Part of the lauded A Kids Book About (AKBA) collection (one of Oprah’s Favorite Things 2020), which began with A Kids Book About Racism and now has books on subjects like belonging, feminism, gratitude, cancer, and other sometimes challenging topics. Like the rest of the AKBA collection, A Kids Book About Allyship has no pictures, instead employing bright colors and a variety of fonts to make the words themselves the visual part of the story. It is also designed to be read by a child and adult together, with room for discussion.
The book reads less like a story and more like a conversation with the authors, married parents Rebecca Gitlitz-Rapoport and Sam Rapoport, as they explain what it means to be an ally, what allies do (like speak out against injustice), and how allyship helps us embrace the unique differences of every person.
Allyship, they say, “is noticing problems wherever they are and being a part of the solutions, even when it’s hard”—but it also involves speaking out against unfairness, showing up for those who are often left out, being okay with feeling uncomfortable, and learning from one’s mistakes, among other things.
It also means supporting human differences (and being gay and transgender are part of a group of identities shown, along with racial identities, physical abilities, and more). The authors ask readers to reflect on the kids at their school and think about whether everyone gets treated fairly. They ask readers to think about how they would feel if their best friend was treated unfairly just because of who they are.
That’s the first step of allyship: noticing something not right. The next step is doing something about it. The authors then describe things to remember when doing so, including listening and accepting feedback. Allyship “doesn’t come with a big reward” but should be a daily part of who you are.
The book then offers readers some specific suggestions, such as joining a club with people who are different from them (and doing so with the intention of listening and learning), speaking up if they see someone teased because their parents are gay, or inviting someone to sit with them if the person is alone at lunch.
Some of the examples and advice in the book could be viewed less as allyship—which is really reaching out across difference and using your power to support someone with less privilege—and more as simple kindness (because it isn’t specified whether the reader and the person they are supporting have the same or different identities). Nevertheless, the authors do get at the core idea of allyship when they write of supporting diversity, accepting others who are different, and noticing when people get treated unfairly because of who they are.
Importantly, they conclude, it’s okay to mess up. Apologize and try again, because “Allyship is a path to make the world a better, more equal, more beautifully diverse place.”
