"Writers since Piaget have questioned when and how children assimilate racist attitudes - or simply become aware of racial differences. This book offers evidence that the answers may be more surprising than we ever imagined.".

"The rich accounts of children's behavior around race are drawn from Van Ausdale's ethnographies, conducted in several multiethnic day care centers. When she persistently divested herself of any authoritative role, children as young as three years gradually revealed to her a surprising array of racial attitudes, assumptions, and behaviors - most of which they normally withhold from parents and adult companions.

The careful ethnographic analysis, conducted over many months, led the authors to question many of our long-held assumptions about the nature of race and racial learning in American society." "The stories of the children are compelling, often endearing, and unforgettable. They will change the way parents, teachers, and other educators understand the world as seen by children."--BOOK JACKET.