An earnest, well-mapped guide to neurotypical customs.
Cook, herself autistic, offers tips for neurodiverse readers.
Incorporating candid personal anecdotes, the author examines how common autistic tendencies—among them perfectionism, difficulty giving and receiving criticism, and a lack of tact—can inadvertently cause neurotypical peers to form negative impressions. To mitigate social gaffes, she thoroughly explains the rationale behind such social subtleties as white lies, reflective listening, and how to helpfully frame critiques, among others. Each chapter, introduced by a black-and-white cartoon illustration and a list of main points, accessibly breaks abstract concepts into actionable behaviors. Charts and sample dialogues demonstrate such skills as distinguishing between insensitive and tactful responses to awkward questions. Practice sessions in the form of short, comic strip–style vignettes invite readers to apply these skills by spotting strengths and weaknesses in characters’ interactions. Importantly, though the author doesn’t sugarcoat the negative effects of social blunders, she encourages readers to be gentle with themselves. Unfortunately, generalizations occasionally mar her advice. For instance, she discourages befriending popular, attractive, and charismatic people, claiming that they would find readers disposable—a rigid presumption that contradicts her encouragement of flexible thinking. However, readers will appreciate her logical approaches to curbing catastrophic thinking, defusing meltdowns, recognizing trustworthy friends, engaging in self-advocacy, and more. While readers may not need—or agree with—every tip, the wide variety of topics ensures that they’ll find useful strategies for almost any challenge. There is some racial diversity in the illustrated figures.
An earnest, well-mapped guide to neurotypical customs. (references) (Nonfiction. 13-18)Pub Date: June 21, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-78775-837-7
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2022
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
Though not the most balanced, an enlightening look back for the queer future.
An adaptation for teens of the adult title A Queer History of the United States (2011).
Divided into thematic sections, the text filters LGBTQIA+ history through key figures in each era from the 1500s to the present. Alongside watershed moments like the 1969 Stonewall uprising and the HIV/AIDS crisis of the 1980s and 1990s, the text brings to light less well-known people, places, and events: the 1625 free love colony of Merrymount, transgender Civil War hero Albert D.J. Cashier, and the 1951 founding of the Mattachine Society, to name a few. Throughout, the author and adapter take care to use accurate pronouns and avoid imposing contemporary terminology onto historical figures. In some cases, they quote primary sources to speculate about same-sex relationships while also reminding readers of past cultural differences in expressing strong affection between friends. Black-and-white illustrations or photos augment each chapter. Though it lacks the teen appeal and personable, conversational style of Sarah Prager’s Queer, There, and Everywhere (2017), this textbook-level survey contains a surprising amount of depth. However, the mention of transgender movements and activism—in particular, contemporary issues—runs on the slim side. Whereas chapters are devoted to over 30 ethnically diverse gay, lesbian, bisexual, or queer figures, some trans pioneers such as Christine Jorgensen and Holly Woodlawn are reduced to short sidebars.
Though not the most balanced, an enlightening look back for the queer future. (glossary, photo credits, bibliography, index) (Nonfiction. 14-18)Pub Date: June 11, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-8070-5612-7
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Beacon Press
Review Posted Online: March 12, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2019
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