This useful and accessible how-to of creative projects and tips will inspire altruistic preteens and teens
A guide to planning gatherings that raise awareness and solicit donations for a variety of social causes, written by a Los Angeles teen who founded a philanthropic organization and advocacy group called LemonAID Warriors.
Employing a conversational, personal, yet pithy tone, this guide begins with an introduction that gives some background on how Cerone became involved with social activism and how she came to work the hosting of parties into the mix. Organized in a calendar-year format, each month features a list of potential national celebratory events and then expands at length on three of the themes, giving a blueprint that includes details such as crafts, activities, recipes for snacks, playlists, and fundraising ideas. Photos of these events feature diverse groups of partygoers and embellish this appealingly designed guide, though some of the assumptions made—that friends invited to a pre-prom shindig will have old dresses to donate, for instance—suggest that the imagined audience is predominantly middle and upper class. There are also some elements that meld awkwardly, such as the glib description of an “I Have a Dream” board constructed for an MLK Day celebration as “super-cute.” However, Cerone is also careful to advise teens to spend time researching and thinking out their ideas, offering this valuable caveat: “What might seem like a good idea in the moment could create challenges for the people we are hoping to help."
This useful and accessible how-to of creative projects and tips will inspire altruistic preteens and teens . (Nonfiction. 10-18)Pub Date: May 30, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-58270-587-3
Page Count: 208
Publisher: Beyond Words/Aladdin
Review Posted Online: March 5, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2017
A treat for mystery readers who enjoy being kept in suspense.
Everyone believes that Salil Singh killed his girlfriend, Andrea Bell, five years ago—except Pippa Fitz-Amobi.
Pip has known and liked Sal since childhood; he’d supported her when she was being bullied in middle school. For her senior capstone project, Pip researches the disappearance of former Fairview High student Andie, last seen on April 18, 2014, by her younger sister, Becca. The original investigation concluded with most of the evidence pointing to Sal, who was found dead in the woods, apparently by suicide. Andie’s body was never recovered, and Sal was assumed by most to be guilty of abduction and murder. Unable to ignore the gaps in the case, Pip sets out to prove Sal’s innocence, beginning with interviewing his younger brother, Ravi. With his help, Pip digs deeper, unveiling unsavory facts about Andie and the real reason Sal’s friends couldn’t provide him with an alibi. But someone is watching, and Pip may be in more danger than she realizes. Pip’s sleuthing is both impressive and accessible. Online articles about the case and interview transcripts are provided throughout, and Pip’s capstone logs offer insights into her thought processes as new evidence and suspects arise. Jackson’s debut is well-executed and surprises readers with a connective web of interesting characters and motives. Pip and Andie are white, and Sal is of Indian descent.
A treat for mystery readers who enjoy being kept in suspense. (Mystery. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-9848-9636-0
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: Oct. 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2019
Exactly what the title promises.
A grieving teen’s devotion to romance films might ruin her chances at actual romance.
Liz Buxbaum has always adored rom-coms, not least for helping her still feel close to her screenwriter mother, who died when she was little. Liz hopes that her senior year might turn into a real-life romantic fantasy, as an old crush has moved back to town, cuter and nicer than ever. Surely she can get Michael to ask her to prom. If only Wes, the annoying boy next door, would help her with her scheming! This charming, fluffy concoction manages to pack into one goofy plot every conceivable trope, from fake dating to the makeover to the big misunderstanding. Creative, quirky, daydreaming Liz is just shy of an annoying stereotype, saved by a dry wit and unresolved grief and anger. Wes makes for a delightful bad boy with a good heart, and supporting characters—including a sassy best friend, a perfect popular rival, even a (not really) evil stepmother—all get the opportunity to transcend their roles. The only villain here is Liz’s lovelorn imagination, provoking her into foolish lies that cause actual hurt feelings; but she is sufficiently self-aware to make amends just in time for the most important trope of all: a blissfully happy ending. All characters seem to be White by default.
Exactly what the title promises. (Romance. 12-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5344-6762-0
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
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