Let's Talk About Race (Diversity Picture Book)

Let's Talk About Race (written by Julius Lester and illustrated by Karen Barbour) is a picture book about diversity that addresses diversity that I think should be in every elementary school library.  The book talks about how each of us has a life story: our birthplace, our religion, our hobbies, our likes and dislikes, and our race (to name a few).  Julius Lester points out that sometimes people say or think they are better than others for lots of reason: race, nationality, amount of money parents make, etc.  However, under our skin we are all the same.  The basic point of the book is that on the outside we are all different but on the inside we all look the same and that our race does not make us who we are.

Now, anyone who watches Bones knows that technically this is not true; in fact, Bones (Temperance Brennan, quirky anthropologist for the uninitiated) is usually able to determine sex and race just by looking at bones.  However, for the purpose of this book the idea that we are all the same under our skin is a great point.  All joking "technicalities" aside, I think this is a great book.  Let's Talk About Race is a wonderful way to teach children that they shouldn't judge someone because of how they look and that they aren't superior or inferior because of their race.  Actually, I think there a quite a few adults who could benefit from reading this book as well...  This book is a must-have for all libraries and I think the earlier we can teach children this lesson, the better off our world will be.