Dealing With Racism (How Do I Feel About)

An easy-to-understand book for early readers delves into the history of racism, its meaning, and the reasons why people are racist and, through simple text, offers advice on handling the emotions it can cause.

Gr 2-4--Green begins with a definition of racism as told through the words of children. The author goes on to discuss how hurtful it can be and what can be done to stop it. Bullies and Gangs focuses on bullies rather than the drug-selling, drive-by shooting crowd most readers associate with the word "gang." Here, the term merely refers to a group of friends. The feelings associated with these relationships are examined and thoughts on how to deal with them are offered. Although students will be able to identify with the emotions, some suggestions are too simplistic. In a section on stopping racism, an Indian boy offers, "Try not to lose your temper!" Another child recommends that readers should "Say `NO...!'" to bullies. Full-color cartoon drawings and photographs of children from many cultures illustrate and illuminate certain points. Used in conjunction with Children Just Like Me (DK, 1995), Racism could be used to discuss world cultures. Angela Grunsell's Let's Talk About Bullying (Watts, 1990) delves into more detail about why some children become bullies. All told, these titles should prove useful in classrooms and libraries.

Anne Chapman Callaghan, Racine Public Library, WI

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