Something Happened in Our Town follows a White family and a Black family as they discuss a police shooting of a Black man. It is designed to engage young children in a compelling story as well as spark important discussions

about racial injustice. In addition to modeling

conversations about race, this book provides messages of acceptance,

empowerment, and positive community support.

Includes an extensive Note to Parents and Caregivers

that provides general guidance about addressing

racism with children, child-friendly vocabulary definitions, conversation

guides, and a link to additional online resources for parents and teachers.

MAGINATION PRESSMore Books for Kids

I See Youby Michael Genhart, PhD

Why Am I Blue?:A Story About Being Yourselfby Kalli Dakos

When You Look Out the Window:How Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin

Built a Communityby Gayle E. Pitman, PhD

Grow Happyby Jon Lasser, PhD,

and Sage Foster-Lasser

Marvelous Maravilloso:Me and My

Beautiful Familyby Carrie Lara, PsyD

CELANO, COLLINS &

HAZZA

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Children’s / Social Justice

Ages 4–8

8285467814339

ISBN 9781433828546

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Published by the American Psychological Associationwww.apa.org/pubs/magination

Emma and Josh heard that something happened in their town. A Black man was shot by the police.

“Why did the police shoot that man?”

“Can police go to jail?”

Something Happened in Our Town follows two families—one White, one Black—as they discuss a police shooting of a Black man in their community. The story aims to answer children’s questions

about such traumatic events, and to help children identify and counter racial injustice in their own lives.

Includes an extensive Note to Parents and Caregivers with guidelines for discussing race and racism with children,

child-friendly definitions, and sample dialogues.

SomethingHappenedJacket.indd 1 1/17/18 4:22 PM

SAMPLE PAGES - NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION © American Psychological Association

Something bad happened in our town. The news was on the TV, the radio, and the internet. The grown-ups didn’t think the kids knew about it.

But the kids in Ms. Garcia’s class heard some older kids talking about it, and they had questions.

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After school, Emma asked her mother: “Why did the police shoot that man?”

“It was a mistake,” said her mother. “I feel sad for the man and his family.”

“Yes, the police thought he had a gun,” said her father.

“It wasn’t a mistake,” said her sister, Liz. “The cops shot him because he was Black.”

Emma was confused. “He is brown, not black,” she said.

“Some Black people have dark brown skin, and some have light brown skin,” Emma’s father explained.

“‘Black’ usually means African American. Most of their ancestors were brought here from Africa as slaves.”

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In another house, Josh asked his mother: “Can police go to jail?”

“Yes,” said his mother. “Why do you ask?”

“That White policeman who shot the Black man,” said Josh. “Will he go to jail?”

“What he did was wrong,” said his mother.

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“But he won’t go to jail,” said his father.

“Why not?” asked Josh.

“Cops stick up for each other,” said Josh’s brother, Malcolm. “And they don’t like Black men.”

Josh was confused. “Why not? Some police are Black.”

“You’re right,” said his mother. “Uncle James is a police officer, and so is my friend Kenya.”

“There are many cops, Black and White, who make good choices,” said his father. “But we can’t always count on them to do what’s right.”

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