Whilst I am not the target audience for this book- I learnt a lot and changed some of my thought patterns because of it. As I white person, it is important to understand the privilege I have and how people experience the world differently to me. I think this will also be really helpful to teach young people about this.

Adapted from the 2020 adult version, Saad had created a guide for young people who want to see changes made. Its methodical in connecting white supremacy and racism. One of the strongest features is the essential vocabulary she lays out both historical and contempory. Including reflective questions and how to organize, Saad has created a book that would make a good group discussion book for kids wanting to make a difference.

Excellent resourece for school kids and other youth! Talks about the various aspects of racism/anit-racism. I'm sharing it with my 10 and 13 year old girls - so much potential for learning from this book - a must-read for all elementary and high school children.

Layla Saad has written a guide to "give you the tools you need to help become an anitracist change agent." She explains that it began with her "own lived experiences...deepened and further illustrated by drawing on examples from experiences I have witnessed, historical contexts, cultural moments, fictional and nonfictional literature, the media, and more." She also explains that this young reader edition is meant for young people so they can "grow into adults who know how to have conversations about race and racism with confidence and know how to work together collectively to create an antiracist world."

Various chapters explain how to work through the book, introduce the author, guide readers to look at the various parts of their own identities, and explore what is meant by terms like white supremacy and white privilege. Readers are encouraged to keep a journal, work through the book at their own pace and recognize their emotions as they learn about these difficult topics. At the end of each chapter they are guided through a recap of the definition, reflective questions, and look at "ways to practice antiracism." Back matter includes a closing letter from the author, a glossary, and a suggested reading list.

This book could be read independently, as part of a group, or with a trusted adult. I appreciate how the author explains her own introduction to discussing race. Her mother began talking with her about it at an early age because her parents had come to the UK from Africa and Layla "was always the only Black and Muslim girl in all [her] classes." Hearing about the experiences of others can make a situation much more clear than just a dry discussion of terms related to identity.

Wow, what a masterfully done workbook for young readers... but really ALL readers! I will be buying this book to have on hand so I can reread, highlight, and bookmark basically every page. Actually, I might need a second copy so my kid can have her own when she's a little older. My daughter is 7, so this is a tiny bit advanced for her right now, but will definitely be on our list to read together (family reading group perhaps!) and work through in the next few years.

As a whole, I found this book to be really thought provoking and informative throughout. I really appreciated the "Recap, Reflect, Respond" prompts at the end of each chapter in Part 2. It makes change feel tangible and maybe not so out of reach. As others have said, this book really is a must read!

I was privileged to meet Layla Saad at an ABA book conference before covid, and at the beginning of my journey of practicing antiracism. Her reminder to Be a Good Ancestor resonates as I live my life.

I deeply appreciated the adult version of Me & White Supremacy and was thrilled to read the Young Readers edition. Every 12-18 yo kiddo should read this. Every library and school needs to own several copies. She breaks down the concepts into manageable chunks and gives specific, approachable examples.

Well done.
5.0/5

A few years ago, I started following @laylafsaad. I had learned about a series of prompts and questions she had posted over the course of a summer, inviting & guiding people (specifically those with white privilege) to take a look at themselves & their own roles in white supremacy and upholding white privilege and how that impacts racism in our world. At the time, she had turned those posts into an online workbook that she offered for free and after 80,000 downloads, that later led to the published book version of #MeandWhiteSupremacy. Her book has gone on to be a best seller & she later published a guided workbook. In both, Layla expertly guides people to recognize, understand, take ownership and grow in accountability in regards to how they uphold white privilege and white supremacy. This is heavy work, but I have always found that her guidance is so encouraging and honest. She openly shares that for many, this self evaluation can be painful, frustrating, overwhelming, etc and that it is encouraged that readers set down the book and return to it in a few days, months… as needed.

When I found out that a Young Readers’ Edition was in the works, I was eager to see how she would adapt it. I was so grateful for the opportunity to be granted advanced reader access through @netgalley and I am thrilled to see this version hit bookshelves tomorrow! This young reader’s edition is FANTASTIC. Layla addresses everything with such a straight forward and yet supportive way. This is an incredibly educational resource for helping readers (of all ages) understand antiracism work, what it means to be antiracist, and all the elements of white supremacy and white privilege that contribute to ongoing injustice and racism in our world. Using popular culture and current events, Layla gives examples of how these issues show up in our lives. She also offers so much GRACE to readers as they work through the book. It is often reiterated that we can’t do better until we know better. This book is such a gift to the world because it teaches exactly that - how to know and DO better. Each chapter ends with a Recap, Reflect, & Respond section that I really loved. I also appreciate that she added a section specifically for BIPOC readers as this book was designed well for use in a classroom setting. I look forward to reading through this edition with my own children as they grow up. Aside from a small spoiler about The Hunger Games series (it’s an excellent example, my son just hasn’t read them yet), I don’t think there is anything I would shy away from my almost 12 year old reading. I do think it would be a lot to grasp at this time but much of it would not be news to him as we have studied and discussed the impact white supremacy and colonialism have had on the world from a historical (& current events) lens. I can see this being an excellent choice for high school and perhaps even middle school.

One of the reasons Layla points out about why it is so hard for so many white adults to talk about race is because we didn’t talk about it when we were kids. We don’t have those skills - but we can still learn them and change that for future generations.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Kids for an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

I have been doing my absolute best to read more books that are about systemic issues like white supremacy and sexism, as well as discussing LGBTQIA+ acceptance/understanding. I have found that I am drawn to reading ones that are geared towards "kids" or at least young adults, and while by conventional standards I am very much an adult (whatever that means), I find that these are the books that are able to give me all of the same information while not triggering any of my personal trauma. I am fully of the belief that you do not need to harm yourself just to improve yourself, and these are deep issues. You cannot help others if you cannot help yourself, and (re)traumatizing yourself in the sake of allyship feels wrong to me. But I digress. While there are clearly aspects of the book that are applicable to a 9-year-old and not a 29-year-old, the primary core of the messages still shine through. As I have been taking classes to work in mental health & advocacy, reading these books is more important than ever.

That being said, this book is one of the best books to tackle what white supremacy is, and how it manifests in all of its different facets (tone policing, white fragility, white feminism, etc.) that I have read yet. This book managed to take these huge concepts and break them down into chapter sized chunks, with recalling and reflection sections, and still managed to identify that the differences between a BIPOC child and a white child in even reading this book will be different. This book doesn't pull punches with all of the spaces white supremacy can infiltrate unaware, but it doesn't do it in a way that would make someone shut down - which is important when you are trying to discuss these types of topics with groups that get defensive immediately (i.e. white men when confronted with any version of the pay gap).

Here are some of the quotes I highlighted:
Fighting anti-Blackness is fighting white supremacy.
Prejudice + Power = Racism
Accountability is about what we do, not who we are.

I also really appreciated how LGBTQIA+ was broken down, as I have always seen the + just kind of brushed off as everything else not listed. This explains LGBTQIA+ as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, intersex, asexual, pansexual, two-spirit. I know that this is always growing and changing but this was a nice way to see it written.

So much of this book was amazing, that there is only one criticism I have and I want to call it out, because I feel like it is an important thing to address in all of the books that are discussing issues like this - especially when geared for children. Layla does an amazing job breaking down the differences between race, ethnicity, and nationality - hard concepts for people of any age to understand the nuances of - but there is one problem with her examples, she put Jewish under ethnicity. Judaism is a religion and has culture/history surrounding it - and under the definition of ethnicity she gives (a grouping of humans based on shared social traits such as language, ancestry, history, place of origin, or culture), Judaism would fit this. However, I am always concerned when Judaism is closely quantified with things that are genetic/biological as it is not of the same caliber. I could write an entire essay about the slippery slope of a religion being tied to genetic factors, comparing it to how the Nazis were able to kill millions of people and how neo-Nazi's can still thrive now, but that is not the point of this book. This was an offhand comment in the book, but it stuck with me, and if I learned anything from the book it was to speak out if something bothers you. This is not a new thing for me to see/read and I don't think it is going to change any time soon, but it definitely will not change if no one speaks out against it.

This is not something that will be ending soon. We will have constant work to do. But as long as Layla, and others like her, continue to write such powerful moving books (because I know I couldn't do it), maybe we can start to make a change. 4.75/5

I tried to assess this objectively from the standpoint of a young, educated reader with English as a second language. It is an essential book with a profound message that serves to inform without being preachy. Thought-provoking and confronting, it offers plenty of scope for reflection, and there are dozens of takeaways for young readers. The glossary and the further reading list were excellent additions.

While this book is aimed at children aged 10 and above in the US/UK, it’s probably too difficult for non-natives to really engage with - and crucially to absorb its many messages/reflect on life experiences - at that age. However, this book will make a worthy addition to our school library, and I’ll offer it in class to pupils in Grades 10-12 (ages 14-18). I also wondered whether some future reprint might include images to help reinforce its appeal to a younger audience?

My thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Kids for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Young Readers’ Edition of Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad feels like a gift for all readers. Informational, challenging, and gently forcing through provoking reflections and conversations makes this book a necessary tool for antiracism work.

As a 32 year old Latina who identifies as BIPOC, this book led me to healing the wounds because of racism as a BIPOC woman, while also helping me confront my proximity to whiteness with my lighter skin tone. In this book, I was able to recognize and dive deeper into how racism has hurt me, and how my own deeply engrained racism has hurt others.

Layla’s chosen style of writing allows the content to be understandable to people of all ages while diving into depth for scope and full understanding. She takes the time to define and show the differences of words that are often lumped together, such as white fragility, white privilege, and white exceptionalism, and defines them clearly, concisely and with examples so full understanding is made.

The book’s “Recap, Reflect, and Respond” portions at the end of every chapter make this book an asset beyond learning; it provides actionable work in mind, actionable steps on how to show up if one has white privilege, and affirms the feelings and need to not bend to the calls of white supremacy for BIPOC identities.

I truly hope that every school library, city library, family, community center, youth group, and more have access to the book with the space to move through it individually or as a group. I see this book providing space for affinity groups for white allies truly attempting to do the work and BIPOC groups feeling safe to discuss and share their experiences. 



Thank you to NetGalley for an Advanced Reader copy!

I read Me and White Supremacy last year and it completely opened my eyes and got me thinking.

I am so glad Layla Saad decided to write a YA version. This one is so perfect for the older kids and high schoolers. There is a lot of information that would be so helpful for our children to read so they can learn from it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebook for the opportunity to read this book.

The Author pulls the young reader in, offering easy to digest definitions and descriptive language that makes such heavy topics easy to understand.

A deep book for middle and high school grades to open up discussion about identity through the lenses of race, ethnicity, and nationality as well as how is richer through our variety and our character is reflected by how we treat those different from us. After learning these identity filters, readers discover their link with supremacy and racism. I like how Ms Saad highlights that race is a classification system imposed by colonizing powers (a vestige from the darker side of history often glossed over). This construct results in racism on several levels that come in forms both obvious and devilishly subtle. A great read of children of any ethnicity with a powerful messages meant for active discussion and reflection. Racism is just another form of bullying and this book is a great guide to help white readers learn how to not be bystanders or enablers. This should be mandatory reading for politicians in the US. Many of the pandering lines used by politicians are undressed for the vacuous slap-in-the-face they really are to BIPOC. Useful, non-escalatory self-advocacy statements are included for readers to use to raise awareness to others' insensitive and/or offensive statements or actions without allowing the offender to tone police the offended. Text also helps readers grapple with the powerful emotions they may feel from learning about or feeling seen by lessons and examples given in this text. A heavy but much needed book in our current climate.

#netgalleyarc This was a difficult, but important read. This book discusses topics that are uncomfortable but are extremely important to confront, especially in our world today. The topics in this book will lead to difficult but important conversations and for that reason, amongst others, alone this is a book that I will be purchasing for my library.

Essential read for anyone and everyone. Powerful and undaunting, Saad exposes whilst also providing examples and resolutions. She ends her points with a 'Recap, Reflect, Respond', she defines every word and phrase extensively so that it leaves no room for misunderstanding (and since everyone learns differently, I appreciated this because sometimes her re-wording suddenly made the thing make more sense). She of course lists a plethora of resources in the back of the book and encourages readers to engage with the book like a journal project, providing tools for everyone. She is adamant about honoring and acknowledging the things you're feeling while reading this and that every emotion is valid and normal. It's okay to feel guilty, it's okay to feel uncomfortable. As with mental health tools, being antiracist is a daily practice, not just something we learn about and are done with.

As a third generation, *very* white-passing, cisgender female, I learned. I relearned. I will unlearn.

Please understand that I am a white individual, and as a result read this through a lens of privilege. No matter how I may try to be impartial and subjective, there is no denying that society seats me in a place of privilege and as a result this affects how I read and react to pieces like this.

I thought this book was amazing. Me and White Supremacy: How You Can Fight Racism and Change the World Today! is an excellent adaption of Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor by Layla F. Saad. The author makes it a point to express, from the get-go, the intended audience of this books and how she will be addressing large and often difficult topics throughout the writing. She tells her audience that feeling discomfort is natural and expected when tackling issues such as these, and maintains a stern yet comforting tone throughout the book. These are the realities, these are the issues, but they don't always have to be this way seems to be Saad's approach, and I think it's a winning one.

I would highly recommend this book, both for young readers and for adults who haven't yet been introduced to very many works on anti-racism. I plan on introducing it to my kiddo as soon as she's done with her current chapter book, and I can't think of higher praise than that from me.

I love the fact that this book do not preach or in any way forceful towards how to feel or react when it comes to racism. I appreciate how the book starts with proper introduction of the author, the terms everyone uses loosely and their differences when it comes to race and racism and what we can expect when we talk and discuss about the topic.

I feel this is a book not just for the young readers but for people like us adults who aren't too sure about the topic and the terms involved.

You can expect to read in short and have some good idea about the different forms of racism.

What I appreciate the most about the book is that it doesn't direct any harshness or unnecessary strong views towards from whom the discriminations come from.

Notable examples and good crisp explanations are given to explain each part.

I would suggest you to not to read the book at a go. Do take your time to digest a chapter and reflect.

One of the best books coming out this year I tell you!

Thank you, Sourcebooks, for the advance reading copy.

I'd heard of the book, "Me and White Supremacy" before, and I understood it to be targeted to white readers. While the title did intrigue me, I never pursued reading the book. For whatever reason, the Young Readers' Edition piqued my interest as an opportunity for me to add more anti-racist reads to my classroom library (and in the hands of students). This book turned out to be everything I did not expect and taught me a lot as a Black American woman. Saad touches on how white Supremacy, Fragility, Exceptionalism, Feminism, and even more impact the lives of BIPOC. By the time I made it to Chapter 3, I knew I made the perfect choice of reading this book. Furthermore, I have no doubt that it will make its way into my curriculum (in some form or fashion) AND onto my classroom library's bookshelves. I give this book a 10/10.

I was so excited to read Me & White Supremacy for young readers, because the original was one of the first anti-racist books I worked through. Layla F. Saad is a genius and prompts us to think deeply not only about systemic racism and our history in this country and beyond, but also our own roles in perpetuating racist systems and how we can disrupt those patterns. This is like therapy and social justice rolled into one and I am SO here for it.

The thing I love about the young readers’ edition is that Saad in no way undermines our youth by dumbing down the content, but rather uses language, analogies, and content that speaks to younger folks. The substance is still there, and I think this might even resonate strongly with some adults. I will DEFINITELY be working through this text with my white-presenting kiddos. I am so grateful to Layla for her tireless work and to the publisher and NetGalley for this advance e-arc. This series is a work that will change people’s perspectives and perceptions - of themselves and those around them - and should be part of the anti-racist canon like Ibrahim X. Kendo and Ijeoma Oluo. I hope everyone who is remotely inclined, and even those who are actively reluctant, to gain a better understanding of race and how we internalize oppressive systems will read through this and work with their children and students on it. It’s brilliant!

This is a brilliant resource. I am not the main target demographic for this book, but I learnt a LOT. I would 100% recommend this resource for schools and children of that age. And for those older looking at an entry point for this topic. The book is well laid out, engaging and a valuable resource for those learning more about white supremacy, racial injustice and cultural appropriation .