Once upon a while it was easy. Children went to sleep with bedtime stories that were based on folklore or depended upon magic or were just enchantingly basic: Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood and Goodnight Moon.
This is no longer the case. Bedtime is about getting up and moving.
Look at the shelves in the children’s section of any major bookstore.
Teach Your Dragon About Diversity, sits next to ‘Daddy & Dada’. You’ll see Joey is not a heartwarming tale of a baby kangaroo but an illustrated hagiography about Joe Biden by Jill Biden, the ‘best-selling author’.
Let’s not forget about ‘Kamala Harris: Rooted in Judgment’. Because what four-year old doesn’t want information about the rise to power of Vice President?
There are books about transgender infants, queer families and dreamers, but the subject that dominates all others, bound up in the pages of child-friendly picture books, is race – that and a dollop of police brutality and activism.
A slew of ‘woke’ children’s books is dominating book shelves with titles like Antiracist Baby, Feminist Baby, Woke Baby, Teach Your Dragon About Diversity and Daddy & Dada
!['Antiracist Baby and other books [like it] are not designed to teach basic literacy or character formation; they are designed to indoctrinate children into a specific ideology,' Christopher Rufo tells DailyMail.com](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/10/25/15/49613349-10128499-image-a-18_1635172998250.jpg)
Antiracist Baby and other books [like it]Christopher Rufo explains to DailyMail.com that they are not intended for teaching basic literacy or character development. They are meant to indoctrinate children to a specific ideology.
These books feature transgender babies, queer families, and dreamers. But the main subjects are race, police brutality, and activism. These books showcase queer couples raising children
DailyMail.com visited a Barnes & Noble in Lake Grove, New York, and witnessed first-hand how the shelves are filled with woke children’s books
This Little Trailblazer: A Girl Power Primer, A is for Activist and Woke Baby are all in the Early Learning section of Barnes & Noble
Last summer, sales of books on race shot up across all age groups as protests against George Floyd raged around the globe. The book “No! My First Book of Protest’ is seen on the Barnes & Noble shelves
Loryn Brantz, author of Feminist Baby, has written the book in a new wave for woke books for kids that is taking over.
Last summer, all ages enjoyed record sales of books about race as protests over George Floyd’s death raged around the globe.
Penguin Young Readers tripled its print-run for IbramX Kendi’s “Antiracist Baby”. The initial print run of the book was 50,000. Due to the increased demand and pre-orders, the company ordered another 100,000 copies. Kendi is pictured
At the peak of the summer’s disturbances seven out of Amazon’s top ten titles and nine out of Barnes & Noble’s took on the subject of race.
Libro.fm, which partners with 1,200 bookstores across the US and Canada, reported on June 1 that every book on its top 10 bestsellers list was about race. The titles had also sold 500% more than May 1.
Robin Diangelo’s book ‘White Fragility” saw a 2000% increase in sales. Penguin Young Readers tripled the print-run of Ibram X Kendi’s ‘Antiracist Baby’ to counter this sales frenzy. The initial print run of the book was 50,000. The company ordered 100,000 more after seeing the demand for the book and the pre-orders.
Kendi’s provocative title book begins with the assertion that “Antiracist baby was bred, but not born” and then proceeds to outline nine steps for parents who want to raise ‘accountable children”.
His book is supposedly written for children aged 0-3. However, Kendi is not an author primarily targeted at children. He is the controversial poster child for critical race theory and the author of “Stamped”: Racism, Antiracism and You, which was listed by the American Libraries Association among the most challenged and banned books of 2020.
Parents challenged school boards in their districts that had read the book. They also argued that Kendi used’selective storytelling’ and that it did not include racism against all people.
For his part Kendi – born Ibram Henry Rogers in Queens, the son of Methodist ministers Carol and Larry Rogers – makes no apology for preaching a discriminatory creed.
He stated, “The only solution to racism is anti-racist discrimination.” Past discrimination can only be reversed by present discrimination. Future discrimination is the only remedy for past discrimination.
John Butcher (Will Skillman Education Fellow at Heritage Foundation) says that this worldview is what informs all Kendi’s works and has no place on children’s books.
“Woke Baby!” Mahogany L. Browne describes a race struggle that begins in the crib. “Woke Babies raise the fists in air.” Woke babies cries out for justice
The illustrations show a baby wearing a onesie with the panther emblem at his chest. Rufo says that America’s biggest myth is that we don’t talk enough about racism. In fact, schools, universities, media, and the media all talk endlessly about race to the exclusion some important topics.
The text that is next to them reads: ‘Look at those fists. Fingers curled into a panther’s paw, reaching for justice.
Quiet Place Books in Traverse city, Michigan has children’s books on queer couples. Daddy & Dada is seen on display
DailyMail.com’s Butcher explained that his book, “Splintered: Critical Race Theory & The Progressive War on the Truth”, will be out in February. One of the biggest problems with critical race theory is the ultimate goal. What is the ultimate goal of critical race theory?
Mahogany Browne, self-described “children’s author”, is the Executive Director for JustMedia. The organization pushes for ‘Transformative Justice” and heavily focuses on police brutality.
“With Kendi’s work, you never reach that point where there’s any kind of policy, prescription, or cultural healing. Kendi’s position is significant because he believes discrimination is acceptable. We shouldn’t be teaching children that discrimination is okay.
Butcher said that Kendi’s notion of anti-racism is a ‘perfect trap’. He stated, “Everyone’s racist unless they’re anti-racist.” It doesn’t matter if you believe racism is evil. You’re a racist only if you’re anti-racist. There’s no escape. It’s an endless loop.
“Woke Baby!” Mahogany L. Browne describes a race struggle that begins in the crib. “Woke Babies raise up their fists in air.” Woke babies cries out for justice.
Illustrations show a baby wearing a onesie and a panther emblem on the chest.
The text that is next to them says, “Look at those fists.” The fingers are curled into a panther’s paw, reaching for justice.
Un-woken babies may learn to crawl but ‘Woke baby’ takes a knee and then rises. Woke Baby, your are an awakened nightmare.
Browne, self-described ‘children’s author’, is the Executive Director at JustMedia, an organization that advocates for ‘Transformative Justice’ and heavily focuses on police brutality.
The website also features a ‘learning companion to Ava DuVernay’s Netflix drama, ‘When They See Us’.
With one called Baby Loves Political Science and Democracy, the children’s book is even getting political. One themed Justice!
Little Heroes of Color: 50 Who Made A Big Difference sits on display in a Barnes & Noble in New York, highlighting the accomplishments of people of color
Other books include history lessons for toddlers and a book about Michelle Obama that is titled ‘I look up to…Michelle Obama’.
The tales of progressive icons like the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg are on display for the ‘woke children’s book section’ of Barnes & Noble
Books about progressive people in history are on display in the children’s section of a Barnes & Noble in New York
Linda Fairstein, a former New York City prosecutor is currently being sued over her portrayal of her role in the Central Park rape and subsequent prosecutions of five young black men. The drama has been called dangerous and willfully inaccurate.
JustMedia’s website also links to ‘Incite! Women of Color Against Violence offers a link to ‘Incite! The ‘kit’ confuses ‘police violence and other forms law enforcement violence’ with ‘policing, enforcing gender conformity along with power relationships based on race, class and ability.
Many adults find it difficult to comprehend the concepts of children under three years old.
Sharna Olfman, a Point Park University psychology professor in Pittsburgh, says the truth is that many of the messages contained in this new wave children’s book will not be understood by the target audience.
Speaking in The Atlantic she explained that very young children can empathize with others’ feelings, but it isn’t until ‘middle childhood’ – ages 5 to 11 – that they can empathize with someone’s circumstances, like coming from another country or not being able to speak a certain language fluently.
They will only be able to grasp the finer points in a political philosophy after they turn 11. Otherwise, chances are that they will simply ‘parrot the perspective of the parent or author’ and not be able to understand it.
Christopher Rufo is a Senior Fellow and Director at the Manhattan Institute’s Initiative on Critical Race Theory. Rufo points to the fact that these are not children’s books, but missives aimed towards their virtue-signaling families.
DailyMail.com he said, “Antiracist Baby” and other books [like it]They are not intended to teach basic literacy or character development; rather, they are designed to indoctrinate their children into a particular ideology using their parents as the transmission mechanism.
“Kendi” claims that babies are able to exhibit racial bias as early as six months of age and then become full-fledged racists by three year old. This is patently absurd. It should be obvious that babies are not racist. They exhibit preferences for people who physically resemble their parents, but this isn’t racism – it’s a simple and effective survival mechanism.’
Rufo says Kendi, Browne and other ‘racial snake-oil salesmen’ encourage Americans to purge themselves from their ‘internalized racist’ or ‘implicit bias.
Data on books published by or about Black, Indigenous, or People of Color for children and teens in 2019.
Sharna Olfman is a psychologist at Point Park University in Pittsburgh. She says that most of the messages in this new series of children’s books will be ignored by their target audience.
Gay and Lesbian History for Kids can be found on the shelves at a Los Angeles bookstore’s children section.
This Little Rainbow: A Love-Is -Love Primer sits among a sea of ‘woke’ books at a Barnes & Noble in Los Angeles
Olfman says that the messages about racial struggle and injustice will be lost on young people, but Walt Heyer insists it is harmful to introduce the idea of transgender children.
Heyer, 80 years old, is the author of Trans Life Survivors. Heyer spent 8 years living as a woman and then de-transitioned back into a man. He lost his job, his wife, and his children during the process. Now, he dedicates his life supporting pre-transition youth who struggle with their identity, as well as those who are still bitterly regretting a wrong transition.
For Heyer books, such as ‘Call Me Max’ by Kyle Lukoff that tells the tale of a child identifying as a transgender man or ‘Julian’ by Jessica Love in which Julian identifies to be queer and joins Coney Island’s Mermaid Parade with his abuela are not only dangerous, but also dangerous.
Love’s book is described as a sweet story of acceptance. Heyer says such books don’t recognize a child’s truth, but rather force a negative narrative upon them.
DailyMail.com asked him to explain that he is firmly against this. It is very harmful psychologically, emotionally, and sexually. It’s similar to showing child pornography.
“If we’re to be intellectually open with ourselves, and there’s an lack of that in all this, then it’s time to accept that no-one ever changes from one gender to the next. The only thing you can do is change your persona and so many of the young people I work with never had gender dysmorphia – they’re displaying something they’ve seen, or something their friends are doing, or they’re suffering from body dysmorphia, or were sexually abused, or have mental health issues that a clinician has failed to realize.’
‘Our Skin” and ‘Being You are supposed to be children’s first conversation about gender or race. However, Heyer stated to DailyMail.com that he is firmly against this. It is very harmful psychologically, emotionally, and sexually. It’s like showing child pornography.
Author Anna Membrino will release a new children’s book titled My Moms love Me in 2022. It is an ‘ode of the magic in every day for two mothers’
Walt Heyer, author Trans Life Survivors, says that introducing narratives of transitioning children in their very young years ‘risks destroying children’s lives for the rest of his life.
Heyer stated that the introduction of narratives about very young children undergoing a transition “risks destroying children for their entire lives.”
He believes that he has identified the source for his confusion and pain as a combination sexual abuse at the hands a relative and the habit of his grandmother of dressing him in purple dresses in secret when he was four years old.
He said, “I wish that instead of validating in that she had validated my cowboy attire.”
“I’m almost 81, and I’m still talking to my four-year-old self about what happened.” Who wants to live like this? I don’t want children to be hurt. This only ruins their lives. Is it wrong to say, “You’re a wonderful guy”? Or, ‘You are a wonderful girl’
It’s not difficult. Let’s not lead them down this road.
Rufo and Butcher suggest that these ‘woke’ or ‘progressive’ narratives will not lead to happiness ever after. They argue that they are actively laying the foundations for future problems.
Butcher stated, “I don’t believe that banning ideas from classrooms is a good idea and it’s not the school’s responsibility to protect students against ideas they might find offensive or disagreeable.”
“But, I believe that these ideas should not be introduced at an inappropriate age. Students should be taught to question them and to challenge them.
“I would strongly argue that Kendi’s work, Diangelo’s and the 1619 project are incompatible with our national creed.
“We need to prepare students not to accept the idea that discrimination can have any place in school and culture.”
Butcher explained that he doesn’t believe in banning ideas out of classrooms, and that it is not the school’s role to protect students from ideas they find offensive or disagreeable. However, I believe these ideas should be presented at an appropriate age so that students can question them and challenge them.
Children’s department shelves collapse under the weight of ‘children’s’ books that aren’t aimed at kids at all but at their wannabe-woke parents, who Rufo says are ‘Seeking cure for an illness that, in most cases, doesn’t exist’
He added, “The lesson that the next generation should learn is that we fought racism lost.” Individual cases of racism should not be dismissed as such, but it should not be used to present a society that is insurmountable.
Critical race theory says the exact opposite. It claims that the American dream does not exist, and even if it did, it isn’t available to everyone.
It says that all tribes are competing for power. The younger you teach this, the more students will be sensitive to it. We’re already seeing this on university campuses. Students are concerned about’micro-aggressions’. They also see speech as violence and are threatening free speech. All of this is rooted in critical philosophy and the critical worldview.
“Why should we set our children on this cynical course?” We should be teaching our children that the American dream is for everyone, regardless of skin color.
Rufo claims that the biggest American myth is that Americans don’t talk enough on race. In fact, the opposite is true. Schools, universities, and the media all talk endlessly about race to the exclusion some important topics.
‘The proliferation of books like ‘Woke Baby,’ demonstrates that…telling Americans that racism lurks everywhere.
Many Americans desire to rid themselves of their ‘internalized racist’ or implicit bias, much like patients with psychosomatic disorders.
‘Corporations and schools spend billions every year on diversity training’ and Antiracism Training. They have abysmal results.
The children’s section shelves in bookstores are overwhelmed by ‘children’s book’ titles that aren’t aimed at children but at their parents who Rufo claims are ‘Seeking cure for an illness that, in most cases, does not exist.