Lets Talk About Race: Julius Lester

"I am a story. So are you".

Let’s Talk About Race by Julius Lester offers an opportunity for philosophical discussion about race, and how racial identity affects the way we view one another. While thinking about their own life stories and hearing those of their friends, students may begin to find that what looks like an easy question may not have such an easy answer. This will encourage them to break down their own assumptions about race and critically think about them. Lester discusses how each individual has many different elements to their story, from family, to name, to likes and dislikes and maybe even race. However, he says that race is just a portion of your story, but why do people think it is so important? He explains that sometimes we get too caught up on race and make quick assumptions based on skin color.

Lester tells his own story with details that kids will enjoy, like his favorite food, hobbies, and time of day. Then he states, "Oh. There's something else that is part of my story…I'm black." Throughout the narrative, he asks questions that young readers can answer, creating a dialogue about who they are and encouraging them to tell their own tales. He also discusses "stories" that are not always true, pointing out that we create prejudice by perceiving ourselves as better than others. He asks children to press their fingers against their faces, pointing out, "Beneath everyone's skin are the same hard bones." Remove our skin and we would all look the same. Lester's engaging tone is just right and his words are particularly effective, maintaining readers' interest and keeping them from becoming defensive.


One aspect that does hold true is the Common Core Standards. Critics of the CCSS  have questioned a number of different aspects of the standards, including how they were written, whether they are developmentally appropriate and whether too much emphasis has been placed on non-fiction at the cost of literature.When the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) were introduced in 2009—2010 , the literacy needs of half the children in the United States were neglected. Of 171 texts recommended for elementary children in Appendix B of the CCSS, there are only 18 by authors of color, and few books reflect the lives of children of color and the poor (Strauss).

Books such as Lets Talk About Race are important because statistics show they improve reading proficiency. Appendix B of the CCSS as presented added to the aggregate that consistently marginalizes multicultural children’s literature: book lists, school book fairs and book order forms, literacy textbooks (books that teach teachers), and transitional books (books that help children segue from picture books to lengthier texts). If we want all children to become proficient readers, we must stock classrooms with mirror books for all children. This change in our classroom libraries will also allow children of the dominant culture to see literature about others who look different and live differently (Strauss).

Lester, Julius and Karen Barbour. Let's Talk About Race. New York: HarperCollinsPublishers, 2005. Print.

Strauss, Valerie. "How Common Core’S Recommended Books Fail Children Of Color". Washington Post. N.p., 2016. Web. 11 July 2016.