Parents' Guide to

Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You

By Barbara Saunders, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Conversational history traces U.S. ideas about race.

Book Jason Reynolds , Ibram X. Kendi History 2020
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

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age 13+

Based on 8 parent reviews

CWKnight
CWKnight Adult
May 28, 2021
age 13+

Not What I Hoped It Would Be

I wanted to love this book. I expected to find it engaging. Instead I found a “not history book” that was presented as historically accurate. Racism did not begin in the 15th century and Haiti is not in the Eastern Hemisphere. Many statements were presented as factual but are biased and debatable. Young people may not have the reading and analytical thinking skills to distinguish fact from opinion when it is presented as factual. Inflammatory language may make many readers feel confused and defensive - which is unproductive to open and honest conversations on race and America’s history.
LaurieM 1
LaurieM 1 Adult
May 4, 2021
age 16+

One side, distorted

Like many other reviewers this presents itself as telling history but picks and chooses quotes and events and doesn’t site sources. It is very misleading. The author specifically says its not a history book so he can get away with only showing one perspective and drawing many conclusions that are not supported by fact. However, it is written as if it is a true history and that is the way kids will read it.
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What's the Story?

STAMPED tells the story of competing ideas about race as they have evolved in the United States from the colonial period to the present. The authors present these ideas in relatable, young person-friendly ways and discuss the conflicts between people who write about them, embody them, and act on them. Three kinds of ideas (and people) are identified: "Haters" (segregationists) believe Black people are different from and inferior to White people and preach separation of the races. "Cowards" (assimilationists) believe Black people are damaged, whether through external or internal causes, and focus on how they can win the approval of Whites. Antiracists believe there's nothing wrong with Black people, and focus on dismantling systems of racism.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (8 ):
Kids say (8 ):

Jason Reynolds' extraordinary gifts with language make reading this history with commentary feel almost like listening to a freestyle rap artist. It's an ambitious experiment with a few flaws. Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi set out to make Stamped something other than a history book. Rather than a list of dates or an interpretation of the same major historical events, it mixes historical facts with commentary to trace a history of ideas. That makes it a fun departure from books that aim to teach about events, but the idea that it's "not a history book" doesn't quite ring true. Readers should be aware that the authors present a strong, subjective point of view, not a neutral investigation. At times, it seems stories were cherry-picked to support the thesis instead of a thesis being crafted around the most significant historical events. Still, it's an entertaining and important read.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the heroes and role models who are criticized or lauded in Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You. What do you think of the authors' statements about W.E.B. Du Bois, Abraham Lincoln, Angela Davis, and others?

  • Stamped is written in a casual, humorous style. Did that help you to stay interested in the material?

  • The authors repeat numerous times, "This is not a history book." Do you agree? If Stamped isn't a history book, what kind of book would you call it?

Book Details

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