A concise and reader-friendly guide.
Explains how to recognize (and avoid) the pitfalls of the online world.
Steffens comes out swinging, with an introduction that lays out six hallmarks of behavioral addiction, linking them to the case study of a college student whose extreme obsession with watching movies on his laptop descended into addiction. The isolation caused by the recent Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated teens’ dependence on electronic devices, heightening the dangers. The first four chapters unpack the allure and hazards of the online world, while the final one offers a path to overcoming addiction. The need for social acceptance triggers the fear of missing out, but ironically, the more a person engages with their devices, the less they are connected to the real world. Because social media presents idealized portraits and images, it frequently leads to unhealthy obsessions and self-hate. Online gaming is another pitfall of the cyberworld that can lead to social withdrawal. While we tend to blame ourselves for our fixations with our devices, it’s important to recognize that apps are designed to be habit-forming. Dependence on them can even change the brain’s chemistry. Like other addictions, the solution comes from first admitting that you have a problem: The author encourages steps that include seeking professional help, joining a support group, and behavior modification through mindfulness. Captioned stock photos and text boxes citing relevant studies break up the clear and accessible text and add useful context.
A concise and reader-friendly guide. (picture credits, source notes, resources, further research, index) (Nonfiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Aug. 15, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-67820-352-8
Page Count: 64
Publisher: ReferencePoint Press
Review Posted Online: Aug. 30, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2022
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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