An important and age-appropriate fiction book that explores how police brutality and racially-biased violence affects families in the community, with parallel discussions between parents of a white and a black child. The back of the book contains a discussion guide to help parents approach the topic with their own children.

Note: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not compensated in any other fashion for the review and the opinions reflected below are entirely my own. Special thanks to the publisher and author for providing the copy.

SOMETHING HAPPENED IN OUR TOWN is a book I wholeheartedly wish was not necessary, but, unfortunately it is exceptionally relevant to the issues facing our society today.

Speaking to children about racial injustice and racial profiling, as well as issues of racism is difficult for parents to navigate. It is for this reason that this book is one that needs to be included in every library, school, and home book collection.

I am Rating this as 5 out of 5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Wow! I hate that this book must exist, but it must. A black man was shot. Exactly why or what happened is not known. It doesn’t need to be known because this book is about how it impacts the town's kids. They see and hear things just like adults, but they need more context, more explanation on why things happen. They also want to know how to keep it from happening again. Everything about this book is spot on. Even the information in the back is expansive, important, and necessary. For those out there trying to ban this book because it might make white children feel inferior or sad for history and current society, too bad. Because the black, brown, and other children feel worse as it is their people, they see these bad things happening to. This book is a very important resource that should be in all libraries and schools. We need to learn from history to make a better society, for if we don’t we will repeat it.

This title is perfect for starting the conversation with kids about racism and how to be an antiracist. It's so important to start those conversations early.

A great tool for generating discussion about what can be very sensitive issue. The recommendations (note to parents/guardians) are what really elevate this book to a valuable resource. Beautiful illustrations too.

I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Helps to inform children about race relations. It's a heavy subject but broken down into terms children can understand.

4★
“Something bad happened in our town.
The news was on the TV, the radio, and the internet
the grown-ups didn’t think the kids knew about it.
But the kids in Ms. Garcia’s class heard some older kids
talking about it, and they had questions.”

Of course they had questions. I remember asking plenty of awkward questions when I was little. There are several different situations mentioned and different illustration styles.

The first is about a black man who was shot by a police officer. In a white family, young Emma asks why, and her parents say it was a sad mistake, but big sister has a cynical look on her face and says he was shot because he was black.

My Goodreads review includes an illustration of Emma’s parents and sister discussing the shooting with her.

Then we jump to a discussion about the slaves who were brought to America which is followed by Mother showing Emma pictures from history and telling explain what patterns of behaviour are.

My Goodreads review includes an illustration of Emma and her mother looking at photographs

The next family is black, and the questions revolve around whether or not the policeman will go to jail. Again, the parents try to give young Josh measured answers, but big brother says “Cops stick up for each other . . . and they don’t like Black men.”

My Goodreads review includes an illustration of Josh’s family playing chess and discussing Black and White and choices.

As well as bright colour illustrations, there are very dark, scary ones that leave a lot to the imagination. I find them kind of frightening, which is also why an adult is required to be part of the reading experience, I think.

My Goodreads review includes an illustration of history, today’s reality, and black leaders working for justice and equality around the world.

Both Emma and Josh learn about helping friends not to tease each other about funny names or wearing glasses, and when a new boy, Omad comes to school, they meet the challenge.

My Goodreads review includes an illustration of Omad, poor little chap, facing a new class and a new language in a new country

Nobody will pick him for the soccer team, but they insist, of course. My only regret is that the authors didn’t see fit to make him a star soccer player and knock the socks off the other kids, but I guess that’s not really the point of the book!

There are very extensive “notes” at the end, which is actually quite a lengthy essay that should be read before you attempt to read this with a child. This is the beginning of it.

“’Something Happened in Our Town is designed to be read to children ages 4 to 8, and focuses on bias (prejudiced attitudes) and injustice (discriminatory actions) against African Americans. Before reading this book to children, you may find it helpful to review the material in this Note. in addition to providing general guidance about countering racism with children, this Note offers child-friendly vocabulary definitions, conversation guides, and a link to additional online resources for parents and teachers. This information can help you feel more prepared to address the topic of racial injustice with young children.”

I have to say, this little book really doesn’t pull any punches. They let big sister and big brother spit out the problems as they see them, but the authors don’t let them discourage the kids from trying to do better. I expect the advice at the end will be very helpful for families living with these situations day-to-day.

Thanks to NetGalley and Magination Press for the preview copy from which I’ve shared quotes and illustrations.

Unfortunately, this is a much needed book in our world right now. It tries to explain to children about the shooting of an unarmed black man. The parents of a white child and of a black child each explain to their children about the history of racism, slavery and how people are unfairly treated based upont he colour of their skin or their names. In one family a teenage brother also shared his ideas, which show us that there is much work to be done. The idea is to try and teach them to change this pattern and unfairness. In the book, the children pair up to help a new child feel welcome in their school. This child is named Omad. This is also timely as there are so many refugees in both Canada and the U.S. and are often targeted as terrorists. Even though the book is explaining the shooting of a black man, it is able to be used to show racism about any group. What a wonderful book to read to children in middle grades, especially when doing a unit on Social Justice. The youth will change the world and this is a good start to education them about the injustices that occur. This is not a book I would read to young children, I would use it with children in junior grades and up. The publisher, Magination Press, generously provided me with a copy of this book to read. The rating, opinions and ideas are my own.

This is a needed book in Children's lit today. A great book to read to start conversations about race, and injustice. It should be in all school libraries.

Do you have kids aged 4-8, or even older? If you do, you need this book.
This is a book parents require, to explain the racial violence and injustice that is so frequently seen on social media or even in the neighborhood.
The story starts with a police shooting where an unarmed black man is killed. Two children ask their families why it happened: the girl is white, the boy is black. So we get two different points of view and distinct emotions. But they both share the feeling of injustice.
The historical roots of racism that start with slavery are explained in a way that children can easily grasp. Parents teach the children empathy, tolerance, and pride in one’s color and race. They show the need to fight prejudice and exclusion.
Next day, this girl and this boy, who are friends at school, proceed by showing kindness and helping a new student of Muslim descent.
The authors are all psychologists who have worked with children and families. They give a precious resource for parents and teachers to use in opening up and making easier the conversation with children on the ongoing and tragic issue of racism in America.
You can find a “Note to Parents and Caregivers” in the end, with conversation guides and sample dialogues, child-friendly vocabulary and a list of related resources.
On the site of the American Psychological Association you can find Book Lists and Online Resources and Read Aloud Tips for Educators, related to this publication.
This is a book of the utmost importance for the new generations so that this sad violence pattern based on racism can end with them. This is a commendable work.

My daughter and I both loved this book. It is informative and addresses social/racism issues in a way that kids can easily understand. I think it is important to talk to your kids about how people of color are treated differently and this book is a great way to start the conversation. The guide at the end is extremely helpful when addressing some of your children’s questions. Highly recommend. Every parent should be reading books like this to their children.

This is a timely book aimed at children between 4 and 8 years of age. Immediately we learn of a police officer who has shot and killed a black man, wrongly suspecting that the victim was holding a weapon.

A young white girl comes home from school, having picked up some of the shooting details, and she processes the news with her parents. They share some of the history of discrimination and prejudice that people of color have faced in our country as well as demonstrating empathy and natural next steps.

Then the attention shifts to a young black boy having similar conversations with his parents, whose emotions are understandably raw and frustrated ("'I'm mad that we're still treated poorly sometimes, but I can use my anger to make things better,' said his father. 'Black people have a lot of power if we work together to make changes.'")

Both young children return to school with new knowledge of how to change the status quo. When a new student begins at their school from the Middle East with only a limited grasp of the English language, other students keep their distance but Josh and Emma are given an opportunity to reach out and both make him feel welcome. We end the story with hope that with knowledge and intentional actions, there can be continued progress in the future.

At the close of the book there is a note for parents/adults that offers additional advice and resources. This extended section will be especially valuable to parents and teachers having these conversations for the first time. The sample questions and answers are well thought out and researched and the dialogues explain gently but clearly how to model these conversations well.

This book is a two parts book: the story and the "how to use it recommendations".

It is a short story that can help children accept and understand other children that are different.
Also, it can encourage children to stand up for others when it needed.

What I liked the most are the suggestions from the second part of the book. It is a very helpful tool for who wants to use this book in order to accept that persons that are different.

This book made me cry. It is very powerfully written and a great tool to use for hard discussions with kids. I will be buying a copy of this book and recommending it to everyone that I know!!

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This one is going to be an excellent picture book for bigger kids as well as littler kids. The story compares how two different families deal with the problem of a horrible event in their community. It's an excellent opener for a conversation with kids about how we deal with violence in our community and sadly, there seem to be a lot of opportunities to use a book like this.

An important look at racial inequality, with language and examples that are easy for children to understand. The pictures are beautiful and I think this book can help children reflect and take action in their own schools.

Something Happened in Our Town
A Child's Story About Racial Injustice
by Marianne Celano; Marietta Collins; Ann Hazzard

American Psychological Association

Magination Press
Children's Fiction
Pub Date 04 Apr 2018

I am reviewing a copy of Something Happened In Our Town through Magination Press and Netgalley:


In this beautifully written and illustrated children's book, children were learn about racial injustice as it happens today.


In there town something bad happens a man is shot by a Police Officer when a young girl tries to understand why this happened, why an innocent man was shot and her Mother goes on to talk to her about the pattern of racial injustice and pointed out that years ago even her family had slaves, but the Mother does her best to teach her young daughter that Something needs to be done to help stop the Injustice.


In another house Josh is trying to understand the same tragic event he wonders if Police can go to jail his Mother remains them they can but his Father reminds him that cops stick together so he probably won't. He talks about how many cops don't like Black People something Malcolm has a hard time understanding because his Uncle is a Colored Police Officer.

Josh's Father reminds him that if Black People worked together they can bring about change.


The following day a new kid named Omar comes to their school, while other kids don't invite him to play Emma and Josh do.


I give Something Happened In Our Times five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

Good take on racial injustice for kids. I liked that the parents actually sat and discussed the issue with their respective children.It also told both sides of the story, black and white. I think it should be used as a jumping off point to discuss racial injustice with kids in a classroom. I thought the illustrations were well done and tied the story together nicely.

I must admit, I am a bit torn about this book. I was super excited to see a book that would tackle the topic of police brutality. A book is much needed to start conversations in classroom spaces. However, this book doesn't quite do the work we need. This book is situated almost as a morality tale rather than a story and tries to cover too many elements at once. A better approach would be to simply tell a story (like The Hate U Give does so well). This book just seems to take some facts from current events and toss them around on a page without really giving much thought to narrative and storytelling itself. While I notice the importance of this conversation and do not debate the salient points that are made in this book, the approach just falls flat.

I would be remiss if I didn't note the illustrations are fabulous.

Trigger warning! If you are a white snowflake who uses the hashtag #AllLivesMatter or if you ignore the systemic racism in our society, you will probably be triggered by this book.

This book doesn’t pull any punches - especially for a children’s book! Recommended reading. We need a fair and just society, and we won’t have it unless we’re all fighting for it.

<i>Thanks to NetGalley and Magination Press for a copy in return for an honest review.</i>