Loved how Kendi and Stone break down complex themes for young readers in a way that is palatable without being condescending.

Due to this being non fiction I will not be rating it. I will say I highly suggest this for all ages. I haven't read the book this one is based on but this one was so easy to read. I was understanding my own biases. I have quite some work ahead of me but I learned a lot and since this book comes out in 16 days I highly suggest you buy a copy.

Oh speaking of that thank you so much to penguinteen for sending me this ARC.

Two of the most powerful voices today team up to show not only the youth, but adults how to dismantle harmful teachings and work to get rid of racism. Written as letters to their younger selves, both give powerful tools and tips that is easily broken down and not overwhelming. It is a great tool and a informative guide.

A crucial book for any middle/YA collection. Nic Stone expertly adapts Kendi's critical work. This book is informative and inspiring. It's an honest look at a complex issue. Highly recommended for middle, high school, and adult readers.

Thank you, Netgalley for the ARC! This book is a great tool for starting conversations with young adults about changing their mindset about racism. It’s also a great companion to Stamped.

As a white women with four children I feel it is my role to teach my babies that being a good human TO ALL is a fundamental demand. It HAS to be done in our home. There is zero other option.

However, I don't always know what tools to use to make sure I am teaching this correctly.

Enter "How to be a young AntiRasist". This book creates a great foundation for making sure our children, all children, become good humans.

This would be good for ages 10 and up in my opinion. However, talking about the things you learn with younger children would be incredible too!

Thank you to Penguin Teen & Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I finished another YA adaption earlier this month and I’ve got to say I really enjoy seeing non-fiction being adapted for younger people. I still plan to read the original versions of these books, but I find with my brain it’s better for me to start smaller and work my way up. I’ve also been slowly incorporating more non-fiction into my TBR and shelves. I used to think non-fiction was boring, but that’s because I was reading ones I had to and not ones that I found interesting or informative. I’ve read 6 of the ones in this stack and am really excited to read the three in the future.

How to be a (Young) Antiracist is a great starting point to learn about the ways racism and racist ideas persist in a society. We follow a young Ibram as he learns and goes on his own antiracist journey. I found the way structural and systemic racism was broken down into smaller ideas very understandable. I liked that we get a lot of definitions in the first section that helps build up the last two parts. I enjoyed Nic’s Notes, they made the book feel even more approachable and relatable. Definitely recommend as a nice starting place or to begin teaching young children about racism in the US.

CWs: Racism, colorism, racial slurs, cancer, hate crime, xenophobia, police brutality, murder, homophobia/homomisia, bullying, sexism, transphobia/transmisia, misogyny, violence, colonisation, ableism, death, gun violence, antisemitism.

A great and solid adaptation of Kendi's original text. Stone provides the voice for youth and does so in a way that brings this important work and information to the younger generation.

***note: originally was not going to rate and review because of Stone's callous behavior and words during a trip to Occupied Palestine. Her words and actions of oppression contradict much of the heart of this book.

How To Be Antiracist by @ibramxk adapted for young adult readers by @nicstone
✊🏿
Stone took Kendi’s concept of learning and becoming antiracist and applied to those 12 and up. Using her trademark humor and amazing ability to write and connect with young readers, Stone shares how antiracism is a journey and the map on how to best get there through their own path and experiences.
✊🏿
Having read both editions I can definitively say that Stone understood the assignment when it came to speaking to our youth about the topic of racism and antiracism. She speaks to them on their level about their concerns and lived experiences very similarly to the way Jason Reynolds did in Stamped. We need our young adult students to think critically about their future and the future they want for this country. Stone’s post-it notes throughout were the best. This title releases January 31 and is for every secondary classroom & library.

CW: racism, misogyny, cancer, homophobia

I appreciate the general trend of revising some of the more complex adult titles to be applicable for much younger readers. For my high school and early college students, I'm going to stick with the original version by Ibram X. Kendi. Thank you for the opportunity to read this in advance.

My Thoughts:

YA author Nic Stone does a great job of adapting Dr. Ibram X. Kendi's How to be an Antiracist for the young activists in your classroom. In clear prose and easily digestible definitions, even this old English teacher learned of the nuances of the different -isms. Basically, what it comes down to is that any time we lump people into one definition without looking at individuals as individuals, then we too are a perpetrator of -isms. The post it like memos from Nic (Nic's notes) were fabulous little asides as if she was reading this alongside us and also learning and sharing her own "aha"s on this journey.

Perhaps the idea that this is a journey is also the magic of this adaptation. It gives readers very specific steps and action items, but it also is very clear about the journey that Dr. Kendi has taken to come to this awareness. Starting at his speech competition as a finalist of the Prince William County Martin Luther King Jr. Oratorical Contest, where he did an updated version of the "I Have a Dream Speech," and won the applause and agreement by the audience, Stone takes Kendi's story and explains the misconceptions and misunderstandings that lead to his awakening. The authors weave the journeys in alternating timelines and narrator commentary like expert storytellers. This is a heavy call to action written without blame or anger. Instead this is a gentle and "let natural light in" alarm to wake and rise up.

And then . . . with everyone at the edge of their seats, hanging on your every word, you drop your voice for the finale:
“So I say to you, my friends, that even though this cultural revolution may never be over,
“I still have a dream . . .”
And the crowd goes wild.
A crowd full of African American adults. (You’re in a Black church, after all.)
Validation.
But the thing is . . . you’re wrong. And everyone who agreed with you by way of applause is also wrong.
It’ll take you some time to realize that your words aren’t as virtuous as the resounding applause has made you believe they are. Eventually, you realize that it’ll take more than a surprise pair of college admission letters and a spot in the finals of an oratorical contest to shift your sense of yourself and other Black people.
In this moment, though, with the approval of Black men, women, and children ringing in your ears, you don’t realize it . . .
But everything you said is racist.
From the Publisher:
The New York Times bestseller How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi is shaping the way a generation thinks about race and racism. How to be a (Young) Antiracist is a dynamic reframing of the concepts shared in the adult book, with young adulthood front and center. Aimed at readers 12 and up, and co-authored by award-winning children's book author Nic Stone, How to be a (Young) Antiracist empowers teen readers to help create a more just society. Antiracism is a journey--and now young adults will have a map to carve their own path. Kendi and Stone have revised this work to provide anecdotes and data that speaks directly to the experiences and concerns of younger readers, encouraging them to think critically and build a more equitable world in doing so.

Publication information:
Author: Ibram X. Kendi, (adapted by) Nic Stone

Publisher: Kokkla

Publication date: January 31, 2023

How to be a (Young) Antiracist is an iteration of How to Be an Antiracist that YA author Nic Stone has helped to adapt for a younger audience. While I think this book is a vital tool for education it didn't do much for me (perhaps because I have read the original iteration). With this version I worry the book will become dated very quickly, which isn't quite what we need in a tool like this - we need something a little more timeless, I guess? We all have room to grow when facing these subjects and this can be a helpful guide in doing so - but if you're able I would honestly just recommend reading the original book!

Thank you for getting me the arc of How to Be A (Young) Anti Racist, I was really looking forward to reading it. Unfortunately I have been able to make much progress. I didn't realize that it was co written by Nic Stone and after her Instagram and Twitter postings of anti Palestinian sentiment and praising the rights of the occupiers in support of oppression, I really can't see how to move past her actions and see if the text can hold any weight. Additionally after struggling to get through chapter one I began Googling Nic Stone and saw her anti Islamic positions and vitriol as well. I tried not reading her "Nic's Notes" and just stick to Ibram X. Kendi's lens, but the book doesn't really work like that and the words and sentiments seem so hollow when her actions speak so loudly against the very principles being addressed.

In light of Nic Stone's overtly anti-Palestinian stances, I cannot in good faith review How to Be a (Young) Antiracist in a positive light. It's quite a shame that this adaptation of Ibram X. Kendi's work was co-written by a person who fully took selfies in front of places where Palestinians were killed.

Let’s be honest, reading—and talking—about racism and antiracism probably isn’t the first thing teens want to do indulge in. But of course Nic knows that and narrates Ibram’s learning *and unlearning* throughout life in a way that’s relatable to them. I love that she writes in second person, blends AAVE with the historical context, and includes sticky notes for reference. Lots of thought provoking moments in here that certainly made me reflect.

I hate to say this, but second person makes me nope out. The content looks great, I like the organization and formatting, but...I can't do second person. Sorry, I'm out, I hope it helps teens connect with the book, I can't.

I thoroughly enjoyed this. I loved how different it was from the source yet pulled a lot from it thematically to be repurposed for a younger audience. I also enjoyed how it tied to Ibram D Kendi’s life. Nic Stone’s narrative voice is engaging and entertaining. This will be a great resource for kids!

I would love to interview the authors for pop culturalist. I’m a huge fan of Nic Stone’s! Latesha @Bookishgirlmagic introduced me to Nic’s books.