Member Reviews
I greatly enjoyed this look at race relations, even when it made me uncomfortable. I thought it was so well done that I had my sons read it as well. We need to have these conversations and be open to what people are saying about their experiences, rather than dismiss it because of our own discomfort.
I have not seen his video series but this book was stellar. Had some very similar thoughts to previous books I've read, but more relatable. This book will be immediately on my recommendation list.
I read Acho's original and I was so happy to learn that he was releasing a version for younger readers. It has been a wonderful resource to dig deeper into the hard topics about race, especially when it comes to the history and current times of Black folks in the U.S.
The emphasis on the fact that it is indeed okay to be uncomfortable with talking about the certain things is an encouragement to young people to tackle the realities of the world. I cannot recommend this book enough.
Emmanuel Acho has adapted his adult work into a wonderful and necessary title for many young readers, though I fear most will not pick it up from the shelves in my community. There are so many situations and questions encountered by young black boys (and girls), yet the association with trigger phrases like CRT will stonewall this title.
This book is uncomfortable.
Systemic racism and racist behaviors are not easy topics to digest. It's difficult to reflect on beliefs you may have that you were unaware were problematic. But, it is necessary in one's quest to be anti racist
Emmanuel Acho wrote Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Boy to help educate readers about how to dismantle racism within their generation. And he does so in a powerful, compassionate way. His book is thought-provoking, and the emotional effort he puts forth in his writing is apparent across every chapter.
I read this book from the perspective of a white woman who has grown up in Texas, and I was forced to confront ideals I have held throughout my life. I learned so much from Acho, that I am at a loss on how to fully express the gratitude and appreciation I feel for assisting me on my journey to be anti racist and an ally to the Black community.
Uncomfortable Conversations With a Black Boy is a book I can see myself revisiting in the future, as it provides a lot of topics to self reflect on.
Conversational, young readers version of the adult book Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man. Parts This Book is Ant-racist, part memoir, this book is perfect for readers who are allies, BIPOC readers and grown-ups looking to support kids social emotional development.. This book is also a great audiobook read and will keep readers enraptured with its advice, stories and insight.
Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Boy by Emmanuel Acho exams his experiences of systemic racism through his upbringing and time in the NFL.
Emmanuel Acho is known for his YouTube series Uncomfortable conversations with a Black Man. Bringing this same vibe to a middle school book can be difficult but he does it with ease. The chapters are divided into clean and easy to distinguish sections. In each chapter the topic is broken down into smaller palatable sections that signal to the young reader what will be discussed and in what framework. I loved the easy-to-read and information-filled chapters. In presenting heavily weighted and emotion-filled topics to middle school readers it can be very difficult to not talk down to them. But Acho does a great job of giving them historical information as well as present-day actions and situations. This will be a stepping stone to reading more advanced books and spark an interest in pre-teen readers, nudging them to pay attention to what is happening in their world.
This is superb. I found it SO much better than Reynolds'/Kendi's Stamped. Real issues, real strategies for dealing with them.
This was a great adaptation of Acho's book and I really enjoyed reading it. I think making this edition for young kids was a good idea.
Perfect intro to antiracism for middle grade and young adult readers. I don't I think there was anything groundbreaking necessarily in this book, but Acho did an excellent job at compiling a wide range of complex concepts into digestible bites for young readers.
Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Boy is a simplified version of Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man. I read the "Man" version first and then reading this one was kind of like reading the same book. Many of the stories are the same, the references are the same, and it's just written in a simplier style.
I do think it is an important book to have in a middle school library, for example. However, I'm not sure this is the only book that should be on the shelves. I do think there are a lot of good examples of white privilege and how to work on being more aware of race and what is going on in the world. But some of the things are a little... strange. Like you need to immerse yourself in a culture before you can mimic it? If a white girl has a black girl as a friend and she wants to mimic her hairstyle, is that so wrong? It's not trying to take over her culture - it's trying to be like her friend. I think some of these were good examples that he gave but he could have expanded without coming across as blaming at times.
Emmanuel Acho is a master of communication and bringing light to difficult topics. A younger spin on his popular YouTube/Instagram series and adult book is just as important and timely as ever.
Absolutely perfect and extremely timely. I really enjoyed the adult version and felt this version was excellent.
The YA version of Emmanuel Acho's popular adult book "Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man". Acho answers many uncomfortable questions with patience and an explanation as to why things are offensive to the black community or considered racist. Very helpful in expanding our nation's conversation on race.
This book takes Emmanuel Acho's podcast/video series entitled Uncomfortable Conversations With A Black Man and makes it accessible for young readers. This book is still heavy and difficult to get through, and brings up big topics for young people. I found that it took myself a while to get through the book, as I would read a chapter and then pick it up again days or even weeks later due to continuing to think about the content in each chapter. This book is similar to what Jason Reynolds did with Stamped by Ibram X. Kendi. It’s a good way for kids to learn about systemic racism and racist behavior to help dismantle it for the next generation. I would recommend this novel for middle school libraries or even to use excerpt for social studies classrooms.
A remarkable book for readers of all ages, honestly, but I appreciate how accessible it is for younger readers. This is a great tool to help introduce young readers to the complexities of race and how systemic injustice impacts their world.
This is a powerful book that I will recommend to all the young readers who come into my library. It is timely and percise, and everyone should take time to read it and understand it. I liked how each chapter made conversation flow easily, how it left no room for confusion, but all the space to talk it out. A hard read but a necessary one.
Honestly, Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man blew me away, and this just added to that. I love how straightforward it is, I love the conversational tone, I love how easy it is to understand, and how there are so many one-liners I feel like I'll remember in order to be a better ally.
I loved Acho's first book Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man and this one did not disappoint. Easy to follow along and the stories are enticing. This should be required reading for kids and teens.