Stand Tall: A Children's Book on Race, Diversity and Self-Worth (Chronicles of Buster and Bean)

by Teju Akande (Author) Zeynep Dural (Illustrator)

Stand Tall: A Children's Book on Race, Diversity and Self-Worth (Chronicles of Buster and Bean)

"I wish I looked the same as everyone else," Buster said sadly with tears in his eyes, "then no one will call me a horrid name like that."

Buster is sad because he is called a hurtful name in school. With a little help from his family, find out how he overcomes this challenge.

Stand Tall is a beautifully written and illustrated book that empowers families and children of black and mixed ethnicity, by talking about differences and encouraging them to identify why they should be celebrated.

Select format:
Paperback
$10.99

Review quotes

4 Star Review - Vincent Dublado for Readers' Favorite


Stand Tall: The Chronicles of Buster and Bean by Teju Akande is heartwarming and inspiring as it celebrates the uniqueness of human individuality. At the center of the story is young Buster, who lives in the village of Bon Mot with his mom, dad, and little sister Bean. Buster belongs to a multiracial family of British, Nigerian, and Canadian lineage. As a spirited and energetic young boy, he loves playing video games, football, and the violin. One day while playing football, one of the boys named Jak breaks the rules and ruins the game. When Buster tells him to follow the rules, Jak spews out name-calling that made Buster sad throughout the day. At home, his dad makes his famous chocolate brownies, and the whole family talks to Buster in his room. Buster tells his family that he wishes to be different so that no one would call him a horrid name. This is where his mom and dad affectionately enlighten him on the joys of being different and what a person's uniqueness can offer to the world.


Teju Akande is on a noble crusade to delight young readers while creating awareness of the value of diversity and the power of embracing one's uniqueness. She has written an inspiring little tale as an invaluable reference to stress her point. I like the way she uses the game of soccer to leverage her storyline, as many children enjoy the sport, and it will be sure to engage them in what the story has to tell. At the same time, Zeynep Dural's illustrations give balance to the story. Her solid colors put emphasis on diversity and evoke the necessary emotions. The recipe for Dad's famous chocolate brownies is an additional fun activity that the whole family can try. Stand Tall is a story that I do not hesitate to recommend because it gives children encouragement to push through their obstacles as well as experience their moments of joy.




Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781739626204
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Morenimi Publishing
Publication date
May 18, 2022
Series
The Chronicles of Buster and Bean
BISAC categories
JUV039140 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance
JUV013000 - Juvenile Fiction | Family | General
JUV039120 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Prejudice & Racism
Library of Congress categories
-

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