Something Happened in Our Town

A police officer shot and killed a black man. The members of white family discuss together what happened; the members of a black family discuss together what happened. Ideas are shared in the families about how to take action to make things better in the future. When an unjust situation arises at school, the children from the families are able to take action and make things better. The back of the book has an extensive note to parents and caregivers, offering information and ideas for talking to children when situations of racial injustice occur. The book is published by Magination Press, an imprint of the American Psychological Association, and the authors are all psychologists who have worked together for twenty years at Emory University School of Medicine.

I wanted to love this book. I agree profoundly the ideas it argues. It is about a topic that is needed in children's picture books; however, this one miss the marked for being a children's book. It fits better as an educational book for parents to read together to create a plan of discussing institutional racism and violence against POC with their children.

I think this is a very important story for kids and to understand a complex situation like racial injustice and police brutality. I think it involves good questions that get kids thinking. I like especially in the story that it gives kids the opportunity to apply what they learned about injustice and make a change on their level by making friendships. I think after discussing a big issue like this kids may feel a little powerless but the story told encourages small steps that they can do themselves to make a difference!

There is a parent guide on the back to help promote discussion and I think its important to have with kids because they will hear about things like this and have questions.

Read this for banned book week! Celebrate banned books!