Ambitious in scope and mission but uneven in execution; nevertheless, valuable in its illustration of alternative models of...
A serious recalibration of our consumerist lifestyle is in order according to Mulder in this valiant attempt to historically situate an economic practice run amok.
What Mulder would really like to experience is a fundamental change in how we go about obtaining the things we need, which—as one glaring example of a malfunctioning system—many of us around the globe don’t have. Her coverage of the mechanics of consumerism, such as currency, advertising, and planned obsolescence, are gripping enough to stick in readers’ minds, but historical explanations—for example, the causes of the Great Depression—are way too shallow to help readers understand the basic insecurities of the system. The book is punctuated by boxes of facts and vignettes of activities Mulder has engaged in that look to a more dignified future. These include the “Repair Cafe,” where local handy folk gather at some central location to repair broken goods, or the “Kitchen Library,” which lends out things like blenders or a set of sharp knives. Mulder also addresses issues of vast importance: child labor laws, the microloan phenomenon, and the return of barter. Two particularly wonderful instances stand out: the first is “Buy Nothing Day,” observed annually in November, and the other is an emphasis on the value of community.
Ambitious in scope and mission but uneven in execution; nevertheless, valuable in its illustration of alternative models of commerce. (Nonfiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4598-0966-6
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Orca
Review Posted Online: June 27, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2016
A deceptively simple, tender tale in which respect, resilience, and hope triumph.
Generations of human and animal families grow and change, seen from the point of view of the red oak Wishing Tree that shelters them all.
Most trees are introverts at heart. So says Red, who is over 200 years old and should know. Not to mention that they have complicated relationships with humans. But this tree also has perspective on its animal friends and people who live within its purview—not just witnessing, but ultimately telling the tales of young people coming to this country alone or with family. An Irish woman named Maeve is the first, and a young 10-year-old Muslim girl named Samar is the most recent. Red becomes the repository for generations of wishes; this includes both observing Samar’s longing wish and sporting the hurtful word that another young person carves into their bark as a protest to Samar’s family’s presence. (Red is monoecious, they explain, with both male and female flowers.) Newbery medalist Applegate succeeds at interweaving an immigrant story with an animated natural world and having it all make sense. As Red observes, animals compete for resources just as humans do, and nature is not always pretty or fair or kind. This swiftly moving yet contemplative read is great for early middle grade, reluctant or tentative readers, or precocious younger students.
A deceptively simple, tender tale in which respect, resilience, and hope triumph. (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-250-04322-1
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: Aug. 1, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2017
A wild romp that champions making space for vulnerable creatures and each other.
A boy with ADHD explores nature and himself.
Eleven-year-old Jake Rizzi just wants to be seen as “normal”; he blames his brain for leading him into trouble and making him do things that annoy his peers and even his own parents. Case in point: He’s stuck spending a week in rural Oregon with an aunt he barely knows while his parents go on vacation. Jake’s reluctance changes as he learns about the town’s annual festival, during which locals search for a fabled turtle. But news of this possibly undiscovered species has spread. Although Aunt Hettle insists to Jake that it’s only folklore, the fame-hungry convene, sure that the Ruby-Backed Turtle is indeed real—just as Jake discovers is the case. Keeping its existence secret is critical to protecting the rare creature from a poacher and others with ill intentions. Readers will keep turning pages to find out how Jake and new friend Mia will foil the caricatured villains. Along the way, Bramucci packs in teachable moments around digital literacy, mindfulness, and ecological interdependence, along with the message that “the only way to protect the natural world is to love it.” Jake’s inner monologue elucidates the challenges and benefits of ADHD as well as practical coping strategies. Whether or not readers share Jake’s diagnosis, they’ll empathize with his insecurities. Jake and his family present white; Mia is Black, and names of secondary characters indicate some ethnic diversity.
A wild romp that champions making space for vulnerable creatures and each other. (Adventure. 8-11)Pub Date: Oct. 3, 2023
ISBN: 9781547607020
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2023
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