FICTION

Our Skin: A First Conversation About Race

Penguin Workshop/Rise. (First Conversations). May 2021. 40p. Tr $14.99. ISBN 9780593519394; Board $8.99. ISBN 9780593382639.
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Toddler-PreS–A book that attempts to break down race and skin color in a nonjudgmental way, opening up the possibilities for discussion, sharing stories, and developing a path to critical thinking on the subject of racism. “We see different skin colors at the playground, at the grocery store, and on TV,” states an opening spread, providing a neutral way into the discussion of how color became a system for unfairly sorting people into the haves and have-nots. Toddlers will feel the injustice even before they can pronounce the words. Friendly full-color spreads provide plenty of details to pore over.
VERDICT Children and adults can come together over this book, which takes apart the meanings of race and skin color at the foundational level. It’s a stepping stone on the path to understanding what it means to be human, with cheerful art and easy language.

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