Free downloadable book helps parents talk to their kids about anti-Asian racism

In today's day and age, parents often find themselves having to decide whether they should talk to their child about typically "grown-up" topics such as mental health, gender equality, and racism. Whereas kids are typically considered too young for such conversations, Jelani Memory, a Black father with a blended family, believes they are more than capable of understanding and processing these topics. "Today's millennial parents, myself included, are raising kids in a time when big, important topics are all but unavoidable to address with our kids," he said in a press release.

To tackle this issue, Memory founded A Kids Book About, a direct-to-consumer publishing brand that facilitates fearless conversations between kids and grownups. "The idea behind the founding of this company is rooted in the belief that kids are ready to talk about challenging and complicated topics, and it's actually their grownups who need help getting the conversation started," he said. The brand recently released 12 free to download titles that tackle a range of "challenging, empowering, and important topics that kids experience every day." Among these is a children's book titled A Kids Book About Anti-Asian Hate, which addresses the rising racism and animosity toward the Asian community.

Penned by author Kim Pham, the daughter of Vietnamese immigrants who escaped during the war for a better life in America, the book is available in several formats to allow for easier access. "As an Asian-American, it’s been incredibly difficult to watch all this hate directed towards us. I am worried for my parents, family, and friends. How do I protect my family and my kids from this? How do I not let the fear and apathy consume me?" Pham wrote on Instagram. "It's easy to ignore all of this and wait for it to just go away, but it doesn't change anything. I hope this book will educate people and inspire them to speak up and use their voice to help others."

Young readers can read the book on all major e-reading platforms, including iOS, Mac OS, iPad OS, and Kindle Fire. The book is also available as a printable PDF. On its website, the publisher invites visitors to visit the nonprofit Stop AAPI Hate, an organization that was "formed in response to the alarming escalation in xenophobia and bigotry resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic." Titles released by A Kids Book About have received an incredible response from parents who praise the books for helping start important conversations with their children.

"These are definitely a must-buy. Get them for your bookshelf no matter your age, give them as gifts to all the kids and parents/caregivers in your life. We can work towards systematic change by providing education and language in our youth," wrote a reviewer named Megan H. "While we have found some books to be more engaging than others, which is to be expected with different authors, they have all been excellent conversation starters! I am reading each book with both of my daughters (ages 8 & 12) together. We discuss the topic as we read and after the books. These are important conversations about topics that I consider essential to their full development as people," wrote another parent named Joanna R. "I now see there is a new three-book series coming soon on the transgender experience. I’m glad this is available. So grateful for the kick-start on many of these conversation topics and areas of growth for my kiddos!"