Readers with ADHD, and anyone else for that matter, will like the “go for it” spirit of a writer who found blessings in his...
A writer with ADHD shares his experiences and offers practical advice to readers who might also have brains that are wired differently.
“My name is Jonathan, and I have a special brain,” says Chesner, who is quick to tell readers he is a perfectly smart person; he even attended the University of Southern California and received a degree in public policy. But he knew early on that his brain wasn’t like other people’s brains. He says, “I had the type of brain that would wear a Hawaiian shirt, bright red pants, and cool painted shoes to a wedding.” From garish cover to hyperactive format, the design of the volume imitates the author’s brain—lots of bright yellow, more than 60 short chapters on distinct topics for easy and frenetic skipping around and many photographs, drawings and speech bubbles. In the midst of the hyperactive goings-on, Chesner offers plenty of good-hearted advice on such topics as dating, homework, snacks and family life, concluding by advising readers to follow their hearts and dreams. He cautions that life isn’t a fairy tale, and “most dreams don’t come true,” but readers will never know if they don’t try.
Readers with ADHD, and anyone else for that matter, will like the “go for it” spirit of a writer who found blessings in his struggles with his “special brain.” (glossary, index, about the author) (Nonfiction. 12 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-57542-386-9
Page Count: 160
Publisher: Free Spirit Publishing
Review Posted Online: Feb. 28, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2012
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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