A Christian perspective with a wider appeal.
Heisman Trophy winner and NFL quarterback Tebow pens a guide aimed at helping young people find a better way to live, adapted from his book for adults of the same name.
Using examples from his own tumultuous career, Tebow encourages readers to stay focused on their dreams, fight negativity, and stand up for what is right. And while the resource is focused on Christian principles, the lessons concentrating on hard work, determination, and kindness hold universal appeal. Tebow additionally draws upon examples of other young people who have faced adversity—cancer, limb amputation, and organ failure—as cases of how even in the most desperate situations, one can refuse to fall into self-pity, anger, and depression. Tebow’s easy, plainspoken style will give young fans the feeling that he is speaking directly to them. Biblical examples range from the steadfast endurance of Job to the selfless courage of David facing Goliath. Other stories include references to Michael Jordan and Albert Einstein. Tebow’s candid talk of his struggles with dyslexia and anger further humanize him. Notes include references for more reading and Biblical verses. While this resource will largely appeal to the young football fan, the inspirational stories will resonate with anyone willing to approach it with an open mind.
A Christian perspective with a wider appeal. (Nonfiction. 10-16)Pub Date: Sept. 19, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-7352-8996-3
Page Count: 208
Publisher: WaterBrook
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
Catnip for scandal junkies, with a bit of historical perspective stirred in.
A gleefully explicit catalogue of the past century’s headline-grabbing bad behavior.
Aimed at readers who don’t need to be told who Brangelina is but may be hazy on “twisted besties” Leopold and Loeb or even Monica Lewinsky, this edutaining survey presents a wide-angle array of murders, sexual follies, controversial trials, race violence, political corruption and general envelope-pushing from the 1906 killing of Stanford White on. Each of the chronologically arranged entries opens with a capsule “Scoop” followed by a slightly fuller account under a “What Went Down” header. Along with a small black-and-white photo and one or two sidebar quotes, the author tacks on subsequent developments, sometimes-perceptive suggestions about “Why We Still Care” and a short roster of similar incidents in recent history. Though she misspells “Symbionese” and repeatedly awards FDR only three Presidential wins, in general Fryd presents reasonably accurate summaries of events and issues while giving all sides of the more muddled conflicts at least a nod. Additional cred is provided by a teen panel of editorial advisors.
Catnip for scandal junkies, with a bit of historical perspective stirred in. (index) (Nonfiction. 12-16)Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-9827322-0-5
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Zest/Orange Avenue
Review Posted Online: Jan. 8, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
A good first volume for a new generation of John Lennon fans.
Twin narratives converge in New York City on December 8, 1980, when John Lennon was murdered by Mark David Chapman.
Behnke calls the murder an assassination, and by the general definition of the word—“to murder (a usually prominent person) by sudden or secret attack, often for political reasons”—the murder of John Lennon might qualify. Lennon was political by the end of his life, writing “Give Peace a Chance,” which became the anthem of the peace movement, but he was hardly a revolutionary, as Behnke terms him. Chapman was not especially political, and he didn’t really seem to know why he attacked Lennon; it was certainly not from any well-thought-out political motives, as the author herself describes. The volume will have plenty of eye appeal for young readers, though, with its lively (if overdone) black-and-white design, well-chosen photographs and thorough backmatter that includes a handy timeline and a “Who’s Who?” section. The writing is mostly clear, though occasionally awkward and too often interrupted by unnecessary definitions and asides. It's an adequate starter book for readers a bit young for Elizabeth Partridge’s John Lennon: All I Want is the Truth (2005).
A good first volume for a new generation of John Lennon fans. (source notes, bibliography, for further information, index, about the author) (Nonfiction. 11-16)Pub Date: May 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-8225-9036-1
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Twenty-First Century/Lerner
Review Posted Online: Feb. 14, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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