This book is absolutely incredible. The personal stories are special, heartfelt, vulnerable. A great young readers version, but also great for adults.

I have always tried to imagine what it would have been like to be born in a different part of the world or era. As a black woman in Africa, my experiences with racial issues have been minimal. In terms of discrimination, I can think of just 1 incident where I was picked out from a group of colleagues while in France and was subjected to a ‘random’ search of my backpack despite everyone in the group having 1. So, I have always wanted to read and learn about people living in different spaces and their struggle especially where they are considered as the ‘other’.

I was curious about Austin’s story and tried to place myself in the environment she was in especially at school. I can understand the need to be seen, heard and acknowledged. Her experiences were so relatable and eye opening at the same time.

This is definitely an important read. The narrative style is well suited for young and adult readers. Quite a readable, educative and enjoyable book.

Such an important book especially for young women of color. And as a white woman, I found it helpful to better understand, adjust my responses, and empower the young black women in my life.

As a school librarian, I'm constantly looking for non-fiction books that will get some traction. My school is in a rural, predominantly white area. We are barely the intended audience of this book. However, books are meant to expand your horizons (amongst other things) so we will be getting a copy of this one in our library. It's a collective memoir on the hardships of black Americans. The stories are so far removed from my personal experiences, and that increases understanding and empathy for others. In a climate where some like to claim that racism isn't still in America, this book serves as an indictment otherwise. The ending includes a call to action that is passionate and age appropriate. This book opens eyes.

Let me first say that I am far from the target audience for this book. I am a middle-aged Asian man. But even I can see how important this book is. I can understand how important it is to be seen and to have your experiences and fears validated and to know you're not alone. This book should be studied in school. It's even eye opening for me. We have to be aware of the experiences of others. Especially those who don't look like us. We may not be able to fully understand the experiences but we can at least learn to be aware. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

This book was incredible. I enjoyed reading it. I love how Austin Channing Brown discusses the difficulties of racism and discrimination. This is like a memoir but also full of such great advice. Young readers and older readers can benefit from this book. I would highly recommend this book.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC!

I requested this book awhile back because I found the synopsis intriguing and the content lined up with what I'd been studying at the time, but after I was approved I wasn't sure I was interested in reading it anymore. When I saw that it was less than 200 pages though, I decided to give it a try and I'm SO glad I did because this book was incredible and the author's writing blew me away!! I think part of the reason I was hesitant to start reading this in the first place was because I had just finished another book on race that I found to be very dull and heavy-handed on the political side of things and as a result, I was not excited about jumping back into another one. But in this book the author simply uses stories from her life to clearly and strikingly illustrate her message. I loved how readable it was and I was left challenged by so many of her experiences. Upon finishing this book, I would absolutely LOVE the chance to hear this woman speak in person and I am so glad that I stumbled upon and got the chance to read this amazing book. I highly recommend it! Happy Reading :)

I was elated to hear that the author released a YA version of her memoir that is a must read for everyone. True to her normal writing voice, Austin Channing Brown's new release makes her life story and the themes of being Black in a world of White Supremacy, accessible to the younger generation. While her target audience is teenage girls who look like her - she writes in a way that invites readers of all ages, genders and ethnicities to observe and learn from her life experience.

Austin Channing Brown's Memoir, I'm Still Here: Loving Myself in a World Not Made for Me, has been adapted for young readers. I am grateful Brown decided to write this book for young black men and women, as it allowed me to learn from her stories as well. I'm not the target audience for this book, yet I got so much out of it. If more white women like myself read this book, we'd all benefit from a greater understanding of why the things we do are sometimes so harmful. If anyone, adult or child, is struggling to understand the nuances of our current racial climate, this book is an easy-to-consume way to learn.

I hope this book find its way into the hands of kids everywhere.

Thank you to Convergent Books and NetGalley for this eARC!

Austin Channing Brown takes a powerful story, with all the difficulties that have been faced, and shares an honest account for young readers. This book is a much-needed informational text that explores equity, along with self-worth and identity.

5/5
Austin Channing Brown has beautifully articulated the experience of being black. This book is written as a letter to
young black girls, starting off with “I love being a Black girl. And sometimes being a Black girl in America is hard”. I would recommend this for every little black girl because it will encourage conversations that will hopefully prevent feeling like an odd ball when around people who don’t look like you, and even when they do. Although I absolutely loved this book, the target audience is probably middle school aged. There are so many relatable situations discussed and reminders that “you are not responsible for making other people feel more comfortable”. This is the first book I have read by Channing Brown but I’m anxious to get my hands on the adult version, I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #NetGalley #imstillhere

While Black girls and teens are the target audience for I'm Still Here (Adapted for Young Readers), it's definitely appropriate for Black boys/teens as well. I will be pressing it into the hands of both of my children (boy, age 13 and girl, age 14). I think the book has a lot to offer white kids, too. Brown's stories give kids a safe space to explore race, have their experiences echoed, their feelings validated, and their questions answered. The author shares many stories of her own childhood with readers and they are very relatable. This book is a must-have for classrooms as well as home and public libraries!

Thank you to Convergent Books and NetGalley for a review copy.

Absolutely loved how this was adapted for young readers. Austin has such a powerful voice- especially loved how this one ended- focusing on Black Joy! This is a must for any middle school/high school classroom.

ACB speaks from her experience and wisdom to bring us stories from her life, particularly as a child and young adult. Her narrative cuts straight to the point, and readers are given the chance to walk in her shoes and understand the impact of racism and anti-racism in her life. While marketed as a YA book, this work is for all ages and is another essential voice about experiences of Black people. While there are a few similarities to the original book, this is a fresh work with many new stories. I plan to use chapters as read aloud material for my high school classes. Highly, highly recommended.

While I am not the intended middle grade audience for this book, it was eye-opening and inspiring to read. I was not familiar with the author, but, having read this book, I went ahead and listened to the "adult" version, to see what was different, and if I could learn more. Brown has done a terrific job adapting her original work here, the parts I noticed that might have been included in the other might have been considered too graphic for younger readers. Having said that, I would suggest parents read the unadapted version for themselves. Brown has a lot to say about what we need to do to make change, and we should listen and take notes. There are so many simple things we can do while we work toward the more daunting change that absolutely needs to happen. It is appalling the level of ignorance in even the most educated of us, and I only hope that this book and it's important, practical advice are widely shared.

Title: I’m Still Here
By: Austin Channing Brown

Genre:
Middle Grade, Young Readers Edition, Memoir

Recommended Ages:
6th-9th

Favorite Excerpts:
“His course transformed me by setting me free. I didn’t just have permission to tell the truth about history. I had permission to tell my truth. I had permission to make Black lives the center of my work. I had permission to be a disrupter, an agent of change. I had permission to speak up so those in the back could hear me. So I did.”

“Injustice-how the good choices are reserved for only a few- is the problem.”

“As you start to grow confident in who you are, it’s possible that others will resent that confidence. They will expect you to mirror their low expectations. And when you refuse to comply- when you set your own standard- they will do everything they can to bring you down to where they are.”

Summary/Review: This is a beautiful memoir written for the target audience of young African American girls (and boys). The author does a beautiful job describing her life as a young black girl, with a white boy’s name. I love the author’s relatable life experiences, and the apathy this edition teaches the reader. As an educator in a predominantly African American school, I will be highly recommending this novel to all middle grade class rooms. Brown opens the reader’s eyes to her life, her personal growth and living a life of grit, resilience, confidence, and self-love.

Thank you to Austin Channing Brown, Convergent Books, Penguin Random House, and Netgalley for the Advanced Reader Copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

#reluctantreaderreads
#austinchanningbrown
#netgalley
#advancedreadereditions
#penguinrandomhouse
#convergentbooks

I read the original version of I’m Still Here by Austin Channing Brown when it was released several years ago and absolutely loved it, so I’m so excited that there is a young reader’s version now. I’m Still Here is a memoir of Channing Brown’s childhood and a depiction of her journey to learn to love herself as a Black girl in America. This version is completely reworked from the original and contains new stories, so it’s definitely worth picking up if you enjoy Channing Brown’s writing, even if you've already read the previous version.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher, and to NetGalley for providing me advanced copies of this book for review.

I want to say up front that I have not read the grown-up version of this one, so I cannot compare the two! But I did love this version on its own merits.

The stories here are mostly short and to the point, but they are great reminders (to an old folk like me) of how we are molded as kids. The stories are about church, school, hanging out with friends, getting that first crush. Things that kids – even ones growing up in a different time – will surely relate to.

This book is written to and for black girls, primarily. This only comes out in certain parts, though (mostly at the beginning and end). And while these girls will be able to see themselves in these scenarios, I think it’s equally important for other kids to consider the stories as well.

For example, she tells a story about a teacher using a hair salon as a scenario in class. A hair salon experience will be different for black kids and non-black kids, though. So, while the black kids reading this could be identifying with Brown’s confusion over the example – a white kid reading this might have never considered before why the teacher’s scenario didn’t make sense to everyone in the class. I feel like it could be eye-opening for younger readers to see that different perspective, maybe for the first time.

So, I think kids of all colors would learn something from these stories. Their takeaways will inherently be different, but it would be a good introduction to trying to put yourself in someone else’s shoes.

I wish I could buy a copy for absolute every girl and woman I know. I love how Austin encircles facets of being black. The highs and lows, the hurts and joys, the perspectives of her and others, how they change, how they grow. She invites us to think critically about EVERYTHING and models it beautifully - giving so many examples on not just how to ask a question but what questions to ask. What her questions are and what they AREN'T. I feel like a much, much better person for having read this. Every kid, every adult, would benefit from reading this. Benefit epically, not just a bit. This is solid gold.

I loved I’m Still Here so I was thrilled to hear about a young reader version of the book. The author has an incredible way of connecting with her audience and this book was no different even though it was targeted to a younger demographic. She told stories from her own childhood that will relate to young readers but also help parents connect with their kids if they choose to read it together. For readers of her first book - it’s not just a retelling of the book for a younger audience - it includes new stories so it’ll feel familiar but not the exact same. The warm encouragement she offers to her readers throughout is something our young people need more of and I’m so glad they have this book in their toolkit as they navigate growing up in our world. I wish I had this book growing up to better understand at that age what it was like for friends and classmates that were in predominately white spaces (classrooms, extracurricular activities, etc).

“There is no need to be shy about your accomplishments. You are able to achieve because other Black women paved the way for you. And now you will join them in paving the way for others. That is not something to be shy or modest about. Confidence and humility. That’s what we want to cultivate in our lives and in the lives of Black girls around us. Let’s hold our heads high while we celebrate our sisters and ourselves.”