Description

Race Cars is a children’s book about white privilege created to help parents and educators facilitate tough conversations about race, privilege and oppression.

Written by a clinical social worker and child therapist with experience in anti-bias training and edited by a diversity expert, Race Cars tells the story of 2 best friends, a white car and a black car, that have different experiences and face different rules while entering the same race.

Filled with bright, attention-grabbing illustrations, a notes and activities section at the back helps parents, guardians and teachers further discuss these issues with children.

Why is this book important? As early as 6 months old, a baby’s brain can notice race-based differences; children ages 2 to 4 can internalise racial bias and start assigning meaning to race; and 5- to 8-year-olds begin to place value judgments on similarities and differences. By age 12, children have a complete set of stereotypes about every racial, ethnic and religious group in society. Our guidance is especially crucial during this impressionable time.

Race Cars offers a simple, yet powerful, way to introduce these complicated themes to our children and is a valuable addition to classroom and home libraries.
“… a great tool for helping young people understand structural racial inequality-and the importance of challenging it!” – Margaret A. Hagerman, Associate Professor of Sociology, Author of White Kids: Growing Up with Privilege in a Racially Divided America

“… can jumpstart important conversations with children about racism, white privilege, and how to fight racial injustice in their own lives.” – Marianne Celano, New York Times bestselling co-author of Something Happened in Our Town: A Child’s Story About Racial Injustice

Publisher Review

An innovative look at white privilege. -- Fiona Noble * The Bookseller * This book offers an unflinching expose of white privilege and racial injustice in the form of an allegorical tale easily understood by elementary school students. The discussion notes feature questions that can jumpstart important conversations with children about racism, white privilege, and how to fight racial injustice in their own lives. * Marianne Celano -- New York Times bestselling co-author of 'Something Happened in Our Town: A Child's Story About Racial Injustice' * Race Cars is an engaging and compelling book about White privilege. Many White parents, in particular, struggle to discuss race with their children, and they fail to understand their children's developing biases and perceptions. Devenny's book can help kickstart those critical conversations and is an excellent aid for parents working to raise anti-racist children. * Dr Erin Pahlke (Ph.D) -- Associate professor of psychology at Whitman College. * Race Cars is an engaging and creative book that offers kids a look at how policies and practices, along with people in powerful positions, can reproduce unequal hierarchies, opportunities, and outcomes. The authors provide an excellent guide for parents to use as they engage in meaningful discussions about racism and inequality with their kids. This book is a great tool for helping young people understand structural racial inequality-and the importance of challenging it! * Margaret A. Hagerman -- Associate Professor of Sociology, Author of White Kids: Growing Up with Privilege in a Racially Divided America *