An information-rich and accessible guide to a distressing topic.
An overview that delves into the paradox that “the same qualities that make plastic indispensable to modern life also make it an enormous threat to the planet.”
In this engaging narrative that’s full of specific details and examples, Loonin describes the emergence of plastic in the 20th century, the threats it poses, the discouraging real-world obstacles to recycling, and what can be done to curb plastic pollution. She shows how pervasive its presence is in our lives and how complicated and expensive it is to handle these petroleum-based polymers so that they can be reused. Plastics are extremely durable, making accumulated waste an increasing problem that threatens animal and human health, for example, in the oceans, where currents form masses of debris like the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Plastic manufacturers promote recycling, but the book points out the many practical challenges to its widespread implementation, citing a Greenpeace study that found that “only 5 to 6 percent of annual US consumer plastic waste was being recycled.” The author covers efforts to curb plastic pollution through legislation and the creation of environmentally sustainable alternatives. The book ends on a sobering note—a breakdown in United Nations efforts to seek a global agreement on this crisis—but with examples from all over the world, colorful photographs, and plentiful quotations, this work will engage and inform readers.
An information-rich and accessible guide to a distressing topic. (source notes, organizations and websites, for further research, index, picture credits) (Nonfiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2025
ISBN: 9781678212087
Page Count: 64
Publisher: ReferencePoint Press
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2025
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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