Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi

Thanks to @librofm and @hachetteaudio for the ALC! Jason Reynolds can do no wrong, so when he teamed up with Ibram X. Kendi to create a remix of Kendi's award winning work, Stamped from the Beginning, I knew it was going to be good. I was thrilled to find that Reynolds narrates the book himself because I would literally listen to Reynolds read the side of a shampoo bottle. His voice is that good. Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You is an adaptation specifically for young adults, which is part of what makes Reynolds the perfect choice - his enthusiasm and energy for the topic is contagious. But everything about the production of this audiobook is thoughtful, from the punchy cover to the beats between chapters to the way Reynolds address the very young people for whom this book is written - young people who have never experienced a history book like this. I am already planning how to incorporate this book into my classroom: the chapter on W.E.B. DuBois and Booker T. Washington is the best and most engaging synthesis of their stances that I've come across, and will be perfect for our unit on the Harlem Renaissance! Stamped is a brief but thoughtful history of race, specifically as it pertains to America, and while its target audience is young adults, I will (and already have!) recommended this text to adults. This would made a great starter book for those looking to better understand race in this country, or for those who may be intimidated by Kendi's adult work (I've seen his most recent book, How to Be an Antiracist, on Instagram a ton!). Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You is out March 10th, and if it wasn't already clear, you should get a copy.