A suitable introduction to the field of law enforcement with a salutary, rarely seen focus.
This small but ambitious book in the Women of Action series profiles 16 American women who were or are involved in law enforcement, describing their specific jobs while simultaneously showing the painfully slow entry of women into this field.
The author’s recommendation of “adult guidance for younger readers” is not to be dismissed lightly: after a brief introduction, the first chapter uses the example of a young, flogged-to-death pregnant prisoner to underline the urgency for social reform in the 1800s. Next, the text gives short biographies of the first women to work in law enforcement: the so-called matrons who paved the way for “police in petticoats.” With each biography, and in many of the sidebars, readers are presented with examples of sexism that still plagues the field, from the combination gun holster/makeup kit for 1942 policewomen in New York City through the elimination of all female FBI agents from 1929 to 1972 to the premature resignation of the FBI’s first female profiler in 1984, due to feeling “constantly under evaluation by the all-male managers.” Most of the biographies concentrate on women who have persevered to do work that gives them satisfaction for reasons both personal and altruistic. Commendably, biographical information extends into 2015. The writing is generally accessible, so the overuse of exclamation points feels condescending.
A suitable introduction to the field of law enforcement with a salutary, rarely seen focus. (author’s note, introduction, resources, notes, bibliography, index) (Nonfiction. 13-18)Pub Date: May 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-61373-422-3
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Chicago Review Press
Review Posted Online: March 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2016
Small but mighty necessary reading.
A miniature manifesto for radical queer acceptance that weaves together the personal and political.
Eli, a cis gay white Jewish man, uses his own identities and experiences to frame and acknowledge his perspective. In the prologue, Eli compares the global Jewish community to the global queer community, noting, “We don’t always get it right, but the importance of showing up for other Jews has been carved into the DNA of what it means to be Jewish. It is my dream that queer people develop the same ideology—what I like to call a Global Queer Conscience.” He details his own isolating experiences as a queer adolescent in an Orthodox Jewish community and reflects on how he and so many others would have benefitted from a robust and supportive queer community. The rest of the book outlines 10 principles based on the belief that an expectation of mutual care and concern across various other dimensions of identity can be integrated into queer community values. Eli’s prose is clear, straightforward, and powerful. While he makes some choices that may be divisive—for example, using the initialism LGBTQIAA+ which includes “ally”—he always makes clear those are his personal choices and that the language is ever evolving.
Small but mighty necessary reading. (resources) (Nonfiction. 14-18)Pub Date: June 2, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-09368-9
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2020
A powerful reminder of a history that is all too timely today.
A beautifully heart-wrenching graphic-novel adaptation of actor and activist Takei’s (Lions and Tigers and Bears, 2013, etc.) childhood experience of incarceration in a World War II camp for Japanese Americans.
Takei had not yet started school when he, his parents, and his younger siblings were forced to leave their home and report to the Santa Anita Racetrack for “processing and removal” due to President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Executive Order 9066. The creators smoothly and cleverly embed the historical context within which Takei’s family’s story takes place, allowing readers to simultaneously experience the daily humiliations that they suffered in the camps while providing readers with a broader understanding of the federal legislation, lawsuits, and actions which led to and maintained this injustice. The heroes who fought against this and provided support to and within the Japanese American community, such as Fred Korematsu, the 442nd Regiment, Herbert Nicholson, and the ACLU’s Wayne Collins, are also highlighted, but the focus always remains on the many sacrifices that Takei’s parents made to ensure the safety and survival of their family while shielding their children from knowing the depths of the hatred they faced and danger they were in. The creators also highlight the dangerous parallels between the hate speech, stereotyping, and legislation used against Japanese Americans and the trajectory of current events. Delicate grayscale illustrations effectively convey the intense emotions and the stark living conditions.
A powerful reminder of a history that is all too timely today. (Graphic memoir. 14-adult)Pub Date: July 16, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-60309-450-4
Page Count: 208
Publisher: Top Shelf Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 4, 2019
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