An airy but far-from-superficial spin past Big Questions and some of the thinkers who have tackled them.
A slightly buggy but enticing introduction to philosophy, based on the first of a print series published in Canada (2011).
Squired by Sophia, an extroverted child resembling Dora the Explorer, young enquirers not only get exposure to broad definitions and basic ground rules for “Doing Philosophy”—meaning thinking about or discussing important ideas in systematic, civilized ways—but considerable drilling down into the topic, too. She lays out the purviews of metaphysics, epistemology, ethics and other branches of the discipline in simple but specific language. This is followed by introductions to five prominent practitioners (“Hannah Arendt here, and boy, oh boy, did I learn a lot of important things from philosophy!”) with overviews of their distinctive “fave subjects." The app closes with a list of 13 brain benders like “What does it mean for something to be ‘normal’?” Aside from two screens of appended historical and geographical sliders with pop-up texts that are only fitfully functional, this quick but informative tour scores high for its overall design, easy navigation, optional audio and cartoon illustrations highlighted by caricatures livened up with small animations. And where else will readers learn that “Jean-Paul Sartre was afraid of being chased by lobsters”?
An airy but far-from-superficial spin past Big Questions and some of the thinkers who have tackled them. (coloring page) (iPad informational app. 10 & up)Pub Date: Dec. 9, 2011
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: Enable Training and Consulting, Inc.
Review Posted Online: March 26, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2012
Essential.
A guidebook for taking action against racism.
The clear title and bold, colorful illustrations will immediately draw attention to this book, designed to guide each reader on a personal journey to work to dismantle racism. In the author’s note, Jewell begins with explanations about word choice, including the use of the terms “folx,” because it is gender neutral, and “global majority,” noting that marginalized communities of color are actually the majority in the world. She also chooses to capitalize Black, Brown, and Indigenous as a way of centering these communities’ voices; "white" is not capitalized. Organized in four sections—identity, history, taking action, and working in solidarity—each chapter builds on the lessons of the previous section. Underlined words are defined in the glossary, but Jewell unpacks concepts around race in an accessible way, bringing attention to common misunderstandings. Activities are included at the end of each chapter; they are effective, prompting both self-reflection and action steps from readers. The activities are designed to not be written inside the actual book; instead Jewell invites readers to find a special notebook and favorite pen and use that throughout. Combining the disruption of common fallacies, spotlights on change makers, the author’s personal reflections, and a call to action, this powerful book has something for all young people no matter what stage they are at in terms of awareness or activism.
Essential. (author’s note, further reading, glossary, select bibliography) (Nonfiction. 10-18)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-7112-4521-1
Page Count: 160
Publisher: Frances Lincoln
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
PROFILES
A young man who unwittingly helps a punk steal an elderly couple’s television in the first story sets the somewhat uneasy tone for this collection. While glimpses of Soto’s characteristic humor and charm appear in later stories, many of these tales focus on less-than-comfortable events and experiences. There’s a girl whose tattooed and pierced babysitter dyes her younger brother’s hair orange and green, a fact sure to enrage their mom when she eventually finds out; a child who is achingly aware of the enmity of anti-war protesters and simultaneously proud of her immigrant parents’ efforts to improve their lives; and a sad young boy whose painfully polite parents have frozen him out of the family without apparently meaning to do so. Each situation is distinct, clearly drawn and immediate. Soto presents his characters with sometimes insurmountable challenges, but he limns their lives with such vivid descriptions and insights that readers will be left wondering how things work out—and wishing for the best. (Fiction. 11-14)
Pub Date: May 1, 2008
ISBN: 978-0-15-206181-4
Page Count: 192
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2008
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