A brief yet thorough glimpse into the life of one of the world’s most famous poets.
Emily Dickinson was unequivocally a literary icon of the 19th century. But who was she really?
Her poetry is world-renowned, yet she remains in many ways a mystery. Dickinson was born in 1830 and spent most of her life in Amherst, Massachusetts. She was a keen reader (something which was looked down upon by her overbearing father), a talented letter writer, and, of course, a brilliant poet who defied the verse forms of her time. Dickinson also made unique use of capitalization, spelling, and punctuation, even going so far as to create new punctuation marks, challenging publishers who print her work. Coupled with her difficult-to-decipher handwriting, Dickinson’s writing style has led to much speculation as to her intent. Since her death in 1886, scholars have tried endlessly to interpret her vast body of work; this beautifully designed and visually attractive volume delves into various interpretations, including queer and feminist analyses. Today, Dickinson is most famous for being a reclusive poet, but this biography mines what little information we’re privy to, giving readers a more complete image of her life. While relatively short, the accessible but detailed narrative containing excerpts of her writing provides a great overview of many historians’ theories and is a perfect stand-alone text for casual readers or an excellent jumping-off point for aspiring Dickinson-ian scholars.
A brief yet thorough glimpse into the life of one of the world’s most famous poets. (fact or fiction, endnotes, selected bibliography, further reading, index, photo credits) (Biography. 12-18)Pub Date: April 5, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-72841-634-2
Page Count: 168
Publisher: Twenty-First Century/Lerner
Review Posted Online: Jan. 25, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2022
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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