An affirming guide to interconnectedness that could benefit from diverse examples of real-life youth.
Spencer offers strategies to help young women increase their self-awareness and cultivate their spirituality in this self-help book.
In this work, the author emphasizes both identity development and the experience of oneness. Instead of relying on the “sponge method” of self-concept formation, by which outside forces determine individual goals, Spencer encourages young women to recognize and appreciate their unique beauty. By noticing when they are “in the flow,” she posits, the reader can pinpoint their life’s purpose. Rather than “Doing what your family always did” or “Doing what friends think you should do,” readers are advised to lean on intuition to guide them. Intuition, per the author, can be “your inner ally, your personal assistant, or your BFF,” and heeding its messages is essential to creating a more fulfilling life. Journaling, meditating, and praying are among the recommended ways to tap into intuition; replacing black-and-white thinking with a broader vantage point is also key. Spencer explores how religion, quantum physics, astronomy, and practices such as yoga and breathwork can facilitate a connection with the universe. Navigating forgiveness, accepting life, and practicing gratitude are other skills addressed in the book. The author concludes with the reassurance that “you’re ready and willing to chart a new course for your life.” Spencer empowers young people to embrace themselves and life in this uplifting guide. The text seamlessly blends contemporary references (Post Malone, TikTok) with timeless wisdom from deep thinkers like the Buddha, effectively bridging the gap between modern teens and ancient philosophies. The author’s advice is actionable and accessible, like her counsel to reframe perceived flaws as strengths; for example, instead of labeling themselves as “loud and rambunctious,” readers might see themselves as ideal spokespeople for important issues. However, affirmations like, “I know my happiness is in my own hands and my perspective is everything” oversimplify one’s locus of control, skimming over the systemic and individual challenges many young people face.
An affirming guide to interconnectedness that could benefit from diverse examples of real-life youth.Pub Date: Aug. 12, 2025
ISBN: 9780875169590
Page Count: 244
Publisher: DeVorss Publications
Review Posted Online: June 2, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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
A fierce, penetrating, and empowering call for change.
Artist and activist Vaid-Menon demonstrates how the normativity of the gender binary represses creativity and inflicts physical and emotional violence.
The author, whose parents emigrated from India, writes about how enforcement of the gender binary begins before birth and affects people in all stages of life, with people of color being especially vulnerable due to Western conceptions of gender as binary. Gender assignments create a narrative for how a person should behave, what they are allowed to like or wear, and how they express themself. Punishment of nonconformity leads to an inseparable link between gender and shame. Vaid-Menon challenges familiar arguments against gender nonconformity, breaking them down into four categories—dismissal, inconvenience, biology, and the slippery slope (fear of the consequences of acceptance). Headers in bold font create an accessible navigation experience from one analysis to the next. The prose maintains a conversational tone that feels as intimate and vulnerable as talking with a best friend. At the same time, the author's turns of phrase in moments of deep insight ring with precision and poetry. In one reflection, they write, “the most lethal part of the human body is not the fist; it is the eye. What people see and how people see it has everything to do with power.” While this short essay speaks honestly of pain and injustice, it concludes with encouragement and an invitation into a future that celebrates transformation.
A fierce, penetrating, and empowering call for change. (writing prompt) (Nonfiction. 14-adult)Pub Date: June 2, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-09465-5
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: March 14, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2020
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