Not My Idea: A Book about Whiteness
An honest explanation about how power and privilege factor into the lives of white children, at the expense of other groups, and how they can help seek justice. --THE NEW YORK TIMES
ONE OF HUFFPOST'S RECOMMENDED ANTI-RACIST BOOKS FOR KIDS AND TEENS
**A WHITE RAVEN 2019 SELECTION**
NAMED ONE OF SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL'S BEST BOOKS OF 2018
Not My Idea: A Book About Whiteness is a picture book about racism and racial justice, inviting white children and parents to become curious about racism, accept that it's real, and cultivate justice.
This book does a phenomenal job of explaining how power and privilege affect us from birth, and how we can educate ourselves...Not My Idea is an incredibly important book, one that we should all be using as a catalyst for our anti-racist education. --THE TINY ACTIVIST
Quite frankly, the first book I've seen that provides an honest explanation for kids about the state of race in America today. --ELIZABETH BIRD, librarian
"It's that exact mix of true-to-life humor and unflinching honesty that makes Higginbotham's book work so well..."--PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (*Starred Review)
A much-needed title that provides a strong foundation for critical discussions of white people and racism, particularly for young audiences. Recommended for all collections. --SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (*Starred Review)
A necessary children's book about whiteness, white supremacy, and resistance... Important, accessible, needed. --KIRKUS REVIEWS
A timely story that addresses racism, civic responsibility, and the concept of whiteness. --FOREWORD REVIEWS
For white folks who aren't sure how to talk to their kids about race, this book is the perfect beginning. --O MAGAZINE
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Librarians love her, but not as much as she loves them.
MORE ABOUT the critically acclaimed Ordinary Terrible Things series by Anastasia Higginbotham:
It's that exact mix of true-to-life humor and unflinching honesty that makes Higginbotham's book work so well...--PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (*Starred Review)
A beautiful assemblage of a book--as if Romare Bearden himself rose from the dead and created a sequel to Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.--COURTNEY E. MARTIN, columnist for On Being
In her brilliant square picture book "Not My Idea", Anastasia Higginbotham skilfully argues and explains in a child-friendly way, why 'Racism is a white person's problem and we are all caught up in it - mostly by refusing to look at it.' The author not only informs children about white supremacy and the oppression of people of colour, she also comforts them and encourages them to make a difference, no matter how small they are. --WHITE RAVEN SELECTION 2019
A much-needed title that provides a strong foundation for critical discussions of white people and racism, particularly for young audiences. Recommended for all collections. --SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (*Starred Review)
A necessary children's book about whiteness, white supremacy, and resistance... Important, accessible, needed. --KIRKUS REVIEWS
A timely story that addresses racism, civic responsibility, and the concept of whiteness. --FOREWORD REVIEWS
For white folks who aren't sure how to talk to their kids about race, this book is the perfect beginning. --O MAGAZINE
Quite frankly, the first book I've seen that provides an honest explanation for kids about the state of race in America today. --ELIZABETH BIRD, librarian
I am in love with Not My Idea, and with Higginbotham's direct, radical, compassionate approach to talking about whiteness, racism, and the need to tell painful but important truths. --KATE SCHATZ, NYT-bestselling author of Rad American Women A-Z, Rad Women Worldwide, and Rad Girls Can
Anastasia Higginbotham is a children's book author and illustrator, not an athlete, but to teach kids to stand up against racism, she's taking a knee next to Colin Kaepernick. --FORUM
Higginbotham is silently asking her readers to be more aware of everything around them...she is able to take control of the narrative and answer questions that expand on what little the child can gleam from adults. --MEL SCHUIT, blogger at Let's Talk Picture Books
Anastasia's books are works of love and urgency...She's doing the work that few have tried. --GREG O'LOUGHLIN, founder of The Educators' Cooperative
