What Does Hate Look Like? – Marvelous Middle Grade Mondays

What Does Hate Look Like?

Sameea Jimenez and Corinne Promislow, Authors

Larry Swartz, Illustrator

Second Story Press, Nonfiction, Mar. 7, 2023

Suitable for ages: 9 – 12

Themes: Hate speech, Social aspects, Prejudice, Violence,  Discrimination, Students, Taking action

Publisher’s Synopsis:

We use the word hate all the time―“I hate vegetables” or “I hated that movie!”―but what about the hate that actually hurts someone? There are words, symbols, ideas, beliefs, and actions that cause pain―to us, our friends, family, neighbours, and school mates.

What if you’ve caused that kind of pain yourself? Or what if you, or someone you know, has been the victim of hate so scary it made you want to cry?

Real kids from real classrooms share their stories here to help us to see the bias, prejudice, violence, discrimination, and exclusion around us―what hate looks like to them. Why? So we can stand against hate and never be the cause of it. And to show us how to cope and get support if we have been hurt.

By sharing ous stories, we all become stronger. Our schools, neighbourhoods, and communities become safer and more kind, and hate doesn’t win.

What do I think?

Middle grade students will really relate to this eye-opening and interactive book! It features true stories from students about their experiences and thoughts about hate. Just what does hate look like to a tween? How do they deal with hate? Are they bystanders or upstanders? How have their experiences with hate  shaped their lives? How will they move forward?

I love how Sameea Jimenez and Corinne Promislow explore hatred from a kid’s perspective. This short book will lead to many important discussions about the origins of hate, This is particularly tender age when teens see and hear “mean” all around them — at home, school, in the community, on television, and through cyberbullying. Students share stories of being followed in stores because of color and ethnicity; skin-shaming by friends; receiving homophobic notes on their lockers; being followed on the street and told to go back “to China” during the COVID pandemic; being subjected to body-shaming because of weight, facial differences, and wearing a hajib or hearing aids; and being excluded from athletics because  of a disability.  

The book has seven short chapters, coupled with poignant illustrations, photographs and special “Did You Know” facts  about all forms of hate.  The authors begin with symbols, graffitti and signs of hate, My favorite chapters are the last few chapters about what does the book mean to each reader and how they can take action in their own lives to stand up to hate.

Resources: This book belongs in every school library and is a tremendous resource for students and teachers. The last two chapters include “What Would You Do If…”  And they include an interesting “Statistics” page on hate with Racism, Xenophobic and Antisemitic topping the list.  I can’t praise this book enough. 

Sameea Jimenez currently works as a teacher in the Toronto Distric School Board. Her teaching in Inner City schools for the past eight years, is rooted in anti-oppression and anti-racism. She specializes in social justice education and is an advocate for systemic change with educational institutions. 

Corinne Promislo is currently a principal in the Toronto District School Board. With over 25 years of teaching and adminstrative experience, Corinne has been dedicated to confronting issues of hate and inequity in her work with students and educators.

Greg Pattridge hosts Marvelous Middle Grade Monday posts on his wonderful Always in the Middle website. Check out the link to see all of the wonderful reviews by KidLit bloggers and authors.

*Review copy provided by Second Story Press in exchange for a review.