By Henriette Barkow and Derek Brazell
German Translation by Friederike Barkow
Review copy provided by Language Lizard
Review
From race to family to problem solving, there is much to unpack in That's My Mum. When two biracial friends are out with their moms, they get questions and suspicious looks; one classmate even refuses to believe that a Black girl could have a white mom. They vent their frustration and hurt to one another, commiserating that no one ever questions their dads' relation to them. Ultimately, they each make a "That's my Mum" badge with a photo of their respective moms.
A dual-language book, That's My Mum supports language development while encouraging creative problem-solving and conversations about race. The racism these children experience is easy to believe. They worked together to address the problem in constructive ways. The true value of the book, however, lies in the conversation it prompts about race and family. Readers will question strangers' comments and classmates' narrow-mindedness, and consider how they could react if witnessing such problematic exchanges.
Review
From race to family to problem solving, there is much to unpack in That's My Mum. When two biracial friends are out with their moms, they get questions and suspicious looks; one classmate even refuses to believe that a Black girl could have a white mom. They vent their frustration and hurt to one another, commiserating that no one ever questions their dads' relation to them. Ultimately, they each make a "That's my Mum" badge with a photo of their respective moms.
A dual-language book, That's My Mum supports language development while encouraging creative problem-solving and conversations about race. The racism these children experience is easy to believe. They worked together to address the problem in constructive ways. The true value of the book, however, lies in the conversation it prompts about race and family. Readers will question strangers' comments and classmates' narrow-mindedness, and consider how they could react if witnessing such problematic exchanges.
By showcasing the daily trials these children tolerate, Barkow and Brazell prompt readers to assess their own conceptions of family and race. As T and I read, we stopped frequently to discuss the people's disbelief that family members could have different skin tones, as well as what we would do if we heard someone say/ask what the characters were saying to the children. T pointed out that even though we are all three white, Daddy and Mommy's skin isn't exactly the same, and he's kind of in the middle of us. While That's My Mum may cause adult readers some discomfort, I think we can all agree on the value of addressing race.
Note: This book is available in 17 dual-language options (English plus another language).
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