well as the current #blacklivesmatter movement.