The Talk Darrin Bell by Darrin Bell 9781250805140, 1250805147 instant download after payment.

Darrin Bell was six years old when his mother told him he couldn't have a realistic water gun. She said she feared for his safety, that police tend to think of little Black boys as older & less innocent than they really are.

Through evocative illustrations & sharp humor, Bell examines how The Talk shaped intimate & public moments from childhood to adulthood. 

While coming of age in Los Angeles--and finding a voice through cartooning--Bell becomes painfully aware of being regarded as dangerous by white teachers, neighbors, & police officers & thus of his mortality. Drawing attention to the brutal murders of African Americans and showcasing revealing insights & cartoons along the way, he brings us up to the moment of reckoning when people took to the streets protesting the murders of George Floyd & Breonna Taylor. And now Bell must decide whether he & his own six-year-old son are ready to have The Talk.

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Bell writes an incredibly moving graphic memoir, full of vignettes from his life that offer a critique of the prejudice he’s experienced. All are evocatively drawn in mostly two-tone shades, with effective occasional flashes of additional color—some absolutely stunning, such as when a cop’s face morphs into the dog that terrifies Bell. The powerful story of Bell’s life and his commentary on racism are made even more impactful by his poignant illustrations. — Library Journal