Aug. 2021. 32p. illus. Lerner, lib. ed., $29.32 (9781728423425). Grades 4-8. 365.608.
REVIEW. First published October 1, 2021 (Booklist).
Lerner’s new Read Woke Books brand, created with librarian Lewis, “seek[s] to challenge social norms, give voice to the voiceless, provide information about [disenfranchised] groups . . ., disrupt the status quo, and share perspectives from underrepresented or oppressed groups.” Its Issues in Action series (6 titles) certainly does this. Here, readers get a frank accounting of mass incarceration in the U.S. today and how it disproportionately affects Black people as Lewis traces its roots to slavery, Jim Crow laws and convict leasing programs, Nixon’s War on Drugs and unjust sentencing practices, and the school-to-prison pipeline. The short chapters pack a punch with sentences that make unflinching statements, such as “Though slavery ended, white people continued to torture, abuse, and disenfranchise Black people by creating unfair systems.” Each page features an illustration or quote by a respected expert, and readers wishing to get involved or learn more will appreciate the “Take Action” suggestions and the “Read Woke Reading List.” Though source notes for the many compelling statistics are sadly absent, this remains a strong addition to social-justice collections.
— Julia Smith
