Cover Image: Do the Work!

Do the Work!

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

A thoughtful, thought provoking workbook that gave me a lot to consider and pause with.
And, although I thought I was doing all I could, I found more things, via the workbook, and research it prompted, to let me do more - give more, be a better ally (I hope) and help more.


I was given a copy in exchange for an honest review, from the Publisher, via Netgalley.

Was this review helpful?

This is a fantastic and ENGAGING (I must emphasize this) resource that I truly feel is a one-of-a-kind teaching material. Easy to understand, yes, but even easier to retain what you learn due to the authors utilizing teaching tools like crossword puzzles. Highly recommend this.

Was this review helpful?

I really appreciated this book. It was informative and made me think and actually do what the title says. It gave me a lot to reflect on and I think this could be helpful for a lot of folks of all ages!

Was this review helpful?

This book was a amazing read and everyone should read this.I received this book from NetGalley I would recommend.

Was this review helpful?

It's always a little hard to judge a workbook without being able to actually do the activities in it, however there were so many great thought exorcises in this book. It would not make a good library material, as it invites too much writing in the actual text, but this would be great for a book group, DEI training tool, or as a suggestion alongside other materials.

Was this review helpful?

Do the Work! is a fantastic work book for young (and not so young) people who would like to follow through on their pledge to change things after the Black Lives Matter movement expanded globally following the gruesome police murders of 2020.

The authors manage to weave humor and serious content without disrespect or lack of consideration. I think it was a great decision to have a white female and a Black male author write this together. Their dialog accompanies readers throughout the book and gives different perspectives and insights.

This is an amazing resource with many different tasks to reflect and take action. The buddy system could have been introduced earlier in the book, I think, but other than that I do not have anything to note.

Thank you for the ARC!

Was this review helpful?

A clever book that gives clear advice and offers hope that the broken state of race relations can be fixed.
Written with humor and heart, this is a fun optimistic read

Was this review helpful?

This book was amazing and every library and school needs to have several copies. It is thoughtful, clever and engaging.

Was this review helpful?

What a way to do the [challenging] work (no pun intended)! The book provides a variety of activities and opportunities to complete the important tasks of unraveling the white-washed history and digging into the process of anti-racism. I am definitely ordering a few books for my classroom and will recommend a few copies for the school library.

Was this review helpful?

As someone who is white and trying to be antiracist, I wanted to read this book to figure out what I can do. This activity book breaks down how you can be antiracist. There are conversations between the authors aimed at showing how they have learned and grown. And you get crossword puzzles and coloring pages. There is a lot of information in here, but it’s not overwhelming because they break it down. I recommend reading through a section and doing the activities and then sit and think about it. The authors recommend this as well in some sections. I’ve learned about things I never knew about. I love that they provide a reading list to continue my education. This is definitely a book I’d like to have and I think a lot of people I know are going to get it. I highly recommend this.

Was this review helpful?

Often our #1 question about racism is: What can I do???

This workbook answers that question.

But not only does this book include serious how-to work, it presents it in a fun way. Along with informative text, the book also includes comics, lift-the-flaps, crossword puzzles, coloring pages, and activities. Kamau and Kate work hard to engage the readers so we'll follow through and act.

What can YOU do? Here are a few of the MANY things listed in this book.

* Shop at local BIPOC- and immigrant-owned businesses.
* Find out whose land you're on. Learn more about Indigenous customs, languages, and contemporary life.
* Call out racism in Nextdoor threads.
* Celebrate activist birthdays.
* Fight voter suppression.
* Know your elected representatives and how to contact them.
* Read books by BIPOC authors.
* Make new friends who are different from you.
* VOTE!

Talking about racism is hard.

But as Kamau says,

"White people: It can be hard to talk about racism, but it'll never be as hard as it is to experience racism."

We all can do the work. This workbook shows us how.

My thanks to NetGalley + Workman Publishing for the review copy of this book.

Was this review helpful?

Do the Work! would be much better as a physical copy as the ebook was a bit difficult to read. The content that I did view was really aligned in two areas: one part an actual set of activities that can jumpstart conversations, and one part snark and humor that will make some laugh and make others annoyed.

I expected this to be a helpful tool for use in my college level course, but it looks like it would work better for younger audiences.

Was this review helpful?

WOW!

I've been doing social justice work for close to 7 years now and I wish I had this when I was just starting out. The way the authors use dialogue and activity makes my educator's heart sing. They make it relatable while also not holding back from the truthful reality that is racism and white supremacy.

They cover a range of topics and always make sure to show their relevance to today. Also tips and tricks to dealing with people but most importantly working on yourself and they highlight a bunch of people and resources that people can use making me feel like this is a one-stop shop, though they encourage the reader to read more!

For anyone who is actually trying to do the work, and might just have a lot of questions as to how this is for you.

Was this review helpful?

This book should be savored slowly, in small bites. As dismantling white supremacy is obviously a gargantuan, multi-faceted imperative, overwhelm and fear seem to be substantial obstacles to getting interested people to actually act. This book tries really hard to acknowledge and work through that, and it's appreciated.

I liked the multi-modal approach to conveying information. The infographics, comic panels, games, and interactive activities really help to encourage readers to think about ideas in ways they haven't before. The authors aren't pulling any punches, but still inject enough humor to help the medicine go down.

This would definitely be appropriate for high schoolers and adults, but middle schoolers who are strong readers would also do well. It would make a really good text for a group study as part of a school club, civic organization, or faith community. I'm glad to have read it and I'm looking forward to coming back to it again and again as I work through the...well...work!

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

Was this review helpful?

Overall, this book was decent. Since I was reading it in a digital format, I wasn't able to complete many of the activities. I think that for folks who are just beginning their journey toward antiracism, this would be a solid starting place. As the authors note, this book should not be your only source of learning, as they mention many others articles and books for further reading.

Was this review helpful?

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It covers so much ground in such an approachable way, from providing historical context to steps to take to actively participate in antiracism efforts. I love the variety within the book that makes it feel so different from your typical piece of nonfiction: there are quizzes to take, conversations between the authors, features on important activists, coloring pages and more!

I was very fortunate to receive a free digital galley of this book through the Publishers Weekly Grab-a-Galley program in exchange for an unbiased review. That said, I already have a print copy on preorder because I like it so much and want to be able to reference it and work through it on my own!

Was this review helpful?

This is an amazing, MUCH NEEDED, and extremely timely workbook geared towards children and children's - middle grade [I can see this being used for YA too] and how they can learn and fight against racism. I had this in the kindle so I was unable to do all the activities [I may just have to buy it to be able to complete all them], so I highly suggest this be bought in print form as there are many things that need to be colored, written about [there are games, essays and the like, all geared to teaching about racism and how to be anti-racist] and tore out to hang up [that is the first thing in the book - a poster. It is fantastic].

The authors work well together and while it does a deep dive into racism, it is never overwhelming and it is done in a way that pretty much all ages can understand [and any adult can make it understandable for even very littles]. Kids will enjoy the games and the note taking; the authors make learning fun and not a chore and this book will absolutely be teaching the children [AND adults] who read and use this. I can see them going back to this over and over again as they encounter real life and see what they have learned about played out in front of them.

So well done. This is a must read.

Thank you to NetGalley, W. Kamau Bell, Katie Schatz, and Workman Publishing Company for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you Workmen and NetGalley for this ARC.
The book is formatted as a workbook, with puzzles and other ways of exploring biases, prejudices and thinking on racism. This format would be even more enjoyable in hardcover than digital but was great never the less, presenting important issues in a very accessible way.

Was this review helpful?

In my opinion, a fun and vital book - I think especially key for adults who maybe don't know that much about the anti-racism movement yet. However, if you do know a lot of anti-racist theories and resources in regards to activism, it is sort of pointless in that - like a college English lit student reading a 1st grade book - it revolves around the central key ideas that most learn when reading antiracist theory - although the key thing is that it is a lot more enjoyable than typical theory books - and so it's a good resource for all people who are not involved in the movement but want to be, or even those that are unaware of antiracism.

Was this review helpful?

3.5 stars


This book is important but this book did not work for me.

1. eBook was not the way to go for this. This is a workbook, which implies that it wants to be written in and torn up...could not fully interact as intended with the media that I was given.

2. The book's tone was slightly condescending; the sarcasm did not work. I felt like being talked down to which made me angry and not want to listen. I have read other articles, books and listened to people talking about similar histories and advice, that tone was better. I know the authors state that I should not be defensive when the topic of race comes up, but I need to be treated like a functioning adult.

3. The authors state this book is for everyone, however, I disagree. My education and training to be a teacher cover many of these topics. This circles back to issue number 2. The authors also suggest reading and doing the activities as a family, but I would only do that with a mature middle schooler or a high school student. There are many other books geared at the elementary student.

4. The activities were fun and interactive. I could see enjoying them if I had a physical copy but since I didn't I can't give it 4 stars.

Was this review helpful?