Kid's book Our Skin blames 'white men' for idea that thin is beautiful

Readers have been left outraged after a controversial children's book called Our Skin blamed white men for introducing the idea that thin is beautiful.

The book, published in 2021, was penned by Harlem activist Megan Madison,  Brooklynite library worker Jessica Ralli, and Pilipino Isabel Roxas, and has been previously distributed to NYC schools.

Aimed at children aged two to five, the 'inflammatory' book discusses skin tone and racism, claiming: 'A long time ago, way before you were born, a group of white people made up an idea called race'.

But the book also delves into beauty standards and stereotypes, where the authors also seem to point the finger of blame at 'white men'.

Sharing an image of the disturbing page on X/Twitter, one reader was left baffled by its content, warning viewers: 'Books like this exist. And people are reading them to children'.

The page is illustrated with a white woman and black child looking at a photo of a white man's body and reads: 'Before you were born, a group of white men started making up lots of ideas about bodies that weren't true.

'They said that one kind of body was the best, and that being fat was bad and being skinny was good.

'They were very wrong, but lots of people listened to them'.

The post has been viewed almost 48,000 times, with infuriated X users leaving their thoughts and frustrations at the story in the comments.

One wrote: 'I grew up in a Hispanic culture. Let me tell you, it wasn't white men calling us 'Gordita' and criticizing us if we gained a few pounds…'

Another added: 'Disturbing'.

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A third baffled user asked: 'Is this a joke?'

One more said: 'Wokeness must be outed'.  

The book was initially slammed after it was first published for blaming racism on white people who claimed they were 'better, smarter, prettier, and that they deserve more than everybody else.'

The kid's book in 2022 was distributed to at least one Manhattan kindergarten, one on Staten Island as well as a school in Brooklyn.

'Racism should be talked about, but it should be talked about correctly,' one dad told the NY Post at the time.

'I think that telling 5- and 6-year-olds that white people are all responsible for all racism is not helpful. 

'It's going to be very traumatic for many five and six year old's who are going to blame themselves and blame their parents.' 

Our Skin's narrative adds that 'racism is also the things people do and the unfair rules they make about race so that white people get more power' - yet there is no discussion that groups outside of white might be racist.

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The book created an uproar in a New Jersey town in 2021 where the school board eventually decided the book could only be used as part of a lesson plan and not read without supervision.

'It should not be placed in the general classroom library,' Westfield, NJ., Schools Superintendent Raymond González said, according to a report from the time.

'Rather, this book is best to use as an interactive read aloud where educated professionals can skillfully present this information.'

The Department of Education said at the time that the book is 'not part of our prescribed curriculum' but noted that schools can buy and supply books on their own. 

'Our public schools do not shy away from books that teach our students history and can be used to deepen their understanding of the world around them. We value and honor our students’ perspectives and identities, and we provide opportunities for family voices to be heard on topics including school book lists,' a spokeswoman said.