An upbeat handbook for young changemakers.
This tool kit encourages speaking up to promote change in issues that matter to teens.
Fed up with period products being considered a luxury in the U.K. and taxed as such, the author took on the tampon tax. Starting with a petition, she found the internet to be a superpower as hundreds of thousands of people signed—and others were inspired to launch similar campaigns around the world. By illuminating this facet of sexism, Coryton was able to focus on a tangible goal and create an action plan with what she calls “five golden steps”: Be specific, be focused, be smart, be creative, and be confident. Recognizing that teens may be passionate about a wide range of different topics, the book provides valuable tips and specific examples of successes and setbacks to guide readers through their own activism. Accessibility is a strength, as the book can be read straight through or dipped into as desired. The author’s enthusiasm is contagious. Unfortunately, the work has not been updated since its original U.K. publication in early 2019. In stark contrast to Coryton’s use of inclusive language, such as “people who menstruate” and “menstruating people,” and her praise and quoting of trans activist Charlie Craggs, this U.S. edition retains a paragraph lauding J.K. Rowling for standing up against online trolls, an example that, due to subsequent events, will dismay readers who have followed Rowling’s comments about trans rights.
An upbeat handbook for young changemakers. (timeline, index, resources) (Nonfiction. 12-17)Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-00-855265-7
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Red Shed
Review Posted Online: Aug. 30, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2022
Congolese-American Sophie makes a harrowing trek through a war-torn jungle to protect a young bonobo.
On her way to spend the summer at the bonobo sanctuary her mother runs, 14-year-old Sophie rescues a sickly baby bonobo from a trafficker. Though her Congolese mother is not pleased Sophie paid for the ape, she is proud that Sophie works to bond with Otto, the baby. A week before Sophie's to return home to her father in Miami, her mother must take advantage
of a charter flight to relocate some apes, and she leaves Sophie with Otto and the sanctuary workers. War breaks out, and after missing a U.N. flight out, Sophie must hide herself and Otto from violent militants and starving villagers. Unable to take Otto out of the country, she decides finding her mother hundreds of miles to the north is her only choice. Schrefer jumps from his usual teen suspense to craft this well-researched tale of jungle survival set during a fictional conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Realistic characters (ape and human) deal with disturbing situations described in graphic, but never gratuitous detail. The lessons Sophie learns about her childhood home, love and what it means to be endangered will resonate with readers.
Even if some hairbreadth escapes test credulity, this is a great next read for fans of our nearest ape cousins or survival adventure. (map, author's note, author Q&A) (Adventure. 12-16)
Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-545-16576-1
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Oct. 2, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Attractively designed and handsomely illustrated, this informative text introduces teens to many intriguing angles on a...
Will the world end in a bang or a whimper? Unless pre-empted by human-induced disaster or one of many scientifically possible catastrophic scenarios, life on Earth will end a billion years from now in a sizzle.
Predicting the end of the world is an old story, argues the author, presenting evidence in brief surveys of eschatologies from the world's major religions and mythologies of ancient civilizations. Miller also notes how end-of-world scenarios have captured humanity's imagination in their frequent appearances in science-fiction novels and motion pictures. (Disappointingly, the reasons for this ongoing fascination are not explored.) A chapter about imminent predictions for 2012 explains the Mayan prophecy and a theory about a phantom planet called Nibiru crashing into Earth. Another chapter examines pseudoscientific end-of-world theories such as planetary alignment and pole shifts. The primary focus is on scientifically plausible scenarios: self-destruction through nuclear war or continued environmental exploitation; humanity wiped out by a pandemic; an asteroid or comet strike destroying Earth.
Attractively designed and handsomely illustrated, this informative text introduces teens to many intriguing angles on a high-interest topic that should inspire many to further explore the subject. (chronology, glossary, bibliography, further reading, index) (Nonfiction. 12-16)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-7613-7396-4
Page Count: 120
Publisher: Twenty-First Century/Lerner
Review Posted Online: Aug. 16, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2011
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