Fact Friday and Audiobook Review: Stamped, Racism, Anti-racism and You: a remix of Stamped from the Beginning by Jason Reynolds & Ibram X. Kendi.

Image: LBYR

Happy last day of school, TMS Readers! Fact Friday features: Stamped, Racism, Anti-racism and You: a remix of Stamped from the Beginning by Jason Reynolds & Ibram X. Kendi. Yes, you read that right. Jason Reynolds has forayed into nonfiction territory and adapted Dr. Kendi's National Book Award-winning, Stamped from the Beginning for a young audience. 

On the opening page, or in my case on the opening track, since I listened to Mr. Reynolds read his work, he assures the reader/ listener, "This is NOT a history book." It is, but it certainly does not feel like one in this capable storyteller's hands. Jason Reynolds is a fearless writer, always willing to experiment, as he does so with font changes and dramatic use of white space. He & Dr. Kendi bring the reader back to 1415, when a document was written to justify the enslavement of human beings on religious grounds. He connects the dots through history from the arrival of the first ships bearing enslaved men and women to the New World, through the Civil War, the Jim Crow era, the Civil Rights Movement, the "war on drugs," the school-to-prison pipeline to the #BLM movement of today. He does so with a bit of humor to balance the horror and despicable injustices. He also takes the occasional break to remind the reader to stop and breathe. Because that's exactly what happens. You find yourself holding your breath. This inspiring work will compel you to sit with the material and do some reflection. You might even reread it, as I intend to do soon.

Jason Reynolds' writing here is conversational. I've read each of his novels and heard him speak on multiple occasions so his voice is firmly in my head. I started reading an arc with my eyes, then heard that he was narrating the audio and decided to wait and listen to the real voice. And what a voice. Even my dog was entranced. 

Stamped: Racism, Anti-racism and You belongs in all libraries. I would love to make this a One Book One School read or, at least an all-faculty read. I can't recommend this enough.