Colorblind: a Story of Racism

March 1, 2019
An African-American teen explores the way his life has been affected by his imprisoned relative and racial profiling.Fifteen-year-old Johnathan Harris tells his story in a graphic format that enhances his young voice. Johnathan and his close-knit working-class family (mom's a nurse, dad's a probation officer) live in Long Beach, California, but one of the biggest influences in his life, his uncle Russell, is serving time in Chuckawalla Valley State Prison, four hours away. "Crazy, right? My dad works in law enforcement and my uncle's in jail." Despite this, Johnathan's uncle provides guidance during visits and via other communication, encouraging him to understand and appreciate both his culture and those of others. Both early trauma and incidents as an older child playing soccer and in Boy Scouts make Johnathan question his uncle's efforts to get him to relinquish skin color prejudice, but he is ultimately able to hold onto those teachings. This memoir has a strong authentic youth voice and reflects a young teen's perspective. The full-color graphics are a strong accompaniment, often using visual metaphor. The concept of "colorblindness" is a dubious one, but it is Johnathan's efforts to avoid racial bitterness as he grows into manhood that come through. This volume, part of a series of graphic novels written by young adults, includes additional biographical information, information for parents, and teacher support (through the publisher's website). One teen's vision of hope shines through. (Graphic memoir. 11-14)

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May 1, 2019

Gr 4-7-In these slim graphic memoirs, young adults share their stories and attempt to cover serious issues. In Imperfect, Dounya Awada, a 24-year-old Muslim woman, describes how she turned to food for comfort as a child after an aunt said she was "too big." She gains weight and is bullied as a teenager, but after losing weight, she is still ostracized, and her body dysmorphia and food obsession turn into bulimia, nearly leading to her death. In Colorblind, Jonathan Harris, an African American teen, introduces readers to his family and recalls what his uncle, who is in prison, taught him about cultural appreciation and seeing beyond differences in skin color. A racist SWAT team traumatizes young Jonathan and his family while using excessive force during an unnecessary parole sweep. Jonathan then joins a soccer league and endures racial slurs from players on the other teams, but he eventually connects with one of those athletes to pass along his uncle's lessons. Both titles are heavy-handed and lack nuance. The metaphor of color-blindness as the cure for racism is outdated, and Jonathan's statement that he and the other player "both know what it was like to be oppressed" (the other athlete is Irish) is oversimplified. The illustrations in Dounya's story are rife with fat-shaming and depict her becoming thin, prior to developing bulimia, over the course of a couple of pages, sending the message that extreme weight loss is healthy, easy, and desirable. VERDICT Though well intentioned, these graphic narratives miss the mark.-Kacy Helwick, New Orleans Public Library

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2019
Grades 7-10 Harris tells his story of growing up in Long Beach while on a journey to help celebrate multiculturalism in this thought-provoking graphic novel. Readers meet his family, including his uncle, Russell, who was in prison throughout most of Harris' childhood. He relates life lessons gleaned from time with his uncle, sharing ways in which he used his uncle's teachings to deal with difficult situations. One such situation occurred when he was eight, when armed officers mistakenly raided his home, looking for his uncle, who was still incarcerated. The experience was horrific for his family, and as the book progresses, Harris tells how the event shaped and allowed him to move forward with positivity and love. The illustrations are beautifully vivid and engaging; traditional blocking and paneling make this a quick and powerful read. Photos are included at the end to give readers a real-life look into Harris' life. A book written for teens by a peer that showcases hope and optimism in the face of fear.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)