“Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Boy” by Emmanuel Acho is a book that I highly recommend. It’s targeted at a young adult audience, but it’s for all of us.

One of the most common things that comes up in the conversations I have about parenting and race is “How do I address white privilege with my children? Do I even need to?”
Yes, we need to. There are some resources that can guide us. This book and the chapter on white privilege, in particular, can help. There is a chapter on cultural appropriation and honestly, this book should cost twice as much for the value of these two chapters alone!

Our children are going to make this world a better place because of the hard conversations their parents are willing to have. I’m grateful for Emmanuel Acho and the many others who are willing to share their voices and rich experience with us. Seeing the world through another’s experience is a gift. If you have kiddos, this book is a great one to read together and discuss.

Older elementary, middle, or high school teachers, buy this book to share with your class. And then send Emmanuel Acho a thank you note. I promise you won’t regret it. Emmanuel is a masterful storyteller who has blended his personal experience, the history of America and current events into a book that we all need to have on our bedside table.

The publisher made a copy of this book available via Netgalley for review. This is my honest opinion.

A timely book on a topic that has long been brushed under the rug. White privilege, racism and the history of how we came to this stage of our history as a country are explained in a variety of chapters. Key questions and the explanations are recapped in the "rewind" section at the end of each chapter. I found the writing style and vocabulary best suited for upper middle grades through adults. Similar in tone and style to Ocho's "Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man" this title breaks down the difficult conversations into a readable and relatable format.

A timely book and PC. Very well written and should be read whether you agree with all his premises or not. Each chapter divided into different sections, each becoming more relatable to the topic of that chapter.

This book both educates and motivates all who read it, young, old, white, Black, or brown. It provides a scaffolding for the kind of uncomfortable conversations that need to be happening daily to evoke change in America. As a Black woman, I found myself nodding in agreement with some parts and cringing at others because the facts are raw and all too relevant to me personally. Yet I understand how important this book is, and I will do my part to place it in the hands of as many students and teachers as I can.

In this highly engaging middle grade/YA book, Emmanuel Acho breaks down the history of racism in America in accessible language peppered with personal anecdotes. I recommend “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Boy” for upper elementary students through adults looking for a comprehensive overview of systemic racism, white privilege, and ways to combat racial injustice and be an ally. Acho’s inclusion of the Black Lives Matter movement, Colin Kaepernick’s peaceful protests in the NFL, the murder of George Floyd, and the Capitol Hill insurrection help readers put these current and more distant historical events in the larger context of racism in America. Each chapter starts with a quote and introduction, followed by “Let’s Rewind” (a history of the chapter’s topic), “Let’s Get Uncomfortable” (an ask for the reader to examine their own biases and feelings about racism), and finally “Talk It, Walk It” (a call to action). This simple structure and narrative writing make Acho’s “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Boy” an essential addition to every school and classroom library.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC to review.

Uncomfortable Conversations should be subtitled Important Conversations. Acho takes time to explain with great poise and patience why various actions and beliefs are racist, even when white people maintain that they aren’t. His examples are concrete and timely, and his explanations are clear and direct. This book is perfect for parents and other caregivers and kids to read together to discuss in small bites.

Another Anti Racist gem that belongs in classrooms alongside Stamped Remix, The Black Friend, etc. I love that it includes George Floyd, I love the tone of the book. This is NOT a book that has “the same old” ideas, or is even a repeat/copy of other AR books. The more books like this we can get into the hands of all children, the better!

Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Boy is an incredibly important addition to the literary canon of Antiracist texts. I truly appreciate that Emmanuel Acho has adapted his adult novel for young adult readers. The tone of the novel is very conversational and meets young readers where they are. Acho's voice shines through as a calm voice of reason and guidance. Acho focuses on how racism falls into three categories: individual, systemic, and internalized.

Through his personal experiences and the incorporation of historical information, readers of all ages need to pick this book up as soon as possible.

5 stars

This much-needed book is an excellent addition to the racial and cultural educations of young adults and adults alike.

Acho employs current examples and a wealth of supported statements to articulate his points about various aspects of racism in America. This book really lives up to the promised conversational aspect. For me, Acho's tone, familiarity, and ease make what could be really challenging and/or dense subjects consumable for the masses. This book is going to come in handy not only for those looking to improve themselves but also for those hoping to make better inroads with friends, family, and fools on social media (maybe stay away from that last part, but at least you'll get some tools here if you must do that).

I will absolutely be recommending this to students, but I also recommend it to anyone who is wanting to learn more about how to do better and/or encourage others in that direction. This is an essential read.

So timely and perfect. Emmanuel Acho is eloquent in his delivery as he discusses the various forms of racism, and the history of racism, in an easy-to-understand format. He challenges his young readers to be part of the solution and gives them concrete ways to combat racism in their communities. Let's get uncomfortable to find the path to positive change.

This title is a must have for our middle school and high school libraries’ anti racist collections. Acho’s book is highly accessible and well organized. His writing is straightforward and honest. He includes enough history with references for further reading. He has obviously done his homework. This would make an excellent book club book with plenty to discuss and action steps to take to make change happen. I highly recommend this book. With Acho’s NFL background this title may appeal to some unlikely readers which is definitely a plus. Be sure to check out the back matter.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

If you've watched his YouTube videos, Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man, you're familiar with Acho and the topics he chooses to talk about (if you haven't watched those videos, you'll want to). Maybe you just know Acho because of his NFL career. This book is the young adult version of his best selling book. In it, you'll learn about cultural appropriation, stereotyping, and the history of blackface. Some parts may be uncomfortable like he says, but he tells us of things that we all need to hear, for a greater understanding. A must-read for young people of all backgrounds.

The conversational tone of this nonfiction book makes it nearly un-put-downable, despite Acho's refusal to shy away from or sugarcoat uncomfortable topics. He addresses his young readers, black, white, or other, from a position of understanding, and he treats them and his topics with respect. This is a fine overview, and perhaps the perfect starting point for any young person who wants to educate themselves on issues of race in twenty-first century America.

This was a fascinating look into racism from the perspective of a black man raised in both white and black cultures. I will be the first to admit that I don’t watch football, and I had no idea who Emmanuel Acho is in terms of his football career; however, I will be looking for more writing from him in the future. This volume, based on a series of videos he created, goes into the history of racism in this country and how it has evolved into the systematic issues that exist today. It also gives ways potential solutions. The volume is written in a readable, approachable way while still dealing with difficult issues without pulling any punches. Acho states that “Ending racism is not a finish line that we will cross. It is a road that we will travel,” and he spends this volume traveling that road along with his readers. Anyone interested in the history of racism will get a great deal out of this book. It would also be valuable for parents who wish to discuss this topic with their teens, which is, after, one of the reasons he wrote it in this format. I can’t say I enjoyed this in the classical sense, because much of what Acho discusses points to the worst in American history and society, but I did find it to be valuable information presented in an accessible style.

I absolutely love this project that Acho has embarked on, and I love that he is presenting these conversations in so many modalities (YouTube videos, podcasts, books for adults and children). His videos and books have started conversations for me with coworkers and friends on many of the subjects he presents. Acho has really made me evaluate the ways in which I am standing up as an ally, and how I can continue to improve. This particular book is geared towards middle grade readers, and I think that at times the text may be a bit complex for the intended age group. However, I would still highly recommend this one (knowing that kids may need a bit of support at times both with the content and with the complexity of text). Acho supplies a great list of resources (books, movies, videos, etc.) that kids can turn to if they want to expand their knowledge on racism and allyship. One of the other huge strengths of the book is that Acho provides kids with immediate actions they can take to be an ally.

Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Boy is the youth-centered/directed version of Emmanuel Acho's adult-directed book, so the language and tone is very conversational and accessible. The format is approachable--a question is posed, followed by sections titled, "Let's Rewind", "Let's Get Uncomfortable", and "Talk It, Walk It", which provide brief historical context, dive deeper into current events, and then goes over resources/further things to consider.

Overall, I would recommend having this book in the classroom, and potentially referring to it when teaching texts such as To Kill a Mockingbird, as a way of citing a more accessible take on the white savior complex in literature.

Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Boy is a nonfiction book, written in a conversational tone, about systemic racism and what it means to be an ally. It tackles many topics that are often difficult for white people to understand like black vs. African American, cultural appropriation, black people using the n-word, and white privilege. Because it's written for teenagers (and middle grades too), the tone and the discussion of historical context is relevant and easy to understand.

The tone of this book is definitely one of it's best qualities. The content is solid too, but the tone is what keeps this nonfiction book from reading like a textbook. I think this book is an important one for teenagers, but also for teachers who may be struggling to understand how students of color may be feeling.

This adaptation of the book Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man makes the book accessible to middle grade students. Written by former Philadelphia linebacker and current Fox Sports analyst Emmanuel Acho it brings the importance of the Black Lives Matter. Mentioning George Floyd, Colin Kaepernick and the NFL, it should help open the doors for conversations. In fact, one of the chapters is called “Let’s Get Uncomfortable.” The bibliography is excellent.

This is such a great book that everyone should be reading. While it reminds me of Stamped by Jason Reynolds and Dr Ibram Kendi, this has a more personal narrative while still giving historical context and discussing important conversations.

I enjoy Emmanuel's show and previous book, therefore his young readers version is a great way to get young adults knowledgable about his mission.