by Laurie Ann Thompson ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 9, 2014
Inspirational as well as practical.
Teens looking to make a difference will find inspiration as well as real-world strategies for realizing their dreams of being the change they want to see in the world.
Each chapter features a case study of a charity or organization started by preteens and teens. Initiatives include programs for social, environmental, personal and political change. Some programs, such as Free the Children, are huge, distributing millions of dollars and effecting change worldwide. Others focus on more local issues, such as neighborhood rejuvenation projects. However, this is far from just a collection of successful ventures. Chapters include information on raising money, organizing rallies, making pitches and gaining media attention. Others offer advice on creating business plans, dealing with failure and building organizations that last. The sheer breadth of topics included in this resource is astounding, but the book’s strength is in its specifics. Examples of media releases, meeting agendas and shopping lists focus on the practical application of visionary plans. A list of resources directs readers to websites, movies and other books for further research. One potential stumbling block is that teens living in a digital world might want a more media-rich resource than this guide offers.
Inspirational as well as practical. (Nonfiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Sept. 9, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-58270-465-4
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Beyond Words/Simon Pulse/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: June 3, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2014
Share your opinion of this book
More by Laurie Ann Thompson
BOOK REVIEW
by Laurie Ann Thompson ; illustrated by Jay Fleck
BOOK REVIEW
by Laurie Ann Thompson ; illustrated by Jay Fleck
BOOK REVIEW
by Chella Man ; illustrated by Chella Man & Ashley Lukashevsky ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 1, 2021
Best enjoyed by preexisting fans of the author.
Deaf, trans artist Man meditates on his journey and identity in this brief memoir.
Growing up in conservative central Pennsylvania was tough for the 21-year-old Deaf, genderqueer, pansexual, and biracial (Chinese/White Jewish) author. He describes his gender and sexual identity, his experiences of racism and ableism, and his desire to use his visibility as a YouTube personality, model, and actor to help other young people like him. He is open and vulnerable throughout, even choosing to reveal his birth name. Man shares his experiences of becoming deaf as a small child and at times feeling ostracized from the Deaf community but not how he arrived at his current Deaf identity. His description of his gender-identity development occasionally slips into a well-worn pink-and-blue binary. The text is accompanied and transcended by the author’s own intriguing, expressionistic line drawings. However, Man ultimately falls short of truly insightful reflection or analysis, offering a mostly surface-level account of his life that will likely not be compelling to readers who are not already fans. While his visibility and success as someone whose life represents multiple marginalized identities are valuable in themselves, this heartfelt personal chronicle would have benefited from deeper introspection.
Best enjoyed by preexisting fans of the author. (Memoir. 12-18)Pub Date: June 1, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-22348-2
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: March 24, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2021
Share your opinion of this book
More In The Series
by Shavone Charles ; illustrated by Ashley Lukashevsky
by Leo Baker ; illustrated by Ashley Lukashevsky
by Michael Bronski ; adapted by Richie Chevat ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 11, 2019
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
Share your opinion of this book
More by Michael Bronski
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hey there, book lover.
We’re glad you found a book that interests you!
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.