Slavery, “the peculiar institution,” was practiced throughout the New World, but Fradin concentrates on the slaves who escaped, and provides, as much as possible, biographies of those who had the courage to face the awful consequences should they have been returned to slavery. By the same token, he makes very clear the inhumanity and destructive capabilities of those who “owned” other humans—people separated from their bond masters by color and the fact that they were mere merchandise. They were first sold by African tribal people of the same color to Europeans of different skin color and religion. The narratives are based on the stories of 16 people who dared to escape from bondage previous to the Underground Railroad as well as during its existence. Illustrated with period prints, the biographies are moving, touching—and devastating, even as the life of a slave was devastating to his or her humanity. Julius Lester’s To Be a Slave would be a fine companion to Fradin’s work. Scholarly paraphernalia includes Web sites, bibliography, and index, but the author provides neither footnotes nor backnotes to the narratives and his brief introductory discussions. Dates within, or introductory, to the narratives would have been helpful as would have commentary on the period illustrations (e.g., cuts of Eliza from Uncle Tom’s Cabin, crossing the ice showing her as a Caucasian, might have been helpful to the less-informed). Other than this lack of notes or commentary, this personal and affecting account would be a model. Even so, it is moving and enlightening. (Nonfiction. 11+)
Pub Date: Oct. 16, 2000
ISBN: 0-395-97017-2
Page Count: 202
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2000
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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