A celebration of accomplishments by notable women.
Profiles of four contemporary women who have achieved across a variety of fields.
Sheen’s introduction explains that despite historically having few rights or protections, women “have taken action to make the world a better place.” She tells the story of Yazidi sex trafficking survivor and human rights campaigner Nadia Murad, who won a Nobel Peace Prize. The following chapters each focus on one distinguished woman. Tech industry leader Sylvia Acevedo overcame racism, sexism, and family difficulties. She received a boost from the Girl Scouts (and later became their CEO), worked at NASA, and earned a master’s from Stanford, fulfilling a childhood dream. World and Olympic champion gymnast Simone Biles experienced family instability. She was diagnosed with ADHD, faced body shaming and racism, and worked through mental health challenges. Illinois senator Tammy Duckworth was born in Thailand; her father was an American serviceman. The family experienced financial struggles. Duckworth served in Iraq, where she lost her legs in combat, and she’s since dedicated her political career to improving people’s lives. As a child, singer and icon Taylor Swift endured bullying and ridicule for her musical pursuits but channeled these experiences into her songwriting. Today she’s a role model for her business skills, philanthropy, support of social causes, and kindness toward her fans. Sheen’s concise, engaging writing emphasizes the subjects’ success in overcoming struggles, offering encouragement and inspiration to readers.
A celebration of accomplishments by notable women. (source notes, for further research, index, picture credits) (Nonfiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2025
ISBN: 9781678210861
Page Count: 64
Publisher: ReferencePoint Press
Review Posted Online: Aug. 2, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
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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