We present three studies examining death in children’s animated films. Study 1 is a content analysis of 49 films. We found that death is often portrayed in films, but many deaths occurred off-screen. Deaths were mostly portrayed in a biologically accurate manner, but some films portrayed biological misconceptions. Studies 2 and 3 (n = 433) report on parents’ attitudes and parent-child conversations about death in films. Children’s questions about death in animated films were similar to their questions about death more generally. Animated films may provide a context for parent-child conversations about death, as parents often watched these films with their children. However, it appeared that few parents took advantage of this opportunity to talk about death with their children.

Because media provide a steady stream of models, they are especially poised to offer formative information about race. Yet although U.S. youth consume approximately 7 h of media daily, we know little about how media use contributes to their developing racial attitudes. Instead, research has focused mainly on adults, and studies of youth have developed along separate tracks for youth who are White and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color). In this article, we first analyze the lack of attention to media effects on the development of racial attitudes, despite their assumed prominence as socializers. Then we summarize research on youth of color and White youth. We conclude with suggestions for building a comprehensive research agenda, including addressing gaps in the associations tested, considering more nuanced assessments of race and media, and integrating approaches across fields.