I must reluctantly introduce you to an ugly lie some people tell to try to make you believe a mountain is actually a molehill…or a pile of spaghetti. This is the villain of our tale, The Lying Liar Called Racism, and it’ll try to make you feel small, powerless, and bad about yourself.
Never fear, though, because you can spot this villain and stay strong against it by remembering that you are not and never will be a pile of floppy, sloppy spaghetti. You’re a mighty mountain. Never forget it.
The Lying Liar Called Racism gently introduces the concept of racism to young children in a way that helps them immediately understand that racism is a form of gaslighting designed to make them question their inherent value. It is a love letter to children to help them never internalize racist messages, to know that racism is not because of the color of their skin (skin color is not the problem—the villain’s beliefs are the problem), and to reduce the lifelong harm racism can cause a child.
Author’s Note to Caregivers
This picture book is written as an introduction to the concept of racism. I intentionally avoided delving into specific examples of overt racism, institutional racism, and inequality to allow caregivers to introduce these heavier concepts to their child in the right time for their family, taking their child’s sensitivities and phase of development into account.
It is my strong belief that it is ok to teach Black and Brown children about racism over time, and not necessarily by placing the entire weight of the world on their shoulders all in one sitting and at a young age. Black and Brown children deserve safety and security and to have space in their world free from anxiety and fear…
- Paperback: 32 Pages
- Type: Picture Book
- Age Range: 4-8 Years Old
- Grades: Preschool – 3rd Grade
- Language: English (Spanish coming soon)
- Book Dimensions: 8.5″ x 8.5″
- Publisher: Real Life Bricks
- Estimated Publication Date: October 2020
About the Author
Giselle Fuerte is an AfroLatinx immigrant from Panama who lives in the United States with her husband and young children. She holds a graduate degree in education from the University of Southern California and, along with her husband and eldest child, operates Real Life Bricks, a customizer of LEGO® minifigures to make them reflect the diversity of the real world.
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