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THIS KID CAN FLY

Name: THIS KID CAN FLY
Author: Aaron Philip
ISBN: 978-0-06-240354-4

IT'S ABOUT ABILITY (NOT DISABILITY)

by Aaron Philip with Tonya Bolden ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 23, 2016

Philip's simple, chatty account of both physical and societal challenges—and the "angels" without whom he couldn't have...

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The author of the Aaronverse Tumblr explains how he emphasizes ability, not disability: with help.

Shortly after his birth, Philip and his mother moved from the Caribbean to New York City when his parents learned he had cerebral palsy, which limited the use of his hands and left him unable to walk. Soon his mother returned to the Caribbean, and his father became his caregiver, eventually raising his brother as well. Economic hardship and homelessness complicated—and were complicated by—his disability, which worsened with such obstacles as late paratransit, broken elevators, and difficulty socializing. Fortunately, Philip met "angels" who helped him and his family educationally, medically, and socially. Through his angels, he honed his love for anime; wrote Aaronverse, a Tumblr to encourage others with disabilities; and created a book and video called Tanda ("This ability, not disability") to push for increased opportunities for people with disabilities. As Philip refreshingly acknowledges his personal luck, his call for greater accessibility is encapsulated in his fictional story of Dan, a man with a disability without a support network, whose goals languished because "he had the smarts, but not the supports."

Philip's simple, chatty account of both physical and societal challenges—and the "angels" without whom he couldn't have risen to them so highly—will motivate readers with and without disabilities to support accessibility and inclusion. (Memoir. 8-12)

Pub Date: Feb. 23, 2016

ISBN: 978-0-06-240354-4

Page Count: 192

Publisher: Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: Nov. 2, 2015

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2015

Categories:

CHILDREN'S BIOGRAPHY & MEMOIR | CHILDREN'S HEALTH & DAILY LIVING

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WHAT JEWISH LOOKS LIKE

by Liz Kleinrock & Caroline Kusin Pritchard ; illustrated by Iris Gottlieb ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 24, 2024

A celebration of progressive Judaism and an inclusive primer on Jews making a difference in the world.

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This wide-ranging collection of short biographies highlights 36 Jewish figures from around the globe and across centuries.

Explicitly pushing back against homogenous depictions of Jewish people, the authors demonstrate the ethnic, racial, and gender diversity of Jews. Each spread includes a brief biography paired with a stylized portrait reminiscent of those in Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo’s Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls (2016). A pull quote or sidebar accompanies each subject; sidebars include “Highlighting Jewish Paralympic Athletes,” “Jewish Stringed Music,” and “Ethiopian Jews in Israel.” Kleinrock and Pritchard’s roster of subjects makes a compelling case for the vastness and variety of Jewish experience—from a contemporary Ethiopian American teen to a 16th-century Portuguese philanthropist—while still allowing them to acknowledge better-known figures. The entry on Raquel Montoya-Lewis, an associate justice of the Washington Supreme Court and an enrolled member of the Pueblo Isleta Indian tribe, discusses her mission to reimagine criminal justice for Indigenous people; the sidebar name-checks Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Elena Kagan. The bios are organized around themes of Jewish principles such as Pikuach Nefesh (translated from the Hebrew as “to save a life”) and Adam Yachid (translated as the “unique value of every person”); each section includes an introduction to an organization that centers diverse Jewish experiences.

A celebration of progressive Judaism and an inclusive primer on Jews making a difference in the world. (resources) (Nonfiction. 8-12)

Pub Date: Sept. 24, 2024

ISBN: 9780063285712

Page Count: 128

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: June 15, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2024

Categories:

CHILDREN'S RELIGION | CHILDREN'S BIOGRAPHY & MEMOIR

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EYES THAT WEAVE THE WORLD'S WONDERS
by Joanna Ho with Liz Kleinrock ; illustrated by Dung Ho

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COME AND JOIN US!
by Liz Kleinrock ; illustrated by Chaaya Prabhat

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THE BOY WHO FAILED SHOW AND TELL

by Jordan Sonnenblick ; illustrated by Jordan Sonnenblick ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 2, 2021

Though a bit loose around the edges, a charmer nevertheless.

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Tales of a fourth grade ne’er-do-well.

It seems that young Jordan is stuck in a never-ending string of bad luck. Sure, no one’s perfect (except maybe goody-two-shoes William Feranek), but Jordan can’t seem to keep his attention focused on the task at hand. Try as he may, things always go a bit sideways, much to his educators’ chagrin. But Jordan promises himself that fourth grade will be different. As the year unfolds, it does prove to be different, but in a way Jordan couldn’t possibly have predicted. This humorous memoir perfectly captures the square-peg-in-a-round-hole feeling many kids feel and effectively heightens that feeling with comic situations and a splendid villain. Jordan’s teacher, Mrs. Fisher, makes an excellent foil, and the book’s 1970s setting allows for her cruelty to go beyond anything most contemporary readers could expect. Unfortunately, the story begins to run out of steam once Mrs. Fisher exits. Recollections spiral, losing their focus and leading to a more “then this happened” and less cause-and-effect structure. The anecdotes are all amusing and Jordan is an endearing protagonist, but the book comes dangerously close to wearing out its welcome with sheer repetitiveness. Thankfully, it ends on a high note, one pleasant and hopeful enough that readers will overlook some of the shabbier qualities. Jordan is White and Jewish while there is some diversity among his classmates; Mrs. Fisher is White.

Though a bit loose around the edges, a charmer nevertheless. (Memoir. 8-12)