IT'S JUST SKIN, SILLY!

Jablonski and McGee present a science-centered, kid-friendly counter to racism, starring Epi Dermis, a shape-changing, cartoon representation of skin.

Dermis is happy to set the record straight for young readers: Skin is everywhere on the body, tit says, and is incredibly useful. Skin offers sensations that give information and tells the body whether to cover up from the cold or sweat to relieve heat. The body is mostly water, and skin keeps it inside. Dermis also points out truths about skin color, as well: “Color doesn’t make a person nice, mean, fast, strong, smart, or scary,” the narrator says, but no one will listen to a patch of skin. “If I tell you all about me,” Dermis asks the reader, “will you help me tell everyone else?” It then explains scientific facts about skin, and how its color protects the body from different levels of ultraviolet light and shows where a person’s ancestors came from. Illustrator Vermeulen makes Dermis a compelling narrative guide; it changes shape and perpetually alters its hues. The images depict humans as cartoony with big, circular eyes—and, of course, many different skin tones. Jablonski and McGee use Dermis’ accessible voice to present the scientific basics with approachable vocabulary, even when talking about big ideas, such as like human evolution. Call-out boxes make important facts easier to grasp, and a long section at the end provides similar information at a slightly higher level—in the voice of a scientist, rather than a cartoon character. Caregivers, teachers, and older independent readers are sure to use this part of the book to enhance what they’ve already learned.

A solid, humorous exploration into the skin—and why color biases are just silly.