Thorough, thought-provoking, and all too relevant.
The author of the acclaimed The 57 Bus (2017) delves into another complex story involving teens, personal choices, and societal forces.
Liberal Albany, California—where over half the residents are White and most are college educated—was the site in 2017 of a shocking discovery. A Korean American high school junior had created a private Instagram account and for several months shared racist, sexist memes with his 13 followers, all White and Asian boys. The targets were predominantly Black and Black biracial girls (a Black coach and Sri Lankan American boy were also victims). The violent, degrading images were even more horrific since the perpetrator, account followers, and victims knew one another, and some were close friends. Slater’s thorough research includes candid interviews with those on both sides. She accessibly explores edgy meme culture, online hate speech, the students’ social dynamics, a disastrous mediation session, the school district’s actions, subsequent lawsuits, and how individuals were affected post-graduation. Short, punchy chapters offer interestingly varied formats and perspectives. The book will spark deep reflection on degrees of complicity, whether and when to forgive, what contributes to genuine remorse and change, and what parents and educators could have done differently. There’s a missed opportunity to unpack questions about identity versus behavior when several young people describe fears of being labeled “racist.” The book also would have benefitted from more explicitly addressing Black girlhood and misogynoir.
Thorough, thought-provoking, and all too relevant. (author’s note, content warning, resources, additional data, note on sourcing, endnotes) (Nonfiction. 13-adult)Pub Date: Aug. 22, 2023
ISBN: 9780374314347
Page Count: 496
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: May 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2023
This empowering collection belongs on every shelf.
A collection of poems centering the experiences of black women, girls, and femmes.
Elliott (Dragons in a Bag, 2018, etc.) offers up a poetic love letter exploring a vast range of topics: Black Lives Matter; microaggressions such as hair touching; violence against black women and girls; the Middle Passage; what self-care and resistance can look like; not fitting into prescribed definitions of blackness; and surviving in the U.S. (a country where, echoing Audre Lorde’s “A Litany for Survival,” she writes, “…you are a miracle / because we were never / meant to survive / not as human beings / yet despite their best efforts / to grind us down / still we rise / we strut / dazzle / & defy the odds…”). It’s clear that Elliott poured not only her talent, but her heart into this collection, which acknowledges race-wide struggles as well as very personal ones. True to the title, several poems allude to black women and young people who have been murdered; the references to black trans women may be too subtle for readers to recognize without referencing the notes. Elliott includes a sprinkling of mentor poems that served as inspiration to her and that form an introduction to readers unfamiliar with the poets’ works (though why Phillis Wheatley’s ode to internalized anti-blackness “On Being Brought From Africa to America” was included without context isn’t clear). Art not seen.
This empowering collection belongs on every shelf. (notes) (Poetry. 12-adult)Pub Date: Jan. 14, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-368-04524-7
Page Count: 112
Publisher: Jump at the Sun/Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: Oct. 12, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2019
A vibrant read about the connections between fashion, culture, and social justice.
A celebration of clothing, cultural pride, and fashion activists.
Have you ever wondered why we don’t usually see high heels in men’s sizes? Do you remember when darker shades of makeup finally became easier to find? Are you curious about Muslim fashionistas? This book is for anyone who wants to explore the ways in which clothes, hairstyles, makeup, hats, and other sartorial decisions communicate who we are to the world. A person’s style can be powerful, as it enables the wearer to make a statement, giving them the opportunity to express cultural confidence, body positivity, and self-acceptance. Allaire (Ojibwe), a Vogue fashion and style writer from the Nipissing First Nation Reserve in Ontario, celebrates the way diversity is changing the world of fashion. Beginning with an introduction about the importance of representation, the author transports his readers to a place of pride. His writing questions norms and encourages young people to resist the status quo and not allow others to limit their creative expression. With sections dedicated to natural Black hair, gender nonconformity, cosplayers, Indigenous designers, and more, he brings fashion colorfully to life with photographs and history lessons. The book is made stronger by personal touches, for example passages about the ribbon shirt made by his mother and aunts that honored his Ojibwe culture and ancestors.
A vibrant read about the connections between fashion, culture, and social justice. (index, further reading, photo credits) (Nonfiction. 12-18)Pub Date: April 27, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-77321-490-0
Page Count: 100
Publisher: Annick Press
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
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