A good resource for those with moderate anxieties.
This practical mental health text guides and reassures readers through a journey of understanding.
First, readers become aware of uncertainty, something the authors explain in the context of fear about negative, unknown outcomes of future events. Readers then learn how to stop struggling with this inevitable aspect of existence and instead create intentional space for uncertainty, even finding the positives in it. They are encouraged to build social support networks while pursuing their individual passions and taking calculated risks, ultimately coming to look forward to full lives that include moments of uncertainty. The authors, both practicing psychologists working with young people, make readers feel welcome through the use of affirming and inclusive language and encouragement to take their time with the text to effectively develop the skills presented. Each of the 10 chapters is structured similarly and includes an opening and closing check on readers’ knowledge, research-based scientific context, helpful definitions, profiles of a diverse assortment of teens, concrete skill-building steps, sample tips, and summative takeaways. The text assumes the maturity of its readers and validates the difficulties inherent in being a teenager. It also honors the mental struggles brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. The authors normalize the act of seeking professional help when needed; they acknowledge that this text is only a starting point for those with more severe symptoms of anxiety.
A good resource for those with moderate anxieties. (references) (Nonfiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-68403-937-1
Page Count: 200
Publisher: Instant Help Books
Review Posted Online: May 9, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 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
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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