Straight-up assignment fodder, staid but steady, stronger on reportage than analysis.
A matter-of-fact account of the impeachment’s proximate causes, course, and outcome.
Making a try for evenhanded language, Allen describes how an “alleged quid pro quo” in a July 2019 phone conversation between Donald Trump, “one of the most polarizing presidents ever,” and Ukraine’s newly elected leader, Volodymyr Zelensky, sparked a whistleblower complaint that, along with the White House’s subsequent stonewalling, led to a congressional scrimmage and, after much sound and fury, a 2020 Senate trial with a “foregone conclusion.” Arguing that said conclusion was based not on principle but party, the author notes and quotes many more logical and impassioned arguments for the impeachment than against it, so leaving the “anti” side relatively silent. Nor, beyond a few passing references, does he give readers willing to make their own judgments about the merits of the case much legal or historical background to work with. Still, by diligently wrestling an array of published documents and news reports into a coherent narrative and closing with several pages of resources, he does give report-driven students a leg up in their research. Color photos add interest, and text boxes provide additional context and quotes from experts and key individuals.
Straight-up assignment fodder, staid but steady, stronger on reportage than analysis. (source notes, key figures, further reading, index, photo credits) (Nonfiction. 12-15)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-68282-901-1
Page Count: 80
Publisher: ReferencePoint Press
Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2020
Beautiful fluff with little substance.
A who’s who of the queer, iconic, and fabulous.
Readers looking for a casual introduction to a diverse selection of members of the LGBTQ+ community (and their allies) will enjoy this compilation of dozens of individuals, a handful of whom are discussed collectively. The names range from the exceptionally well known—such as singer and actor Lady Gaga, drag superstar Shea Couleé, and activist Sylvia Rivera—to icons who may be new to them, like Black plus-size model Dexter Mayfield, Black British activist Lady Phyll, and Salvadoran American intersex writer/actor/director River Gallo. The book also includes a few sections offering advice, such as “How To Be a Support to a Queer Person” and “Ways To Celebrate Pride Season All Year Round.” The bold graphics and colorful artwork are sure to grab readers’ attention, although the likenesses of the portraits vary in degree of verisimilitude. Readers seeking traditional biographical sketches will definitely need to look elsewhere for solid facts, including birth dates, death dates, and sources of additional information; they may also feel bemused by the prominently featured opinions of the author. As a curated list of one individual’s heroes, the book is good; as anything else, it’s less than iconic.
Beautiful fluff with little substance. (organizations, helplines, resources, sources) (Nonfiction. 12-14)Pub Date: April 18, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-52135-9
Page Count: 160
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2023
Great guidance for building good fiscal habits; shockingly bad advice about investing.
A mixed bag of financial advice aimed at girls.
Thought-provoking activities and budgeting suggestions pepper this entertaining, illustrated guide for girls interested in money. In casual, approachable language, Tomlinson introduces financial ideas, guiding readers to think about their own needs and personalities in order to plan for the future. Advice on why and how to save (for an implied audience of girls without dire financial need) is solid, and the cheerful artwork and journaling activities make the dry subject matter approachable. Though some debunked research is cited in supporting stories, much of the advice is valuable, from standard methods of budgeting to warnings about online scams and buy now, pay later schemes. The section on investing, however, ranges from inexplicable (suggestions to monitor the Consumer Price Index or lists of adult investment vehicles) to inappropriately risky (an exploration of the stock market, with a brief afterthought about the illegality of minors trading) to downright terrible (a factually incorrect discussion of cryptocurrency that treats it as a risky-but-viable investment). Despite some unhelpful jargon (“Debt is a form of financial instrument”), the concepts are generally clearly explained overall. Illustrations feature people who are diverse in skin tone, although nearly all the chapter-opening images are of light-skinned girls.
Great guidance for building good fiscal habits; shockingly bad advice about investing. (glossary) (Nonfiction. 12-15)Pub Date: Jan. 3, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-7112-7636-9
Page Count: 160
Publisher: Frances Lincoln
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2022
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