A stereotype-dispelling companion to Dreaming in Indian (2014).
Dozens of young Native Americans who have made cities their homes offer glimpses of their lives, dreams, work, and attitudes toward themselves and others.
It’s a busy whirl of street art and portrait photos, testimonials, interviews, miniprofiles, tweets, poetry, statistics, pull quotes, and editorial commentary. There are some commonalities: nearly all of the contributors are Canadians, living (with a few exceptions) in Canadian cities, and many express a desire to live in the modern world without losing track of their tribal heritage and values. The relationship to that heritage varies. Russell Means’ actor/activist son Tatanka writes of the importance of getting away from the rez, while two Saskatoon teenagers declare, “We hang out with both Native and Non-Native kids.” Cree-Trinidadian Tasha Spillett embraces both “Ceremony” and elaborate ceremonial regalia, Diné Roanna Shebala wryly offers the caustic lyric “Love You Some Indians,” and, beyond issues of identity and assimilation, Cherokee doctor Adrienne Keene pens a passionate blog post in the wake of a Native student’s suicide at Stanford. Whether or not the students, artists, professionals, and academics here are a true cross section of the rapidly growing Native American urban population, they are, as social organizer Jessica Balduc (Anishinaabe, Batchewana First Nation) puts it, “Edgewalkers,” poised to work changes in the world.
A stereotype-dispelling companion to Dreaming in Indian (2014). (bibliography) (Nonfiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-55451-751-0
Page Count: 136
Publisher: Annick Press
Review Posted Online: Aug. 25, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
Brief yet inspirational, this story will galvanize youth to use their voices for change.
Testa’s connection to and respect for nature compelled her to begin championing animal causes at the age of 10, and this desire to have an impact later propelled her to dedicate her life to fighting plastic pollution. Starting with the history of plastic and how it’s produced, Testa acknowledges the benefits of plastics for humanity but also the many ways it harms our planet. Instead of relying on recycling—which is both insufficient and ineffective—she urges readers to follow two additional R’s: “refuse” and “raise awareness.” Readers are encouraged to do their part, starting with small things like refusing to use plastic straws and water bottles and eventually working up to using their voices to influence business and policy change. In the process, she highlights other youth advocates working toward the same cause. Short chapters include personal examples, such as observations of plastic pollution in Mauritius, her maternal grandparents’ birthplace. Testa makes her case not only against plastic pollution, but also for the work she’s done, resulting in something of a college-admissions–essay tone. Nevertheless, the first-person accounts paired with science will have an impact on readers. Unfortunately, no sources are cited and the lack of backmatter is a missed opportunity.
Brief yet inspirational, this story will galvanize youth to use their voices for change. (Nonfiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Oct. 13, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-22333-8
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2020
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