A brief but entertaining and informative overview.
A manga guide for beginners and fans alike.
This compact volume filled with ample color photographs supports readers with the context they need to appreciate manga and develop deeper knowledge of it. Bolte begins by offering historical and cultural information, diving right into manga’s origins, the growth in the market, and its recent boom in popularity. She explains that reading manga engages the brain because readers employ multimodal learning (reading, looking at illustrations, and “pairing the actions with sound effects”). Its impact can be measured by the significant percentage of the print and digital publishing sales it represents, both in Asia (where most manga is sold) and elsewhere (France is the next largest market). Teaching readers how the industry works, this guide explains the grueling hustle of the mangaka (the creators behind beloved series); Eiichiro Oda, the author and illustrator of ONE PIECE, faces fan criticism when he takes breaks. The first AI-generated manga was published in 2023, using art created by an author who had never done any drawing and revealing the technology’s shortcomings. The book covers some non-Japanese mangaka—for example, Odunze Whyte Oguguo from Nigeria and Peppe from Italy—as well as cultural influences on manga (such as Buddhist elements) and manga’s influence on fashion (including cosplay). The conversational tone, short chapters, and bright visuals will appeal to those interested in a jumping-off point for learning more about this topic.
A brief but entertaining and informative overview. (glossary, source notes, bibliography, resources, index, photo credits) (Nonfiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2026
ISBN: 9798765662748
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Twenty-First Century/Lerner
Review Posted Online: Nov. 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
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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