Addresses critical issues concisely and thoroughly.
Although young Americans are growing up steeped in social media, there are many disturbing aspects to its omnipresence.
This brief yet richly informative effort covers in four chapters the most serious issues with social media. First, it addresses the repetition of inaccurate or patently untrue information, which creates a large class of badly informed citizens, threatening democratic processes. Alarmingly, those ages 18 to 29 use it as their primary source of news even though information on social media generally lacks any traditional fact-checking. The second chapter covers social media as a virulent forum for hate that appears to inflame prejudice; violent racist shootings by those active on online forums where hate speech is promoted, the use of divisive bots on Twitter, and the rise of anti-Asian harassment during the Covid pandemic are covered. Next, the author moves to cyberbullying on social media, something that is difficult to control since many young users use social media without adult supervision. Stories from and about real people adversely affected by online bullying put a human face on the problem. Finally, the book addresses the fact that social media is addictive by design and looks at the toll this takes on people’s lives. Both rich in accurate information and engaging to read, this effort’s only flaw is intrusive text boxes that merely repeat statements from the narrative. The text is enlivened with photographs and charts.
Addresses critical issues concisely and thoroughly. (source notes, resources, further research, index, picture credits) (Nonfiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-6782-0078-7
Page Count: 64
Publisher: ReferencePoint Press
Review Posted Online: June 23, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2021
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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