New Kid

In light of all the inequity evident in our world right now, I am actively trying to educate my family in order to try to become even more anti-racist. In addition to the many books on anti-racism, I ordered a graphic novel, New Kid, for my kids to read. In one sitting, I devoured it. It is an honest, heartbreaking, realistic view of a student of color who starts up at a new prestigious school in NYC surrounded by students of different socioeconomic and racial makeups. At times, I felt my heart pounding as it was so realistic it hurt…Cruzzie is also in the process of reading this book, and although a lot of the stories of inequity and racism are subtle, I think he will understand it the more he reads of it.

 

Thank you, Jerry Craft, for a beautiful book.

Powerful, true, wise, hopeful, realistic, sad.

 

A boy stuck in between two worlds….

 

This book was recommended to my son’s class by a mother of a student of color. She said it was helpful for her son and his Black peers to read, so they gave the book out to them at the end of the year. Hearing how much this woman appreciated this book, made it sting all that much more. And therefore, a powerful and must read. If you have any other recommendations to share, please send them my way! So much to learn…

Anika Yael Natori, aka, The Josie Girl

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2 Comments

  1. to become even more anti-racist?!
    The very statement would suggest your racist.
    Which quite frankly i don’t believe you are – its nice to have kids read it , as it is a primer , especially when raising biracial children.

  2. Anti racist is a new terminology to mean going beyond just being not racist and actually taking more steps in educating and understanding the inequalities in our world.

    “Anti-racism is the active process of identifying and eliminating racism by changing systems, organizational structures, policies and practices and attitudes, so that power is redistributed and shared equitably.”

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