More a call to (continued) action than a well-balanced survey, but reasonably up to date.
A quick progress report on humanity’s study of our own solar neighborhood and those beyond.
Nardo provides a succinct justification for exploring outer space. “Earth is doomed,” he writes—and considering the astronomical evidence of cosmic disasters everywhere and the multiple “extinction events” our own planet has already experienced, he concludes that our space programs are “not merely academic pursuits.” Startled readers are likely to focus with some attention on his subsequent accounts of the current and next generations of space telescopes; of the massive fireballs over Tunguska, Siberia, in 1908 and the Russian city of Chelyabinsk in 2013; of landers that have been or are slated to be sent to Mars; and of probes to the outer moons, several of which have turned out to feature subsurface oceans and so may, at least theoretically, support life. The prospect of commercial space flight escapes mention, and his perfunctory glances at galaxies, black holes, exoplanets, and the challenges of actually living in space or on other worlds are as much filler as the sparse assortment of stock photos and images highlighted by random star fields, an astronaut aboard the ISS, and an Indonesian nickel mine. Still, there’s a sense of urgency here that comes through, however limited the author’s scope and judicious his tone.
More a call to (continued) action than a well-balanced survey, but reasonably up to date. (source notes, further reading, index, picture credits) (Nonfiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2023
ISBN: 9781678206024
Page Count: 64
Publisher: ReferencePoint Press
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2023
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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