Jabari Jumps
“‘It’s ok to feel a little scared,’ said his dad. ‘Sometimes, if I feel a little scared, I take a deep breath and tell myself I am ready. And you know what? Sometimes it stops feeling scary and feels a little like a surprise.’”
Jabari wants to jump off the diving board, but does he have the courage to do it?
Like Jabari, we all have a variety of feelings we experience when we try something new. This is an excellent book for inspiring discussions around worry, fear, and bravery.
We love books like this that tell the stories of Black children and their families doing regular things. What do we mean by that?
Often times when we seek to create a more diverse reading experience for our children, we choose (perhaps because of limited choice) books that place Black people only in the context of their historical struggle.
While our histories are important and we should read them - they do not represent the dynamic experiences of people today that connect us all. When we read stories like “Jabari Jumps,” we form a connection to Jabari based on our shared experiences of emotion.
Balancing the representation of both current and historical narratives in your personal library is key to avoiding perpetuating harmful stereotypes that may further marginalize a group of people. By doing so, we hope our children can better examine the nuance of people’s experiences in their world.
Some things to think about…
What helps you to overcome your fears?
When is it not a good idea to try something you’re afraid of?
Activity idea: Draw a picture of you next to a picture of Jabari. How are you and Jabari alike? Think of at least three ways you are like Jabari.
