Books by Ibram

Barracoon—Adapted for Young Readers (Amistad, 2024)
Best Books for Kids 2024—New York Public Library

In the first middle grade offering from Zora Neale Hurston and Ibram X. Kendi, young readers are introduced to the remarkable and true-life story of Cudjo Lewis, one of the last survivors of the Atlantic human trade, in an adaptation of the internationally bestselling and critically acclaimed Barracoon.

This is the life story of Cudjo Lewis, as told by himself.

Of the millions of men, women, and children transported from Africa to America to be enslaved, eighty-six-year-old Cudjo Lewis was then the only person alive to tell the story of his capture and bondage—fifty years after the Atlantic human trade was outlawed in the United States. Cudjo shared his firsthand account with legendary folklorist, anthropologist, and writer Zora Neale Hurston.

Adapted with care and delivered with age-appropriate historical context by award-winning historian Ibram X. Kendi, Cudjo’s incredible story is now available for young readers and emerging scholars. With powerful illustrations by Jazzmen Lee-Johnson, this poignant work is an invaluable contribution to our shared history and culture.

The (Young) Antiracist's Workbook: Questions for Changemakers (One World; Workbook edition, 2023)

Antiracism is not a destination but a journey—one that takes deliberate, consistent work. Dr. Ibram X. Kendi's concept of antiracism has changed the way we talk about race, equality, and justice in America, pointing us toward new ways of thinking about ourselves and our society. Young people must be included in conversations on race, which is why Dr. Kendi has created this workbook with bestselling YA author Nic Stone for readers age twelve and up.

Reflection questions include:

• Have you ever tried to change something about yourself to fit in? Did it work? Why or why not?

• How does the word racist feel when you hear or say it? Is it a weapon or a descriptor? Why?

• Why is empathy an important tool for any antiracist's toolbox?

Whether or not you've read How to Be a (Young) Antiracist, this workbook offers the opportunity to reflect on your personal commitment to antiracism and is a log of your journey toward a better future.

How To Be A (Young) Antiracist (Kokila, 2023)

The New York Times bestseller How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi is shaping the way a generation thinks about race and racism. How to be a (Young) Antiracist is a dynamic reframing of the concepts shared in the adult book, with young adulthood front and center. Aimed at readers 12 and up, and co-authored by award-winning children's book author Nic Stone, How to be a (Young) Antiracist empowers teen readers to help create a more just society. Antiracism is a journey--and now young adults will have a map to carve their own path. Kendi and Stone have revised this work to provide anecdotes and data that speaks directly to the experiences and concerns of younger readers, encouraging them to think critically and build a more equitable world in doing so.

Goodnight Racism (Kokila, 2022)

As children all over the world get ready for bed, the moon watches over them. The moon knows that when we sleep, we dream. And when we dream, we imagine what is possible and what the world can be.
 
With dynamic, imaginative art and poetic prose, Goodnight Racism delivers important messages about antiracism, justice, and equality in an easy-to-read format that empowers readers both big and small. Goodnight Racism gives children the language to dream of a better world and is the perfect book to add to their social justice toolkit.

PRAISE

“A lovely goodnight prayer for children.” — San Francisco Book Review

“An inspiring read to help realize dreams for a better future for all.” — Kirkus Reviews

“In simple, affirming prose, Kendi’s call is a socially responsible send-off to sweeter dreams.” 

— Publisher's Weekly

Antiracist Baby (Kokila, 2020)

Take your first steps with Antiracist Baby! Or rather, follow Antiracist Baby‘s nine easy steps for building a more equitable world.

With bold art and thoughtful yet playful text, Antiracist Baby introduces the youngest readers and the grown-ups in their lives to the concept and power of antiracism. Providing the language necessary to begin critical conversations at the earliest age, Antiracist Baby is the perfect gift for readers of all ages dedicated to forming a just society.

PRAISE

“Antiracist Baby gives a new generation the language they need to help create a more just world.” — Samantha Grindell (Insider)

“[Kendi’s] succinct, impactful prose makes for an accessible guide to anti-racism for everyone.” — School Library Journal (starred review)

“Boldly outlined, inclusive illustrations by Lukashevsky complement the text by showing a world populated by people of various skin tones, sizes, identities and orientations, religions, and abilities….[A] mindful companion for families striving together toward a more equitable future.” — Publisher Weekly

Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2020)

This is NOT a history book.
This is a book about the here and now.
A book to help us better understand why we are where we are.
A book about race.

The construct of race has always been used to gain and keep power, to create dynamics that separate and silence. This remarkable reimagining of Dr. Ibram X. Kendi's National Book Award-winning Stamped from the Beginning reveals the history of racist ideas in America, and inspires hope for an antiracist future. It takes you on a race journey from then to now, shows you why we feel how we feel, and why the poison of racism lingers. It also proves that while racist ideas have always been easy to fabricate and distribute, they can also be discredited.

Through a gripping, fast-paced, and energizing narrative written by beloved award-winner Jason Reynolds, this book shines a light on the many insidious forms of racist ideas--and on ways readers can identify and stamp out racist thoughts in their daily lives.

PRAISE

“Readers who want to truly understand how deeply embedded racism is in the very fabric of the U.S., its history, and its systems will come away educated and enlightened. Worthy of inclusion in every home and in curricula and libraries everywhere. Impressive and much needed.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Reynolds (Look Both Ways) lends his signature flair to remixing Kendi’s award-winning Stamped from the Beginning...Told impressively economically, loaded with historical details that connect clearly to current experiences, and bolstered with suggested reading and listening selected specifically for young readers, Kendi and Reynolds’s volume is essential, meaningfully accessible reading.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“An amazingly timely and stunningly accessible manifesto for young people....At times funny, at times somber but always packed with relevant information that is at once thoughtful and spot-on, Stamped is the book I wish I had as a young person and am so grateful my own children have now.” — Jacqueline Woodson, National Book Award-winning author of Brown Girl Dreaming