The Talk: Conversations about Race, Love & Truth

by Wade Hudson, Cheryl Willis Hudson Narrated by Fajer Al-Kaisi, Feodor Chin, Gisela Chípe, Michael Crouch, Janina Edwards, James Fouhey, Renata Friedman, Catherine Ho, Nicole Lewis, Omar Leyva, Guy Lockard, Jesus E. Martinez, Lisa Renee Pitts

Overview

This powerful collection of short stories, essays, and poems is a call-to-action that invites all families to be anti-racist and advocates for change.

Thirty diverse, award-winning authors and illustrators--including Renee Watson (Piecing Me Together), Grace Lin (Where the Mountain Meets the Moon), Meg Medina (Merci Suarez Changes Gears), and Adam Gidwitz (The Inquisitor's Tale)--engage young people in frank discussions about racism, identity and self-esteem. Featuring stories filled with love, acceptance, truth, peace, and an assurance that there can be hope for a better tomorrow, The Talk is an inspiring anthology and must-have resource published in partnership with Just Us Books, a black-owned children's publishing company that's been in operation for over 30 years. Just Us Books continues its mission grounded in the same belief that helped launch the company: Good books make a difference.

So, let's talk.

Featured contributors: Selina Alko, Tracey Baptiste, Derrick Barnes, Natacha Bustos, Cozbi A. Cabrera, Raúl Colón, Adam Gidwitz, Nikki Grimes, Rudy Gutierrez, April Harrison, Wade Hudson, Gordon C. James, Minh Lê, E. B. Lewis, Grace Lin, Torrey Maldonado, Meg Medina, Christopher Myers, Daniel Nayeri, Zeke Peña, Peter H. Reynolds, Erin K. Robinson, Traci Sorell, Shadra Strickland, Don Tate, MaryBeth Timothy, Duncan Tonatiuh, Renée Watson, Valerie Wilson Wesley, Sharon Dennis Wyeth

Features original music by Curtis Hudson.

This audiobook includes a downloadable PDF of sources and notes from the authors.

"The go-to book for talking to kids about race and privilege. Thoughtful. Thought-provoking. A must-read for every family." -Ellen Oh, editor of Flying Lessons & Other Stories and cofounder of We Need Diverse Books

"The ingredients are all here. May this magnificent collection inspire us to move from dialogue to deep action." -Kirkus, Starred Review

Editorial Reviews

OCTOBER 2020 - AudioFile

A group of experienced narrators vividly presents this series of conversations with young people about race. Fans of audiobooks will recognize many names in the impressive lineup, including those of Michael Crouch, Janina Edwards, and Guy Lockard. The diversity of the cast reflects the male and female writers who tackle serious topics such as discrimination among elementary school children. Portraying a diverse group ranging from African-Americans to Asians, the narrators capture the anecdotes and conversations with dynamism. They make the complicated dialogue among parents, siblings, and other children compelling, realistic, and moving. This timely production addresses an increasingly insistent contemporary issue. One can listen to the short, powerful chapters in any order. M.R. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine

Publishers Weekly

★ 10/05/2020

“There are myriad versions of ‘The Talk’ because there are myriad ways to be human,” reads the Hudsons’ (We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices) foreword to this richly inclusive volume. Here, the pioneer founders of Just Us Books present a riveting collection of 17 candid discussions on racism, identity, and self-esteem by 30 Black, Indigenous, and other children’s book creators of color. A wide variety of storytelling modes—poetry, essays, lists, letters, “comix frames”—move each conversation forward in an engaging manner. In “Remember This,” Renée Watson, with illustrations by Shadra Strickland, offers powerful affirmations to Black girls on how to “love the kink of your hair, the width of your hips, and the brown of your skin.” In “Not a China Doll,” Grace Lin explains stereotypes about East Asian women and advises resistance in a heartwarming illustrated letter to her daughter. Through contributors’ personal experiences with systemic issues, readers will recognize the necessity of having open dialogue with loved ones. A compelling call to action for readers of any background to initiate ongoing conversations about change. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 10–up. (Sept.)

From the Publisher

A NEW YORK TIMES Best Children's Book of the Year
An NPR Best Book of the Year
A Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year

Praise for The Talk:

“The essays, stories, poems and letters . . . make plain that the hard conversations we all need to have about race are part of a broad reckoning with our nation’s history. The book’s black-and-white images project love and support.” —The New York Times

“This star-studded collection of #ownvoices authors calls readers in for necessary reminders in service of everyday actions that we must pursue to cultivate real change.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“Though readers of color may find a number of these entries far too familiar, there is striking versatility in the approaches, cultures, and experiences of the authors that will compel readers of all backgrounds to continue forward.” —Booklist, starred review

“Validating for readers already familiar with these kinds of talks and importantly enlightening for those to whom the ideas of such restrictions are new.” —The Bulletin, starred review

“Through contributors’ personal experiences with systemic issues, readers will recognize the necessity of having open dialogue with loved ones. A compelling call to action.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

“A well-conceived anthology that provides much-needed enlightenment and opportunity for both reflection and discussion.” —The Horn Book

“A heartfelt collection that speaks to the multifaceted and nuanced struggles of marginalized people.” —School Library Journal

“This collection should speak to any child or adult—especially BIPOC children and adults—who has been affected by systemic racism and inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement. . . . An anthology filled with abiding inspirational messages of self-love and love for others.” —Shelf Awareness

School Library Journal

08/28/2020

Gr 5 Up—There comes a time when parents and caregivers have to give "The Talk" to children. "The Talk" can be about sexual orientation, racism, or gender and/or racial identity. Children can ask complex questions, which can cause adults to pause. Adults wonder, "How do I begin to answer?" This collection of poetry and prose, which focuses on race, offers a great starting point. With contributions from writers including Derrick Barnes, Cozbi A. Cabrera, Nikki Grimes, Grace Lin, Meg Medina, Christopher Myers, and Renée Watson, the text answers tough questions and shares the struggles of marginalized people, who are forced to navigate hostile environments. Black, Native, and immigrant experiences are spotlighted. For example, in "Why Are There Racist People?" by Duncan Tonatiuh, a student asks, "Where does racism come from?" This question leads Tonatiuh on a search to find the answer. Tonatiuh concludes that racism is a tool used to prevent unity and exploit marginalized groups. This title can be a tool for teachers, educators, and caretakers to center the intersectional struggles of diverse racial and ethnic groups, and the use of poetry and prose offers multiple ways to interact and engage with the text. VERDICT A heartfelt collection that speaks to the multifaceted and nuanced struggles of marginalized people. Recommended for public and school libraries.—Ruth Guerrier-Pierre, New York Public Library

OCTOBER 2020 - AudioFile

A group of experienced narrators vividly presents this series of conversations with young people about race. Fans of audiobooks will recognize many names in the impressive lineup, including those of Michael Crouch, Janina Edwards, and Guy Lockard. The diversity of the cast reflects the male and female writers who tackle serious topics such as discrimination among elementary school children. Portraying a diverse group ranging from African-Americans to Asians, the narrators capture the anecdotes and conversations with dynamism. They make the complicated dialogue among parents, siblings, and other children compelling, realistic, and moving. This timely production addresses an increasingly insistent contemporary issue. One can listen to the short, powerful chapters in any order. M.R. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine

Kirkus Reviews

★ 2020-06-30
This star-studded collection of #ownvoices authors calls readers in for necessary reminders in service of everyday actions that we must pursue to cultivate real change.

This collection is right on time. As many people reach for undifferentiated anti-racist reading lists to catch up to the Black-led front lines of today’s social movements, the Hudsons take an approach for young readers that emphasizes intergenerational relationships, familial intimacy, and intersectional justice. These are “real conversations,” both in that many of them draw from true personal experiences and also in the sense that they revel in depth and substance. The editors put it this way: “With advice and love, harsh realities and encouraging words, the talks offered in this anthology…embrace honest ways of thinking that help expand ourselves and others in a complex and diverse society.” Each contribution has its own unique viewpoint paired with arresting grayscale illustrations; together they take on a diversity of forms including prose, poems, and comics. Race plays a central role, yet the conversations expand beyond a Black-White binary to be inclusive of Asian, Latinx, and Native experiences as well. An all-star list of authors and illustrators appears throughout the pages—an embarrassment of literary riches. Backmatter includes explanatory notes from some of the authors, and biographical notes on all the contributors. It’s a perfect sequel to the Hudsons’ critically acclaimed collection We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices (2018).

The ingredients are all here. May this magnificent collection inspire us to move from dialogue to deep action. (backmatter) (Anthology. 10-adult)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940173206688
Publisher:	Penguin Random House
Publication date:	08/11/2020
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	10 - 13 Years

Read an Excerpt

Foreword
 
There are many reasons why parents and caregivers share “The Talk” with children. For some, it’s to prepare their daughter for the challenges she will surely face because she is female. Others have “The Talk” because of their youngster’s sexual orientation. Immigrant parents have few options but to have it. And many have it because their son or daughter chooses to pursue an occupation, join a team, or participate in an organization where they were not often welcome because of their physical appearance.
 
The list goes on. There are myriad versions of “The Talk” because there are myriad ways to be human. And we wish we had the space to capture all of these conversations within these pages, because we know they are happening and we know people are hurting. This collection focuses on race, but we hope our readers see the words and images shared here as a starting point and a way we can all begin to build a more accepting world for each other.
 
In our home, we had “The Talk” with our daughter, Katura, and our son, Stephan. Many times. As adults responsible for two beautiful Black children, we knew how essential it was to give them the tools to make their way as safely as possible in a society that is too often hostile to them simply because they are African American. Especially as sometimes that hostility leads to the loss of Black life. So we drummed into them the dos and don’ts, the places to go and places to avoid, what to say, what not to say, and even how to say it. Just as our parents did for us. We desperately wanted to keep our kids protected, but we also didn’t want to erode their positive self-esteem or sense of place in the world. Our talks were balancing acts indeed.
 
We can only imagine the kinds of talks that occur in homes and schools today because so many of us are being picked on, pushed aside, told we don’t belong, or told to go back to where we came from. But we knew a group of people who would have that knowledge firsthand.
 
The outstanding writers and artists whose work is featured in this anthology are intimately familiar with these crucial discussions and know just how important they can be. “The Talk,” as much as any conversation can, helped them become more aware and better equipped when faced with the challenges the world threw at them—challenges that their parents and loved ones anticipated. They share their experiences and the impact “The Talk” has had on their lives as well as the lessons they have passed on to their own children.
 
In these pages, the authors and illustrators use different forms and styles. There are letters, lists, poems, short stories, and essays. Illustrations are rendered in watercolor, collage, pen and ink, acrylic, comix frames, and digital styles. And their messages are as diverse as their mediums.
 
These revealing and frank moments expose lessons of empowerment and periods of shame, times when the contributors were told they were small and instances when role models insisted they were born to be big. With advice and love, harsh realities and encouraging words, the talks offered in this anthology are real conversations that embrace honest ways of thinking that help expand ourselves and others in a complex and diverse society. Too frequently, we are silenced from having tough conversations because we feel we don’t have the words. But what these award-winning creators of books for children and young adults share in this collection are stories and images that are filled with love, acceptance, truth, peace,
and an assurance that there can be hope for a better tomorrow and a better future for all of us. So, let’s talk.

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