Relatable history and personal storytelling that will reach digital natives.
The young woman behind the popular TikTok series “Fast Black History” offers readers a collection of short biographies of prominent Black Americans.
Each of the 12 profiles includes a segment entitled “TAYSTORY!” (for “History + Taylor”) that shows how the historical figure has personally influenced the author’s life. The eclectic selection, which includes both well-known names and ones that may be new to readers, demonstrates how wide-ranging Black history is and how many life lessons can be found in it. The story of Claudette Colvin focuses on the possibility of making change at a young age. Eighteenth-century scientist Benjamin Banneker offers a reminder “to never shrink yourself.” Some entries, such as the one on journalist Ida B. Wells, open with a content warning. Zora Neale Hurston’s entry includes a playlist of modern music that highlights her complex personality. The chapter on photographer Gordon Parks celebrates his “reverberant, honest voice.” Ledger Smith roller-skated from Chicago to the 1963 March on Washington; track star Tommie Smith famously took a stand against racism at the 1968 Olympics; and actor Cicely Tyson shows “why good representation changes lives.” The remaining subjects—fashion designer Patrick Kelly, Stonewall Uprising leader Marsha P. Johnson, and astronaut Mae Jemison—offer other valuable examples. The lively, colloquial language makes this work accessible and appealing to those who might shy away from traditional history texts. Bellet’s whimsical illustrations add to the sense of joy. The book has no source list.
Relatable history and personal storytelling that will reach digital natives. (Nonfiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Oct. 14, 2025
ISBN: 9781665957700
Page Count: 200
Publisher: Atheneum
Review Posted Online: Aug. 2, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2025
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
