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P L AYwas their public profile and steadfast integrationist stance—even as it would make
Kenneth initially oppose his son’s attempt
to establish a Black student association atColumbia University—that made them anasset to the NAACP legal team. Leaning on
the legacy of their earlier doll studies, Kenneth conducted more with students from
specific counties of interest to the NAACP.
In addition, he shared a recently written
paper he had prepared for the Midcentury
White House Conference on Children andYouth, established by President Trumanto assess the mental health of the nation’schildren. Kenneth included reports written by Mamie and reflective of the realitiesof the children she served at the Northside Center. Other initiatives for which theClarks leveraged their name included theHarlem Youth Opportunities Unlimited(HARYOU) and the Metropolitan Applied
Research Center (MARC), both aimed at
improving the lives of Harlem children.
The biographical triumph of thisbook does nothing to move the needle ontheoretical tenets of child development
generally speaking or children’s play specifically. It, however, reminds us that children play and develop within a societal
context that informs their understandingof self and others. It was Kenneth andMamie Clark’s understanding of this thatserved as a compass for their life’s work as
integrationists. Still, this book is valuable
and needed. It contributes to the underresourced biographical canon about thework and lives of Kenneth and Mamie
Clark, two psychologists who changed ourview of children’s doll play. While the doll
choice studies are the most noted of theirlegacy, it was, as Spofford illustrates, “onlytheir opening act in a lifetime of activ-ism in Harlem and on the national stage”(p.xiii). This book reminds us, as history
frequently teaches us, that our heroes
the Clarks “were ordinary people who’ddone extraordinary things and left a solidlegacy” (p. 290). Still, I conclude that thetitle was not completely dubious. What did
the children tell us? They said that racial
discrimination hurts—them and our society. We must continue to strive for a more
perfect union.
—Sabrina Lynette Thomas, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina

Peer Pedagogy on Digital
Platforms: Learning with
Minecraft Let’s Play VideosMichael DezuanniCambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 2020.
Series foreword, acknowledgments,references, and index. 224 pp. $34,
paperback, ISBN: 9780262539722
In Michael Dezuanni’s Peer Pedagogy on
Digital Platforms: Learning with Minecraft
Let’s Play Videos, we journey through an
exploration of how contemporary digital platforms, particularly Minecraft andYouTube, offer children and young people
fascinating new avenues for learning. The
book, in its 224 pages, thoroughly examines “Let’s Play” practices, the videos,
and fans’ reactions through comments
and creative engagement with the Let’sPlay culture.
Dezuanni’s lucid and engaging writing style breaks down intricate concepts,
making them accessible to a wide range ofreaders. He introduces fresh perspectives

Book Reviews

on how social media entertainment (SME)
platforms and the Let’s Play microindustry
facilitate peer pedagogies, showcasing solidand innovative academic contributions.
One of the standout qualities of Peer
Pedagogy on Digital Platforms is its connection to other pertinent literature in thefield. Dezuanni adroitly places his workwithin the broader discourse on educational technology, play studies, media literacy, and digital media. This contextual
framing assists readers in grasping how hisfindings contribute to and expand uponbroader dialogues within these subjects.
His work leaves an indelible mark on thedynamic field of educational technology
by examining Minecraft and YouTube as
facilitators of unique learning opportunities relying on networked connections.
Dezuanni also underscores how peer
pedagogy can be deployed extensively.
This is achieved through unique exchange
and reward relationships that diverge fromthe conventional structures found in formal learning settings or media pedagogies
from the predigital era.
Dezuanni makes a compelling casethat digital platforms like Minecraft andYouTube open new learning possibilities
that challenge conventional wisdom about
age-appropriate understanding. He suggests that these platforms can foster new
knowledge relationships that blur traditional boundaries between humanities
and sciences and personal and collective
knowledge.
For educators interested in harnessing
digital media, especially SME platforms forlearning, Dezuanni’s work is invaluable.
By outlining the distinct learning possibilities offered by Minecraft and YouTube,he provides a blueprint for educators toincorporate digital media into their pedagogical practices. His findings also affectour understanding of education in digitalcontexts and how educators can leverage
digital platforms to create more engaging
learning experiences.
The book also highlights fan reactions
to Let’s Play videos in which Dezuanni
discusses how fans engage with Let’s Play
culture through comments and creative
reactions, showing how fans actively contribute to the learning process. He suggeststhat fan responses are a crucial element of
the pedagogical process, providing valuable feedback and authenticity to content
creators and helping influence the direction of future content.
Peer Pedagogy on Digital Platforms isa substantial addition to the field of educational technology and peer pedagogies.
The book provides fresh insights into how
digital platforms can craft engaging andeffective learning experiences for children
and young people. It is an essential readfor scholars and classroom educators alikeinterested in digital media, education, andplay studies, as well as educators seeking
inventive ways to spark learning in theirstudents.
—Daniel Singletary, Boise State University,Boise, ID
Game: Animals, Video Games,and Humanity
Tom Tyler
Minneapolis: University of Minnesota
Press, 2022. Acknowledgments, notes,
bibliography, ludography, publication
history, index. 248 pp $25.00, paperback.
ISBN: 9781517910198

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