As a white woman married to a black/native american man, I have learned a lot about race during the past 22 years of our relationship. I grew up in a predominately white environment with an amazing family and a great history, but also very white. My husband grew up in a Carribean neighborhood in Brooklyn, NY. His mother is from Guyana, South America and his father has New York roots but born and raised in New Orleans. His family is incredibly diverse. His parents alone were a combination of Carribean black, French Creole, Native American (Shinnecock and Montaukett Tribes from Long Island, NY) and British. Both sides of my husband’s family has a very rich and fascinating history. Being that my in laws were born in the late 1940s/early 1950s they definitely delt with their fair share of racism. As a child, my father in law had to sit in the back of segregated buses. As an adult was denied counter service at a restaurant in Maryland while he was wearing his Marine service uniform. To be on the front lines of the Vietnam War and not be treated with respect and kindness in his own country was so heartbreaking to hear. (Below are pictures of my father in law while he was in Vietnam as a Marine.)
Our 15 year old son and 11 year old daughter are a wonderful mix of different ethnicities/races. I do worry about how they will be treated/discriminated against and for their safety. I seek out books for my children to read about what their ancestors endured and what they could encounter themselves to both help educate and protect them. Thankfully, nowadays, there are more and more fantastic books aimed at children of all ages that helps tell these important stories.
One book in particular that my daughter and I read together is called The Parker Inheritence by Varian Johnson. This book hits on so many levels. We originally started reading it because we were searching for kids mystery books plus I really liked the cover.
The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson is a middle grade mystery novel that follows twelve-year-old Candice Miller and her friend Brandon as they uncover a decades-old secret in the small town of Lambert, South Carolina. After Candice discovers a mysterious letter in her late grandmother’s belongings, she and Brandon embark on a quest to solve a puzzle that could lead to a hidden fortune.
As they dig deeper, they learn about the town’s history of racial injustice, focusing on the Parker family and the discrimination they faced in the 1950s. The story weaves together past and present, revealing themes of resilience, friendship, and the importance of confronting the truth. Ultimately, The Parker Inheritance is a compelling mix of history, mystery, and social justice.
While I did not realize this mystery book was going to tackle to so many deep topics, I am thankful that it did. The fact that the book goes back and forth between present day/modern life of Cadence and the 1950s, Jim Crow South life of her grandmother really helps illustrate with how much racism her grandmother faced when she was younger as well as how, despite it being decades later, Candice is still fighting many of the same battles. In both timelines, the stories are powerful and give a sense of what it was like to endure injustice first hand. The book also touches on other tough topics like divorce, financial struggles, and bullying while balancing those topics with friendships, love, and the thrill of solving a mystery.
Overall, The Parker Inheritance is both entertaining and educational, making it a powerful book for kids who enjoy mysteries, history, and stories about friendship and justice. I highly recomend reading it.
If you are considering buying this book, I highly recommend you buy from a black owned book store. Click here for a link of black owned bookstores for your reference.
