We Live for the We

May 1, 2019

Contributing Nation writer McClain maintains that parenting is political. Her debut is an informative take on the political and social responsibilities of African American parents in the era of #MeToo and #BlackLivesMatter. The author states that black motherhood is fraught with obstacles that go outside the scope of "typical" parental worries. For example, teaching African American children about authority must include how to cope or question racial bias from teachers and police officers. While McClain makes a solid argument and provides statistics, her work is strongest when it focuses on people outside McClain's social and familial circle; namely educators, parents, and activists who work to change the disparities among different racial groups. The author's focus on her daughter and the maze of issues relevant to her family can be disconcerting, if not depressing. But McClain has hope and throughout the narrative opens the door for further conversation about how parenting styles need to change for children of the early 21st century. VERDICT An admirable exploration of race and motherhood that should be read by people of all races, with or without children.--Leah Huey, Dekalb P.L., IL

Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Journalist Dani McClain describes how she prepared her daughter for a society in which black children don't enjoy the same positive expectations and privileges as others. As the author narrates with professional poise, her clarity and somber tone fit the character of her reportage, which describes the broad array of injustices and social burdens African-Americans face daily. Though the world she keenly observes is full of inequity, McClain's calm performance allows listeners to consider the societal insults and obstacles she describes, rather than be distracted by a more reactive performance. This is a moving glimpse of one mother's thoughtful parenting, a learning experience that succeeds because the focus is less on blame and more on the ways a parent can help a young black child develop a resilient and self-affirming approach to life. T.W. � AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine