About This Book:
A gentle story to help parents and children discuss racial injustice and empower young readers to let their inner lights shine
Like her favorite superheroes, Eden always knew how to save the day.
That is, until one night, she sees something troubling on the television: the story of a Black man who was unjustly treated and hurt by the police. For the first time, Eden feels scared, and she’s not exactly sure how to explain it. She does know one thing for sure: the dark seems much scarier now than it did before.
Eden’s parents try their best to explain that she is protected and safe, but none of the things that usually soothe her work. It’s only when her mother reminds Eden that people can never take away her inner light that Eden understands her most powerful tool to fight the dark.
*Review Contributed by Adrien Carter, Newsletter Manager and Staff Reviewer*
Eden knows how to save the day; after all, she has superhero strength. Things change for Eden, though, when she stumbles upon something that concerns her on the television; the news is showing a story of a Black man who was unjustly treated and harmed by the police. This frightens Eden, and she isn’t sure how to explain what she is feeling; all she knows is that the dark is a lot scarier after seeing this. Eden’s parents try to assure her that she is protected and safe, but the things that typically help calm her down aren’t working. Eden’s mother finally sees what has troubled Eden and explains to her that no one can take her inner light, and how powerful that light is to fight the dark that she now fears.
What I Liked: This book opens by introducing you to Eden, who is a bright child who loves superheroes, often dressing like them. She has a light to her that shines through the illustrations and explanation of who she is. You slowly see this light diminish as she encounters a troubling incident on the news, and you see fear and distress take over her face. This book does a great job of showcasing children’s various emotions through the facial expressions and the body language that is highlighted in Eden.
The illustrations throughout this book are soft and feel like you are stepping into someone else’s home. They do a great job of setting the tone for what is going on throughout the book, especially as moments are darker than others, and the illustrations do a great job of highlighting how light conquers various things.
This book brought tears to my eyes as things feel really dark right now for many marginalized communities. This was a refreshing reminder that the strongest thing that we can do is keep being ourselves, and that they can’t dim our lights. I was delighted to see how Eden’s parents supported her through figuring out how to express her feelings, and then explained things to her when they realized just what was happening for her.
Final Verdict: Eden’s Light is a great book to teach children about racial injustice and how to combat that with their inner light. This book permits children to share their feelings regarding the injustices that they might encounter in the news or in real life. Adults will enjoy the message that is being passed along through this book, as it is one that children need to hear and that we sometimes need to be reminded of ourselves.
*Find More Info & Buy This Book HERE!*
