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Review: The Taste of Ginger, Mansi Shah

Hello and Happy New Year! Welcome The Cozy Book Blog by Diane-Lyn. I am thrilled to be today’s stop on the virtual book tour for The Taste of Ginger, an extraordinary debut novel by Mansi Shah. I hope you enjoy my review below. Many thanks to Lisa Munley at TLC Book Tours for the invite. I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Best, Diane-Lyn
Synopsis:

In Mansi Shah’s stunning debut novel, a family tragedy beckons a first-generation immigrant to the city of her birth, where she grapples with her family’s past in search of where she truly belongs.

After her parents moved her and her brother to America, Preeti Desai never meant to tear her family apart. All she did was fall in love with a white Christian carnivore instead of a conventional Indian boy. Years later, with her parents not speaking to her and her controversial relationship in tatters, all Preeti has left is her career at a prestigious Los Angeles law firm.

But when Preeti receives word of a terrible accident in the city where she was born, she returns to India, where she’ll have to face her estranged parents…and the complicated past they left behind. Surrounded by the sights and sounds of her heritage, Preeti catches a startling glimpse of her family’s battles with class, tradition, and sacrifice. Torn between two beautifully flawed cultures, Preeti must now untangle what home truly means to her.

Diane-Lyn’s Review:

Preeti is a young woman caught between two vastly different cultures, and never fully belonging to either one. As a child, Preeti’s privileged, upper-caste family left their home country of India and immigrated to America. Once here, their lives changed drastically. Finances tightened, forcing her parents into entry-level jobs and a lower standard of living. Preeti and her brother, Neel, endured racism and cruelty in school as they fought desperately to fit into their new community, all while losing themselves in the process. In an effort to survive, the siblings “Americanized” themselves as much as possible but were often conflicted between blending in and remaining loyal to their roots and strict parental expectations, traditions and values. Years later, when a family tragedy necessitates a trip back to India, Preeti soon realizes she had forgotten the customs of her native land, and again feels like an outsider.

Shah captured these struggles poignantly, all while seamlessly interweaving additional themes, characters, and events into the plot line. I’m sure most readers will connect with the dynamics and strife of the Desai family – much of which is universal. A mother’s expectations and aspirations for her children go head to head with a daughter’s quest to find her own way, the favoring of one adult child over the other, the constant power struggles, the pressure to maintain the appearance of a perfect family even when everything is falling apart. The inner workings of a family are always so different than what is visible. The truth is, all families are complicated and Shah illustrated these challenges in such an empathetic and relatable way. I could sympathize with Preeti and Neel. They were always under intense pressure to succeed, and in a position that didn’t allow for mistakes. Their race constantly dictated how much harder they needed to work in a white privilege society. It was certainly eye-opening.

It took me a while to warm to Preeti’s mother. I really didn’t like her throughout most of the book. I couldn’t understand how she could raise her children in America, but then stop speaking to Preeti because she was involved with a white man (Honestly, what did she expect?). She just seemed unrealistic, cold, rigid, and not very maternal. However, later in the book so much was revealed about her mother’s history, and everything about her started to make sense. I enjoyed her mother’s evolvement over time. I was better able to understand her as she began to open up about her long buried pain, and how it shaped her decisions. It became clear that, despite her tough exterior, she was fundamentally not that different than other mothers. She loved her children. She wanted to protect them. Her decisions were based on what she thought was right at the time. Mistakes were made, but honestly, motherhood is hard. She clearly had done the best she could.

I loved how Shah incorporated India’s customs and traditions into this novel, as well as its beauty. The sights, smells and sounds of India were all around me. I truly felt like I was there sipping chai and smelling spicy cooking; or making my way through busy streets, overcrowded with people, cows and rickshas. Even more interesting were the striking cultural contrasts. I was aware that many Indian marriages are arranged, but still surprised at just how unyielding some of these arrangements are, and the limited choices one has in selecting a spouse. Often, marriage decisions are not based on love, but rather on caste and social status and this is not taken lightly. In fact, any deviation from these norms can ruin an entire family. Marriage is a business transaction. First you marry, then you date, then you fall in love. Of course, love is not guaranteed, and one can only hope for a union that is workable. And speaking of unions, The Taste of Ginger illustrates India’s zero tolerance for homosexuality. When Shah introduces a gay character, I was deeply saddened by the reality of his life in an extremely homophobic country where roles are so firmly set, and being gay can have life-threatening repercussions on people and their families.

Shah added a staggering, gut wrenching layer to the novel by taking the reader through the process of a tragic, epic loss; the shock, the aftermath, and its bitter effect on people and relationships. In any society, nothing tests a marriage more than the unimaginable loss of a child. Regardless of culture, people are people, and heartache is heartache. I was so moved by Shah’s ability to fully immerse the reader into every aspect of such a loss, deeply feeling each painful stage in the process, and its impact on every area of a parent’s life. It was written with such poignancy that I found myself fully absorbed in the devastation, as if I were among the grieving characters. A debut novel that so profoundly captures a reader in this way can only be the work of a gifted writer. Bravo!

The Taste of Ginger reminds us that regardless of differing cultures, we are all just human beings trying to find our way in the world. We all have the same basic needs – to be loved and accepted; to belong. I was drawn to Preeti’s personal growth over time as she started coming to terms with her identity. No culture is perfect, but it seemed Preeti was learning to embrace them both.

Wow! The Taste of Ginger is a masterpiece! This novel is extremely well written and well organized. It encompasses so much, yet it’s easy to follow and the pacing is steady. The characters and themes are varied, but they are smoothly intertwined into the plot line without any jumpy shifts. Shah did a remarkable job of incorporating robust imagery and the beauty of India. I was impressed with her ability to connect imperfect, complex characters with a riveting chain of events to deliver a deeply engaging, realistic and highly relatable story. Despite my busy schedule and limited time to complete this book, I sailed through it quickly. I found myself rooting for the Desai clan and I’d love to hear more about how each of them fared after the story ended. There is so much potential for a sequel and I do hope Mansi Shah will consider a continuation of this narrative. Fingers crossed!

I loved The Taste of Ginger and highly recommend Shah’s debut novel to all adult readers. Gripping and emotional, this will be a novel you will not soon forget.

“I feel like an outsider everywhere I go,” Preeti Desai, The Taste of Ginger (Mansi Shah)

“Fitting in is about assessing a situation and becoming who you need to be to be accepted. Belonging, on the other hand, doesn’t require us to change who we are; it requires us to be who we are.” Brene Brown

To purchase your own copy of The Taste of Ginger, click here: Amazon. Note that this is an Amazon affiliate ink, which only means that when you click the link and purchase the book, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. My opinions remain my own. Happy reading!

 About the Author:

 

 

Mansi Shah is a writer who lives in Los Angeles. She was born in Toronto, Canada, was raised in the midwestern United States, and studied at universities in Australia and England. When she’s not writing, she’s traveling and exploring different cultures near and far, experimenting on a new culinary creation, or trying to improve her tennis game. For more information, visit her online at mansikshah.com.

 

 

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Kira-Kira, Cynthia Kadohata

Kira-Kira is a Newbery Medal winning novel by Cynthia Kadohata. Although Kadohata had previously written other books, Kira-Kira was the first one she wrote for younger audiences.

It wasn’t easy being Japanese and living in America in the 1950s. Katie lives in a small rented house in Iowa with her parents and older sister (and best friend), Lynn. After their Oriental food store goes out of business, the family relocates to Georgia, where her parents find work in the poultry industry. Life is hard. The parents work around the clock under deplorable working conditions in a company owned by the extremely wealthy, powerful, and tyrannical Mr. Lyndon. Katie’s mother wears special pads to work that are designed for urine breakthroughs, because the company doesn’t allow unscheduled bathroom breaks. Her father’s working hours are so long that he often sleeps at the hatchery during the few hours he has between shifts. The mother has another baby, but when babysitting stops being available, Katie and her baby brother sit in their hot car during her mother’s long shifts because they have no place to go and are not allowed in or near the building. They rent a small, cramped apartment and struggle to make ends meet. They are shunned in their community for the work they do and for being Japanese, however, they are an extremely loving and close-knit family. Despite their many hardships, they have each other. Katie and her sister, Lynn, share an unbreakable bond. Lynn teaches Katie about everything under the sun, including the word kira-kira, which means glittering. This becomes Katie’s favorite word and she uses it to describe everything she sees, from butterflies to Kleenex. Lynn teaches Katie to focus on the future, which she promises will be brighter because she is saving to purchase a house for the family. But then, the unthinkable happens. A horrible diagnoses changes everything, and their already difficult lives shatter.

Narrated in Katie’s optimistic voice, Kira-Kira is a story of love, family bonds, loss, and survival. It is a story of racial prejudice, clashing cultures, schoolyard cruelties, the sting of middle school social ranking, and the ever-present line in the sand between the haves and the have-nots. Kadohata interweaves each and every one of these themes into a novel that is a gripping, honest portrayal of life in the deep, rural south during the 1950s. We see a family of undeniable integrity struggling to make it while enduring brutal treatment, followed by an unimaginable tragedy. We see the core of human emotions and vulnerabilities, and the strength to endure and survive.

The family characters in this novel were likable and relatable. The parents were hard-working, honest people who deeply loved and cared about their family. I especially enjoyed the close sisterly relationship between Katie and Lynn. Lynn was the responsible, studious older sister who was always protecting Katie, and guiding her through their world with kindness, time, patience and support. Then there was Katie, the sweet but not so serious little sister. Katie was smart, but unconcerned about grades, had a tendency to be impulsive, and got herself into trouble at times. Yet, she was quite lovable and had an endearing innocence about her, and I loved how Kadohata found ways to insert humor into her dialogs:

Lynn was the bravest girl in the world. She was also a genius. I know this because one day, I asked her, “Are you a genius?” And she said, “Yes.”

As time went on, I enjoyed seeing Katie’s character evolve and mature throughout the book in a coming of age sort of way, and these transitions flowed beautifully. It was easy to become engrossed in this novel. I felt deeply for the characters, and shared their wide range of emotions – anger, sadness, humor, grief, admiration. For young readers navigating the social scene at school, I think this novel is highly relatable as it clearly demonstrates the pain of social hierarchy during this vulnerable stage in life. Kira-Kira is well written, educational and offers a vivid, poignant look at the human spirit and what we will do for those we love. I highly recommend this historical fiction novel for tween and teen readers.

**Purchase Kira-Kira at Amazon here. This is an affiliate link, which only means that when you click and purchase the book through this link, I receive a tiny commission at no additional cost to you. My opinions remain my own.

Since the publication of Kira-Kira, Cynthia Katohata has written several additional books for young readers that focus on the struggle of Japanese-Americans. If you enjoy Kira-Kira, then I highly recommend The Weedflower, a novel about a young Japanese-American girl living in an internment camp. See my review for Weedflower here.

It doesn’t matter who you are, where you come from. The ability to triumph begins with you – always. — Oprah Winfrey

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No Names to Be Given, Julia Brewer Daily

Hello Readers! Welcome to The Cozy Book Blog by Diane-Lyn. I am pleased to be today’s stop on the book tour for No Names to Be Given, by Julia Brewer Daily. Thank you, Amy Bruno (HF Virtual Book Tours), for the advanced reader copy and opportunity to provide a review (below). Thank you all for stopping in and enjoy the tour! You will love this book!

Best, Diane-Lyn

NO NAMES TO BE GIVEN BY JULIA DAILY

Publication Date: August 3, 2021
Admission Press, Inc

Genre: Historical Fiction

Synopsis:

1965. Sandy runs away from home to escape her mother’s abusive boyfriend. Becca falls in love with the wrong man. And Faith suffers a devastating attack. With no support and no other options, these three young, unwed women meet at a maternity home hospital in New Orleans where they are expected to relinquish their babies and return home as if nothing transpired.

But such a life-altering event can never be forgotten, and no secret remains buried forever. Twenty-five years later, the women are reunited by a blackmailer, who threatens to expose their secrets and destroy the lives they’ve built. That shattering revelation would shake their very foundations-and reverberate all the way to the White House.

Told from the three women’s perspectives, this mesmerizing story is based on actual experiences of women in the 1960s who found themselves pregnant but unmarried, pressured by family and society to make horrific decisions. How that inconceivable act changed women forever is the story of No Names to Be Given, a heartbreaking but uplifting novel of family and redemption.

Review by Diane-Lyn:

Oh boy – this book grabbed me right from the beginning and wouldn’t let go! From the very start, I was so deeply and emotionally involved in the lives of these three women. Each of them were from vastly different walks of life, yet they all had a story and they shared the same heart-wrenching situation. I am so sad and angry over the limited choices women back then had, along with the intense shame and secrecy that unwed mothers faced – even from their own families. It was no different for sexual assault victims, who suffered in silence and had their lives ruined while their assailants moved on unscathed. Some of this still exists today, but not to the same degree. When unthinkable decisions had to be made, the unyielding social norms and pressures of the 1960s took priority over everything else – including people. Family structures were rigid with roles and expectations firmly in place. The effects of trauma were overlooked as blame, shame and a focus on appearances took center stage. No Names to Be Given provides a detailed, insightful and authentic look at life for women in the 1960s, and it shook me to the core.

The plot line is fast paced, yet clear, smooth and well developed. I loved how this book spanned across fifty years, allowing the reader to follow the life of each character across time. Daily did a magnificent job detailing the evolvement of each woman, and the painful aftermath that remained decades after they were forced to relinquish their children. Also presented later on were the lives of their long-lost children, and how each of them fared after being adopted. Some outcomes were positive, but sadly, others were not. This novel is multi-themed – addressing issues of racism, politics, sexual assault, love, loss, grief, family, adoption, and forbidden relationships. Adoption is so complex and emotional for all parties involved, and Daily handles these issues poignantly, honestly and realistically. No Names to Be Given is extremely well-written, engaging and thought-provoking. I enjoyed this book and loved Daily’s captivating writing style. I look forward to reading more from this talented author!

I received an ARC of this novel from HF Virtual Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.

“Today’s young women will not understand how our families made us feel shame so intensely: we surrendered out first-born children to strangers.” Faith Reynolds, No Names to Be Given (Julia Brewer Daily)

AMAZON | BARNES AND NOBLE | INDIEBOUND | POWELL’S | TARGET

Praise

“A gorgeous, thrilling, and important novel! These strong women will capture your heart.”-Stacey Swann, author of Olympus, Texas

“A novel worthy of a Lifetime movie adaptation.” Jess Hagemann, author of Headcheese

“An insightful and sympathetic view offered into the lives of those who were adopted and those who adopted them.”-Pam Johnson, author of Justice for Ella

“Readers can expect deep knowledge of the world the characters inhabit.”-Sara Kocek, author of Promise Me Something

“I found myself thinking about Becca, Sandy, and Faith frequently as I went about my day-I was always excited to sit down and find out what happened next.”-Sarah Welch, author of Austin Brown Dogs: The Shelter Dogs Who Rescue Us

About the Author

Julia Brewer Daily is a Texan with a southern accent. She has a B.S. in English and a M.S. degree in Education from the University of Southern Mississippi.

She has been an educator, Communications Adjunct Professor at Belhaven College, administrator, and Public Relations Director of the Mississippi Department of Education and Millsaps College, a liberal arts college in Jackson, MS.  She was the founding director of the Greater Belhaven Market, a producers’ only market in a historic neighborhood in Jackson, and even shadowed Martha Stewart.

As the Executive Director of the Craftsmen’s Guild of Mississippi (300 artisans from 19 states) which operates the Mississippi Craft Center, she wrote their stories to introduce them to the public. She is an adopted child from a maternity home hospital in New Orleans.

She searched and found her birth mother and through a DNA test, her birth father’s family, as well.  She lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband Emmerson and two Labrador Retrievers, Memphis Belle and Texas Star.

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | GOODREADS

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Weedflower, Cynthia Kadohata

Weedflower, Cynthia Kadohata, is a historical fiction novel for middle school readers. Cynthia Kadohata is a Newbery Award winning author of Kira-Kira. Weedflower is the story of a young Japanese-American girl and her struggles with loss, loneliness, war, racism, and life in an internment camp during the World War II era.

Sumiko was twelve years old and lived on a flower farm in California. She and her little brother had lost their parents years ago in an accident, but they were taken in by their loving and supportive extended family. They all lived and worked together on the flower farm, a job that Sumiko enjoyed. The book opened with Sumiko very excited to be the recipient of a birthday party invitation. As the only Japanese student at her school, she was used to being ignored or teased by other children. So when Marsha, a popular classmate, invited her to a party, Sumiko was thrilled. For the first time in her life, she felt proud and special. When the day finally arrived, Sumiko wanted everything to be perfect. She wore her best dress and brought an expensive and impeccably wrapped present. But everything turned sour the moment she arrived – the moment Marsha’s stunned mother came to the door and saw her. When Marsha invited her whole class to the party, her mother hadn’t realized that a Japanese child was a classmate. She quietly stepped out on the porch, explained to Sumiko her concerns over what her husband and others would think, handed her a piece of cake, and quickly sent the devastated child home.

Life for Sumiko and her family only got worse from there. On December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor was bombed and the United States entered into World War II shortly thereafter. Japanese-Americans, suspected of being spies, were sent to internment camps. Sumiko’s family lost everything they owned and became prisoners. Her new life was on a dusty camp set in a scorching hot Arizona desert, which had previously been an Indian reservation. Barely fed and living under horrible conditions, Sumiko found ways to survive. She planted a flower garden and dreamed of owning her own flower shop someday. She met a young Mohave boy, Frank, who eventually became her first real friend. It was difficult to comprehend the treatment of those imprisoned, but also refreshing to see Sumiko authentically evolve and mature despite the hardships.

Weedflower is the story of a lonely, rejected adolescent girl longing for acceptance in the midst of a world crisis and explosive racial divides. The author’s father was an internment camp survivor, so this is clearly an issue close to her heart and realistically represented throughout the novel. Kadohata gave an honest description of the brutality against incarcerated Japanese-Americans after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. These events were presented poignantly, but without being overly graphic in my opinion. Weedflower is well-written, educational, well-paced and age appropriate. Sumiko’s character is sweet, likable, and relatable and I think middle schoolers will connect with her social struggles and desire to belong. I admired her determination to survive and her unwavering empathy despite the circumstances. This novel offers multiple themes – loss, family bonds, friendship, war, the power of perseverance and of course, racism. As we all know, the overall racism themes still apply today as this sadly continues to be an issue in our nation. In light of recent events, including violence against Asian-Americans, it is critical to open a dialog with our youth about these issues, and to keep these conversation going. There is much work to be done and everybody deserves a voice. Weedflower would make a great conversation starter between young people and adults, a platform on which to begin these important dialogs.

I highly recommend Cynthia Kadohata’s Weedflower for middle school students, teachers and parents. Kadohata has written many books for this age group. In an educational setting, an author study on her work would make for rich, engaging discussions. Please see my review of her novel, Kira-Kira. There are several parallels between these two novels. Kira-Kira is a story of another young Japanese-American girl struggling with similar social and discrimination issues, but during a different era. Both novels are thought-provoking and excellent choices for young readers.

This is an affiliate link, which only means that when you click the link and purchase the book, I receive a tiny commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions remain my own. Purchase Weedflower at Amazon here: https://amzn.to/2Rf4bw9

“I feel like I speak for many Asian Americans when I say I am fearful, a little angry, and frustrated at the uncertainty of the entire situation.” Benny Luo

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Day of Tears, Julius Lester

Day of Tears, Julius Lester (1939-2018) is a historical fiction novel for teens and tweens, based on actual events. On March 2nd and 3rd of 1859, the largest and most devastating slave auction in American history was held in Savannah, Georgia. Ironically, as soon as the auction began, the skies darkened and heavy thunderstorms ensued. Torrential downpours lingered for two days, ceasing only when the auction ended. Many referred to this as the day God cried, or “the weeping time”. Over 400 slaves were sold. Some families were separated forever, many of whom were denied the chance to even say goodbye. Sobbing children were ripped away from their mothers, couples were separated, human beings were shipped away like cattle, their fates unknown.

Pierce Butler owned a large, inherited plantation and hundreds of slaves in Savannah, Georgia. He had been married to actress and abolitionist Fanny Kemble, but Butler’s need for control and their opposing views on slavery caused the marriage to end in divorce. Pierce used his influence to take custody of their two daughters, Sarah and Francis, but family tensions continued. Francis, eager to please her father, supported slavery. Sarah, like her mother, opposed it. Pierce couldn’t accept Sarah’s views and the two were constantly at odds. Three of Butler’s slaves, Mattie, Will, and Emma were a family that had been with the Butlers for three generations. In Fanny’s absence, Emma was a committed, loving caretaker to the girls, and she bonded deeply with them. Sarah was especially close to Emma, who was like a maternal figure to both girls.

Pierce, once wealthy, lost most of his money gambling. In order to satisfy his debts, he held a massive slave auction and made over $300,000. But his problems were far from over. The auction not only tore slave families apart, but his own as well. The horrible decisions he made during those two days impacted all of them forever, breaking relationships and forever changing the course of his family.

Day of Tears, Julius Lester, is written in the multiple voices of several characters, slaves and owners. This book seamlessly transitions through different points in time, as we hear from some characters as children and then as adults years later. Written in a play/script form, Day of Tears is a fast-paced, smooth, extremely poignant, heavy read. Lester always did a phenomenal job of placing the reader right in the middle of his chapters. I was right there at the auction, standing heartbroken in that sweltering hot, overcrowded stable, breathing in the stench of sweaty bodies, listening to deafening, pelting rain and claps of thunder. Flashes of lightening offered glimpses of trembling slaves, packed like sardines in the stalls, waiting to be sold like meat to the highest bidder, holding their children for the last time. Then there were the finely dressed bidders, fanning themselves, laughing, socializing, acting like over-zealous holiday shoppers celebrating their purchases without a fleeting thought for the human beings in front of them, who were viewed as nothing more than a business transaction. I left a piece of my heart inside this book.

Parents, this book is educational and based on true events in history, but also a heavy and, at some points, disturbing read. I think this book would make a gripping, engaging piece of a slavery study for middle school teachers. However, I recommend using caution given the graphic nature of certain scenes. Day of Tears is extremely well-written, and brings out the emotional side of history because it connects us to the families and real people affected, and we clearly feel their struggles. It serves as a painful reminder of one of the most shameful parts of American history, and how far people will go in the name of greed. I recommend this book for middle school aged readers and adults alike. It would make a great conversation starter about an appalling piece of American history. Rest in peace, Julius Lester, and thank you for giving a voice to the victims of slavery. Nobody deserves it more than them.

To see more of Julius Lester, check out my review of his book, Let’s Talk About Race.

To purchase, click the Amazon link here. This is an affiliate link, which only means that when you click this link and purchase the book, I receive a tiny commission at no additional cost to you.

“Man puts manacles on his fellow man; God never.” Lyman Abbot

 

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Let’s Talk About Race, Julius Lester (Illustrated by Karen Barbour)

Let's Talk About Race, Julius Lester

Book review: Let’s Talk About Race, Julius Lester thecozybookblog.com

Let’s Talk About Race, Julius Lester (1939-2018), is an interactive children’s book that focuses on getting children to open up about racism. If there has ever been a children’s author committed to educating young people about race and the struggles of African Americans, it was Lester. A Newbery Honor Book Author, he wrote many books for children and teens that address slavery and current issues of racism in our society.

Let’s Talk About Race, Julius Lester, is geared for readers between six and ten years of age. Lester writes, I am a story. So are you. So is everyone. He stresses that each and every one of us have a story, and part of that story is race. Lester addresses the issue of racial hierarchy in our culture in a gentle, child-friendly manner. He tells children some stories are true, but others are not. Stories about some races being better than others are not true stories, and people tell those stories because they are afraid or they don’t feel good about themselves (bingo!). He invites children to conduct an experiment in which they touch parts of their bodies and feel the bones underneath their skin. Then, he tells them to do the same to other people, making the point that under our skin, we are all the same. If everyone removed their skin, he says, we would all look exactly the same but we wouldn’t be able to tell who is who. Lester concludes the book by reminding children that we are all a story, but race is only a part of who we are: I am so, so, so many things besides my race. To know my story, you have to put together everything I am…Beneath the skin, we all look alike. You and Me.

As an educator, I think this book would make a terrific opener for a rich dialog in a classroom about a very real issue facing people of all ages. It is engaging, beautifully illustrated and so very interactive. Lester tackles an extremely heavy societal issue in an age-appropriate and relatable manner for children. It is honest without being heavy. As a parent, it seems like a great way to address questions about what children are hearing and seeing every day, especially in light of recent news stories. My favorite part of the book was when Lester answers the question of why some people say their race is better than others. He writes, Because they feel bad about themselves. Because they are afraid. The reason for hate, for violence, for numerous catastrophic decisions are so accurately explained in these few simple words. Oh, he nailed it! Even adults like myself are struggling to grapple with the racial horrors and violence that occur in our country all too often. Fear and insecurity – the roots of ruthless cruelty and senseless destruction. Yes, we have made progress, but we have a very long way to go in our society. Let’s Talk About Race was written in 2005, and sixteen years later we are still struggling. Let’s continue these conversations with future generations, teaching them acceptance and understanding – something we need now more than ever.

Let’s Talk About Race is a well-written, positive look at the uniqueness of human beings. It is about accepting and respecting differences and focusing on what truly makes a person. Lester tackled issues of race productively, showing children how to frame their thinking about racial differences, to understand that we are all people, and inside we are all the same. I especially love the meaningful activities and reader participation this book offers for children. I highly recommend Let’s Talk About Race for teachers, parents, children, and families.

For more of Julius Lester, find my review for his novel Day of Tears here.

Click here to purchase on Amazon. This is an affiliate link, which only means that when you click the link and purchase the book, I receive a tiny commission at no additional cost to you. My opinions remain my own.

I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character – Martin Luther King Jr.