We use the word hate all the time—“I hate vegetables” or “I hated that movie!”—but what about the hate that actually hurts someone? There are words, symbols, ideas, beliefs, and actions that cause pain—to us, our friends, family, neighbours, and school mates.
What if you’ve caused that kind of pain yourself? Or what if you, or someone you know, has been the victim of hate so scary it made you want to cry?
Real kids from real classrooms share their stories here to help us to see the bias, prejudice, violence, discrimination, and exclusion around us—what hate looks like to them. Why? So we can stand against hate and never be the cause of it. And to show us how to cope and get support if we have been hurt.
By sharing our stories, we all become stronger. Our schools, neighbourhoods, and communities become safer and more kind, and hate doesn’t win.
"Jimenez, Promislow and Swartz share their own stories of how hatred affects us in society and in schools as well as the stories of kids in schools who have been both the victims and the perpetrators of hate-related incidents. They help us see how bias, prejudice, violence, discrimination and exclusion affect us all."
"What Does Hate Look Like? explores difficult topics with great sensitivity. This book is ideal for empathic education and exploring actionable, safe, and supportive ways to stand against hate. A thought-provoking examination of hate to prompt awareness and positive change."
"A good resource for children. I can't recommend it enough. I think it's going to be a really important book."
"This book succeeds in answering the question in the title…. Brave kids talk about experiences they had with hatred. Importantly, they talk about how these incidents made them feel—self-hatred, anger, confusion, humiliation, embarrassment, upset, invisible, etc. Victims, ‘upstanders’ and ‘people who hate’ can all learn about themselves and others from this book. If we want to be part of the solution, it’s good to learn about the problem.”
“This book is a beneficial resource for kids, parents, and educators, and provides the chance to initiate conversations, so children can tell their own stories and come up with solutions.”
"What Does Hate Look Like? explores a difficult and sensitive topic that continues to grow in its prevalence today. The storytelling format from the perspective of youth who have experienced hate enables young readers to become engaged in thought-provoking discussions that relate to their reality."
"This book belongs in every school library and is a tremendous resource for students and teachers."