Book Review – I’m Chocolate, You’re Vanilla By Marguerite A. Wright

Title: I’m Chocolate, You’re Vanilla
Author: Marguerite A. Wright
Format: Hardcover
Published: 1998

Dr. Marguerite A. Wright draws on years of research (her own and others) and experience as a child psychologist to discuss the different phases of racial awareness in children from the preschool to teen years and give guidance and practical advice to parents and educators on how to help children develop healthy attitudes about race and themselves.

Overall this book is brilliant and an important piece of literature which I’d strongly encourage anyone working with children of any race to read. The focus is on black and biracial students, and it’s important to keep in mind that there have been ongoing social changes in the past fifteen years since the books release (so the statistics and details may not all be current). However, I feel that most of it is still extremely relevant to current day. Children are essentially the same even as culture shifts.

I don’t agree with every single thing Wright said. For instance, she is completely anti-spanking, and I think that it can be a healthy disciplinary tool when used consistently and within limits. However, she does suggest several alternative discipline options which are equally if not more effective and should compliment if not replace physical discipline. There’s a few odd places where her advice almost seems contradictory, but I believe that’s mainly a call for balance. Racism can be a broad and complex topic, and often there is a balancing act between pride in one’s own culture and respect for others’. But Wright does a good job making her case on most points with living examples and research statistics.

While part of what I love about the book is its focus on psychological development, the language is very accessible. It avoids the extremes of being too technical or too dumbed down, and Wright talks to her readers as though they are intelligent adults capable of adult conversation.

Because I want most everyone to give this book a read for its tasteful and productive handling of the subject matter, I do declare it a 5-out of-5 read. However, I think it’s equally important to understand the examples and legal details are often 20 years old. I have no idea if an updated edition is planned, but I would love to see one.