cnstamper's review against another edition
3.0
Self-acceptance and love? Yes!
More metaphors for POC as food? UGH.
More metaphors for POC as food? UGH.
kwbat12's review against another edition
4.0
An odd story, an odd book. I like the confidence of the young man in the end, though I find the telling a bit curious. Still four stars because my idea of odd and other folks' ideas of odd are not the same.
katieckb's review against another edition
4.0
This is a cute children’s picture book about a young boy who is teased about the colour of his skin and his eventual time becoming comfortable in the skin he’s in.
backonthealex's review against another edition
4.0
elf-esteem is a fragile thing when you are a child and sometimes it is a child's 'friends' who manage to chip away at it. In this picture book, the white playmates of a unnamed African American kid are always making comments and asking him questions about his skin color, his hair, his wide nose. Each time, the refrain "Chocolate me" shows how dispirited these things make the young boy. When he tells his mom that he wishes to be more like those playmates, read white, his mother points out how much she loved all the things that make her son who he is. Slowly, the refrain "Chocolate me!" shows how the young boy goes from feeling dejection to feeling proud of who he is.
robinscanfall's review
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
teonnareads_'s review against another edition
1.0
This book focuses on a young Black boy who is teased because of his chocolate skins and his difference from his white counterparts. As a result, he feels different and less of himself because of this. After a conversation with his mother, he begins to feel special and starts to appreciate his rich skin tone and Black features.
While I like the overall message of this book, I am not impressed. This book would have been enhanced if it mentioned how this young Black boy could combat these negative messages and interactions with his white peers. I was also disappointed that he returned to these same friends offering them chocolate cupcakes and smiles after he was ostracized and made to feel less than. While young readers may not pick up on the need to recognize when you have experienced when you are made to feel othered or criticized, the book should have addressed how one can respond to this. At the least, he should not have went back to these same friends without bringing their hurtful actions to light.
While I like the overall message of this book, I am not impressed. This book would have been enhanced if it mentioned how this young Black boy could combat these negative messages and interactions with his white peers. I was also disappointed that he returned to these same friends offering them chocolate cupcakes and smiles after he was ostracized and made to feel less than. While young readers may not pick up on the need to recognize when you have experienced when you are made to feel othered or criticized, the book should have addressed how one can respond to this. At the least, he should not have went back to these same friends without bringing their hurtful actions to light.
nataliejordin_writes's review against another edition
5.0
I enjoyed this book, and the message it is conveying. I don't think that many people who haven't experienced prejudices of any kind will fully understand and grasp this message. I read some of the reviews and it appalled me that there are people who don't think that this happens to little brown kids. It does. And although every child has a curious nature, sometimes we must remember that what we show our kids at home, shows up in who they become. If they hear you talking about people's race and color in a negative way, they will do the same. I get it that some kids don't know what they are saying, but that;s when as a parent, you should've already had the conversation.
I will have to explain this to my future kids before they become old enough to even wipe themselves because of the world we live in. I have to constantly give them confidence in their race, and warn them that not everyone will like a little brown boy or girl.
A 5 star read that I will be purchasing for my children.
I will have to explain this to my future kids before they become old enough to even wipe themselves because of the world we live in. I have to constantly give them confidence in their race, and warn them that not everyone will like a little brown boy or girl.
A 5 star read that I will be purchasing for my children.
bookdragon_library's review against another edition
3.0
This is OK but it’s interesting because I’ve actually heard some people starting to speak up about being called the color of food. However this is an on voices book so I assume that means it is OK in this instance. For a book on colorism which is essentially what this is though I prefer the depth and reflections of Sulwe.
vpatrick12's review against another edition
3.0
A good book for teaching differences among others and changing your point of view