The reality is that this one’s a winner!
Is the hype around recycling all garbage?
That’s a complex question, and one that’s a little easier to answer thanks to this in-depth and engaging look at this history, effects, and future of recycling in the United States. The short answer is no; the long answer is that it could be better if more people followed the guidelines. While “91 percent of Americans have access to recycling programs…only one-third of all recyclable garbage is properly recycled,” a number that hasn’t budged much since the widespread arrival of recycling programs in the 1990s. The figures also vary depending on what types of materials are being recycled. Kallen unpacks the details over the course of five succinct, nuanced, and engaging chapters: “The Benefits of Recycling,” “Facilities Facing Problems,” “The Problem with Plastic,” “E-Waste Overload,” and “Innovative Solutions.” Each chapter’s straightforward content is supported by color photographs and supplemental facts in colorful text boxes. The combination of the two enhances the text and helps to break the narrative into more manageable chunks for struggling readers. A list of source notes at the end is broken down by chapter, helping those looking to supplement reports, develop arguments, or simply further their understanding of the issues discussed. An up-to-date bibliography for further research and list of organizations worth exploring further enhances the appeal of this work, especially for savvy caregivers and educators.
The reality is that this one’s a winner! (index, picture credits) (Nonfiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2026
ISBN: 9781678212469
Page Count: 64
Publisher: ReferencePoint Press
Review Posted Online: Dec. 12, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2026
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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