Does it matter that little Tony is black?

Use this forum to discuss the July 2018 Book of the Month "Toni the Superhero" by R.D. Base
Mumanyi
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Re: Does it matter that little Tony is black?

Post by Mumanyi »

I believe that colour really doesn't matter to the children, the author was trying to put across the message that morals and responsibility makes one a superhero
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Post by BeatrixPotter »

I don't think it matters.

All young children benefit from positive, inspiring role models, whatever their ethnicity.

That being said, there is a need for more books about and by African American authors.
"There's so much more to a book than just the reading."
-- Maurice Sendak
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Post by Misael Carlos »

I believe the color of skin should never be factor in any decision or whatsoever in anything. It should be on the character and values a person has.
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Post by naive_neith »

It matters..... representation matters
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Post by Doug Jones »

Bianka Walter wrote: 01 Jul 2018, 10:30 The fact that Toni is black didn't even register on my radar until this thread. So I obviously felt none of the above.
And I don't think it will for kids either. They just see another kid, it's us adults that notice the colour :)
Fully agreed. It'll be nice when we live in a society such as the one Martin Luther King Jr. envisaged, one where a person is judged not by the color of their skin but the content of their character.
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Post by Jennifer Kloss »

Definitely. Have you everthink why all the famous heros are white? Batman, superman, spiderman. People are racist and they judge everyone without knowing.
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Post by Geneo92 »

Why does everything have to do with race? This is the real question.
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Post by Wa_hu »

It is significant, and I also like that he has a diverse group of friends. It was a subtle but effective means to spread the message of inclusivity.
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Post by thebookaholic1 »

Perhaps.

We're already shattering the white-hero stereotype.

Your question reminded me of the poem, The Little Black Boy by William Blake.
And I am black, but O! my soul is white;
White as an angel is the English child.
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Post by husni5 »

:!: it doesn't matter that the little Tony is black because what counts in the end is the intellectual capacity.
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Post by Ianica »

Toni being a black kid was just to cut across all races and yet have the main idea laid out-superheros always do the ordinary chores to help.
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Post by teevic_o »

I don't think that it should matter that Tony is black. When reading the book, it's hardly a big deal. What's noticeable though is just the tidbits with the cultural differences. The lessons and the story itself matter more don't you think? It's also a good change that black children can also be heroes too.
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Post by Doug Jones »

cristinaro wrote: 01 Jul 2018, 11:20
Bianka Walter wrote: 01 Jul 2018, 10:30 The fact that Toni is black didn't even register on my radar until this thread. So I obviously felt none of the above.
And I don't think it will for kids either. They just see another kid, it's us adults that notice the colour :)
I guess my cultural conditioning and scholar training are to be blamed for my observations. :) It could be interesting to show the book to a number of children and see what happens. We learn about racial distinctions in time, so it's a good idea to have a black superhero to make sure we get rid of any prejudice and misconceptions.
There are a number of black superheroes. Falcon, Black Panther, Spawn, Green Lantern, Storm, Cyborg, to name but a few.
Nothing is more conductive to peace of mind than not having any opinions at all. - Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
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Post by Samisah »

Our world is gradually changing. Even in conventional movies, black super heroes are no longer strange to see.
So Toni being black is really not a big deal
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Post by Book Lover 35 »

No. All kids can be superheroes regardless of race.
:tiphat:
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