Useful for research purposes or as self-help for those struggling with mental health issues.
A quick and accessible guide packed with information on teen mental health problems and how to approach them.
The introduction offers an overview with statistics showing how serious the crisis is: With a 60% jump in the suicide rate for people ages 10 to 24 from 2009 to 2018, mental health issues are clearly escalating among young people, a situation further exacerbated by the pandemic as shown by a dramatic rise in teen mental health crises in 2020 and 2021. Economically and socially marginalized groups are described as particularly vulnerable. Over the course of four subsequent chapters, “Recognizing Anxiety,” “Get Grounded, Stay Connected,” “Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle,” and “Healing Anxiety,” this volume addresses possible causes and offers useful suggestions. Each chapter starts with a real-life example from a young person, such as Charlotte, who felt an overwhelming need to clean; Kerry, who struggled with panic attacks; and Katy, whose experiences as a mixed-race person in an all-White small town led to social anxiety. The author describes numerous specific techniques to try when negative feelings are overwhelming as well as general wellness advice. The book closes with a discussion of accepting anxiety and what that means to different people; seeking professional help through therapy or medication is normalized. Color photographs show racially diverse young people in a variety of everyday situations. Text boxes highlight additional helpful information.
Useful for research purposes or as self-help for those struggling with mental health issues. (source notes, organizations and websites, further research, index, picture credits) (Nonfiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2023
ISBN: 9781678204822
Page Count: 64
Publisher: ReferencePoint Press
Review Posted Online: Jan. 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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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