A refreshing young voice. A worthy project.
A teen girl turns her helplessness into hopefulness.
The 2016 presidential election was the catalyst for White Jewish Seltzer, then 12, to begin to take action to help improve dire issues she perceived in society. She began writing online newsletters, in which she shared the news from traditional media in a way that her peers would better understand and appreciate. These newsletters were posted on The Cramm, the website she established. The necessity and impact of the newsletters were obvious, with millions of views from visitors spanning over 100 countries worldwide. This book offers an overview of many widespread prejudices, some major wars and conflicts, and structural inequalities and the movements spawned to change them. Seltzer tackles her chosen subjects succinctly, incorporating historical events, present-day phenomena, and concrete examples in varied and visually engaging ways to support better understanding. Seltzer’s authorial tone is easygoing, self-aware, honest, and inviting while delivering crucial and sensitive information. It is fitting for a project of this scope and is sure to hit home with the intended audience; readers are likely to find this book both appealing and relatable as a starting point for becoming informed and motivated to effect positive change. This is an ideal work for readers seeking a starting point for world knowledge and societal activism.
A refreshing young voice. A worthy project. (sources, photo credits) (Nonfiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Feb. 15, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-35216-8
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: Nov. 29, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2021
PERSPECTIVES
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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