A review by barberchicago_books
How to Be a (Young) Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi, Nic Stone

challenging funny informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0

The brilliance of this book lies in the combination of Dr. Ibram X. Kendi's story and Nic Stone's voice. As a reader of How to Be an Antiracist, Kendi's bestselling memoir, I was looking forward to seeing how Stone would distill his deep, personal, and thoughtful work into a palatable book for students. I am in awe of how she did it. First, she wrote in second person, ostensibly to Kendi, but really to the reader. The reader is drawn in, aligned as a partner with Stone and Kendi, and feels a collaborative vibe. This is important because, in part 3, when the reader is shown how to "flip the world over," they feel as though they've got people working with them to take action as antiracist. Second, "Nic's Notes," both humorous and informative, are small asides that go a bit deeper, offer statistics, or explain a concept a bit further throughout the book. These, and the "For Example" pop-outs, also serve as a way to keep the reader engaged. Finally, the voice!! Stone knows her tween, teen, and young adult audience, and she writes to them. That's not to say she "dumbs down" the deep stuff; rather, she respects the intelligence of the young reader while also relating to them through conversational style as they follow Kendi's journey toward antiracism. This is a must - especially now - in *all* middle and high school classrooms.