Dias’ magnetic personality, outlook on life, and passion for change enliven every page, making this both a fun read and an...
Teen social justice activist Dias shares her passion for changing the world.
When Dias was in sixth grade, she was “sooo sick and tired of reading books about white boys and their dogs!” She wondered why her school’s required-reading list didn’t include any books by black authors. In particular, she longed for books that featured black girls like her as the main characters. That wish became a hashtag—#1000BlackGirlBooks—and then a campaign to collect 1,000 children’s books featuring black girl protagonists. The campaign made headlines and has taken social media–savvy Dias across the country and beyond. Now a teenager, Dias shares her journey and her commitment to making the world a better place. And, as the book’s title suggests, she seeks to inspire and empower others to do their part. Part memoir, part history lesson, part social activism 101, Dias’ story draws readers into her world. The book reads like a lively, nonstop conversation with Dias, covering everything from social media safety tips and “stay-strong” activist strategies to her love of fashion—and how she doesn’t always agree with her parents. Dias wants readers to know the difference between charity and activism, which Disney princess is the most woke, and what it was like to visit a landmark along what was once the trans-Atlantic slave trade route. In a chapter on her personal style, she takes pride in her “crown” of black-girl hair. Dias understands that the personal is political and that one person has the power to make a difference.
Dias’ magnetic personality, outlook on life, and passion for change enliven every page, making this both a fun read and an irresistible call to action for people of all ages and backgrounds . (Nonfiction. 10-16)Pub Date: Jan. 30, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-338-13689-0
Page Count: 208
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Jan. 21, 2018
A breezy, bustling bucketful of courageous acts and eye-popping feats.
Why should grown-ups get all the historical, scientific, athletic, cinematic, and artistic glory?
Choosing exemplars from both past and present, Mitchell includes but goes well beyond Alexander the Great, Anne Frank, and like usual suspects to introduce a host of lesser-known luminaries. These include Shapur II, who was formally crowned king of Persia before he was born, Indian dancer/professional architect Sheila Sri Prakash, transgender spokesperson Jazz Jennings, inventor Param Jaggi, and an international host of other teen or preteen activists and prodigies. The individual portraits range from one paragraph to several pages in length, and they are interspersed with group tributes to, for instance, the Nazi-resisting “Swingkinder,” the striking New York City newsboys, and the marchers of the Birmingham Children’s Crusade. Mitchell even offers would-be villains a role model in Elagabalus, “boy emperor of Rome,” though she notes that he, at least, came to an awful end: “Then, then! They dumped his remains in the Tiber River, to be nommed by fish for all eternity.” The entries are arranged in no evident order, and though the backmatter includes multiple booklists, a personality quiz, a glossary, and even a quick Braille primer (with Braille jokes to decode), there is no index. Still, for readers whose fires need lighting, there’s motivational kindling on nearly every page.
A breezy, bustling bucketful of courageous acts and eye-popping feats. (finished illustrations not seen) (Collective biography. 10-13)Pub Date: May 10, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-14-751813-2
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Puffin
Review Posted Online: Nov. 10, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2015
A tragic, gripping, and inspiring story.
In 1979, 11-year-old Norman was the only survivor of a plane crash in Southern California: This is his true story.
This book for middle-grade readers, co-authored with Kiely, covers much of the same material as Ollestad’s 2009 memoir for adults, Crazy for the Storm. Flying in a four-seater Cessna with his father, his father’s girlfriend, Sandra, and the pilot, Norman was excited to reach Big Bear to receive his ski-racing trophy. (As a vivid example of his busy childhood, they’d driven the 300 miles there yesterday for Norman to compete—and then driven back to Topanga Canyon in the evening for his hockey game.) But the plane tragically crashed on a mountain in a blizzard. Nothing is sugarcoated; readers encounter graphic descriptions of the pilot and Norman’s dad, who died, and Sandra, who suffered a gaping head wound. Eventually accepting that he had to figure things out on his own, Norman drew upon the extreme training his father had put his “Boy Wonder” through—training that had bullied Norman into facing difficult physical and mental challenges that he feared and resented. During his trek to safety, Norman performed incredible mental and physical feats and encouraged the barely functioning Sandra—until she fell to her death. Norman’s conflicted feelings about the father he’d both idolized and resented are nuanced and satisfyingly resolved. Readers who enjoy nail-biting wilderness stories will be riveted.
A tragic, gripping, and inspiring story. (Nonfiction. 10-14)Pub Date: Oct. 28, 2025
ISBN: 9780374392611
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: Aug. 29, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2025
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