Funny and thought-provoking in turns, this activity book is full of crossword puzzles, hidden pictures, word searches/scramble, pop quizzes, pictures to color and much more, all geared towards helping people become more active in the struggle for racial justice. It is lavishly illustrated (by some 16 different illustrators) and filled with resources, including books and organizations to plug into. I both learned a lot and enjoyed the process.

It takes the form of a dialogue between Black comedian and television host W. Kamau Bell and white queer feminist writer Kate Schatz. They model respectful ways to talk--and listen--about race. There's a pocket history, with time line, of race relations in the US (I flunked the 15 sample questions from Alabama's 68-question-long Literacy Test of 1965, one of the many hurdles developed to stop Blacks and poor whites from voting), then definitions of on words like racism, bias, prejudice and white supremacy.

I especially appreciated the authors's candid talk of times they messed up, the examples of how to apologize and move past defensiveness, and how to start conversations about racism. There are several activities that help in self-reflection, and an entire last chapter on ways to keep continuing antiracist work.

While the focus is on anti-Black racism, the authors weave in stories from many marginalized groups (Indigenous, LGBTQ+, disabled, Asian American and Pacific Islanders). There are examples of people who have done the work, and very concrete suggestions on opportunities we all have to dismantle racism and white supremacy.

This is a practical, inspiring activity workbook, the kind to give as a gift to friends and family.

If you liked This Book is Antiracist by Tiffany Jewell, but found the activities to be repetitive and/or too young, you will like this one far better. This one is targeted to adult audiences and includes a variety of activities from crosswords to lift-the-flap to gatefolds to roleplay to coloring. The text gives exact suggestions for how to handle difficult conversations and a general history of the problematic systems. The authors acknowledge their own foibles and use humor throughout. While this text is generally geared to the audiences that may have picked up their first ABAR reading already, those who are a bit more entrenched in the journey will appreciate the activities and commentary too (I particularly liked the veiled calling out of opportunist scammers towards the end of the text, but realize that some readers may need a more exact list of what to look for).

Do the Work! is clearly intended to be a workbook, but in this era of ebooks, I worry that this one will not translate clearly due to the fold-out activities and lift-the-flap. That is my sole concern, and I see it as a minor one.

I can't wait for this one to come out so that I can suggest it to my book club in tandem with other texts.

Wow!! I am running to pre-order this book immediately. I see this book being a valuable resource to anyone regardless of where they are in their anti-racism journey. Whether you feel like you know it all, or are just starting out, this workbook is a really nice guide for how to get the work started, or re-invigorate yourself in the work. I can't wait to buy it for myself and maybe a select few family members 🤔

For all the people who find themselves overwhelmed by racial injustice, outraged by the news, shocked by the ugly parts of American history, and who keep asking “What can I DOOOO?” comes the answer: Do the Work!

What a great idea! Why lecture those who need instruction on how to be less racist? They won't listen and most people just shut down when they feel lectured or treated like children.
An interactive graphic novel is a great way to do it. Make learning seem more like a game, even though the subject matter is nothing to laugh at.
There is a conversational feel here, as the two authors speak to each other, that gives the feeling of listening to two friends.
Throw in the interactive aspects, crossword puzzles, coloring, and writing activities. The only issue I had was, being an ebook I couldn’t do the activities.
This is the kind of book, you need to buy the actual physical book and be willing to write in it. So, probably not going to be much of a library choice either, which is a shame.

Parts of this may make some uncomfortable, even angry. But this is a subject that should make you feel those things! In this day and age, when the world has come so far, learned so much, we are still stuck in the cycle of hate and racism. Judging others by the color of their skin, where they come from, their accents, or where you THINK they come from. It just amazes me how much this country, this world, has not moved on.
Those willing to change will enjoy this book and use it to better themselves. Those who really need to read this, will most likely just pass right by it. More the shame.

Thanks to @Netgalley, Workman Publishing Company, W. Kamau Bell, and Kate Schatz, for the chance to read this eArc in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

I received an eARC of this title, and the only disappointing thing is that I couldn't interact with the content fully, because it was tiny on my phone: couldn't color the pictures, cut out the paper dolls, or complete the crosswords.

This is, unfortunately, not going to be a great library book. It is designed to be written in, so most libraries won't buy it (darn those patrons who could easily make a photocopy but choose not to). The downloadable version would be ok, but again, readers can't fully interact with the content.

This is fantastic for readers who don't want to feel like their being lectured but know they need to engage with this critical topic. Most of the text was presented as dialogue between the two authors, so had a very conversational feel. The dialogue also allowed the authors to model concepts like active listening. The different activities require the reader to think, synthesize, and write down their own ideas and experiences, so is perfect for people who learn better by actively doing.

Highly recommended for anyone looking for more resources on this topic.

This book is a great bridge from education to action. With guided activities and lots of resources for further learning, this is a perfect tool for anyone- especially teens- who want to Do The Work of ending systemic racism.

This book was a fast easy read, with lots of fun enjoyable activities focusing on a serious topic in America and American history: Racism. It’s well written by two authors that are activists and are working on creative a better future for our children by teaching people how to be accountable and how to teach others around them to be accountable for their behavior as well. I can definitely recommend this book for a few people, however I would be nervous that as they stated in this book it will be uncomfortable and make some people angry. However, it’s necessary and I hope many people read it.

This is an excellent mix of serious discussion of racism and the impacts that it continues to have on this country with active steps that people can take -- but also humor that makes it readable. If you've ever seen a W Kamau Bell episode, you'll recognize the voice in this workbook. The formatting, colors, and use of games all serve to bring the material to life for tweens and teens. I'm looking forward to purchasing this book for my own teens -- and, really, for our family to work through together.

I adore W Kamau Bell, so it would be hard to leave a negative review. Fortunately, that isn't something to worry about here. Bell and Schatz break down a topic that for many can feel easy to understand intellectually but hard to see in "real" life, specific examples of how America is built on racism--things that white people often choose not to see. Brilliant, and weirdly fun. Buy this for yourself, and give it to friends, family and that neighbor who flies the "Blue Lives Matter" flag.

This is a really fun book that is filled with good content. While I don't plan on getting a copy for my library, I do think it would make a really nice gift for people that I know who are interested in learning more about racial and social justice topics. There is a very easy-to-read voice that is used throughout with the conversations and plenty of humor and fun while tackling serious ideas. I am not sure whether or not people would actually do all of the cute activities that are included throughout, but it makes me happy imagining that people might. And, thus, in order to get the full experience, it would be best for people to have their own copy to be able to color, write-in, etc. I originally thought this looked like fun since it is co-written by Bell, and it is indeed true to his style of being thoughtful, heartfelt, serious, and light all at the same time.

I found this book to be inviting, informative, and useful for thinking about being an advocate and ally. A helpful resource for the journey to authenticity and equity.

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

This is a great book!

This book includes a sign to display in your window of a building or car. It's full of activities, questions, and history about racism and what it means to be anti-racist. This is a helpful book that is meant to be learned from, not rushed through.

The book includes historical facts and a break down of what racism is along with activities to help kids and adults become anti-racist in actions and thoughts. The book has activities like crossword puzzles, picture matches, and quizzes. The questions help you explore your own privilege and learn more about what you don't know, as well as plan for how you're going to be anti-racist going forward. The book touches on racism against non-white people as well as systematic oppression and what each of us can do to combat it.

It's a thoughtful and helpful book! It includes book recommendations to learn more. While it's not the end all be all, it's a great starting place that has lots of information on how to learn more and do more.

A must read for everyone!

This is a really clever way of teaching anti-racist principles through engaging banter, activities, and more. It mixes in paper dolls and color-by-number redlining maps with incisive commentary and educational context. I was nervous that it might make light of the content but it strikes me as balanced and unique in its approach. It definitely uses humor to convey nuanced arguments but I think this would be useful for a variety of audiences who may not pick up other anti-racist books.

Do the Work! is an easy-to-digest activity book aimed at facilitating self-education about racism, personal biases, and cultivating awareness. This review is of the ebook, but I plan to purchase the print version upon its release so that I can actually go through the exercises and activities and do them with my son as well. There is a bit of salty language, so it is perhaps not THE most appropriate book for my 10-year old but I think he would appreciate the humor and the clear presentation of the material. W. Kamau Bell is hilarious as always with his trademark biting delivery of uncomfortable facts we all need to hear. This is a thought-provoking workbook that is great for anyone having difficulty making it through the denser tomes on racism or who is interested in some expertly lead self-reflection.