A powerful if somewhat overstuffed look at the science of female bodies.
A researcher with a Ph.D. in the evolution of narrative and cognition explores evolution, gender, and biological sex.
Bohannon largely successfully adapts her 2023 book for adults, Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution, for teen readers. The concise, intriguing chapter titles— “Milk,” “Womb,” “Tools,” “Brain,” “Love”—are engaging and offer clear roadmaps to the sometimes-dense text. Tongue-in-cheek section headers (“The Truth Is We Should Have More Vaginas”) and dramatic turns of phrase (“It turns out the mammalian uterus isn’t a lush pillow—it’s a war zone”) are delightfully fun. However, some scientific terms would have benefitted from being explained in context or in a glossary (likewise, the omission of source notes is a significant oversight). Other parts drag due to excessive detail that detracts from the book’s larger goal (this is especially true in the chapter “Perception,” about our senses). Topics of high interest to many young people—for example, why female biology proves to be an advantage in endurance sports, why female bodies develop “fatty hips” (and the possible risks of liposuction), and the evolutionary influences behind sexism—would have benefitted from deeper treatment. Bohannon makes a concerted effort to be inclusive and mindful of trans people, making this work a thoughtful examination of gendered bodies that will be of interest to readers interested in the intersection of science and social attitudes.
A powerful if somewhat overstuffed look at the science of female bodies. (Nonfiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780593811887
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Bright Matter Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 9, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2024
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
Though not the most balanced, an enlightening look back for the queer future.
An adaptation for teens of the adult title A Queer History of the United States (2011).
Divided into thematic sections, the text filters LGBTQIA+ history through key figures in each era from the 1500s to the present. Alongside watershed moments like the 1969 Stonewall uprising and the HIV/AIDS crisis of the 1980s and 1990s, the text brings to light less well-known people, places, and events: the 1625 free love colony of Merrymount, transgender Civil War hero Albert D.J. Cashier, and the 1951 founding of the Mattachine Society, to name a few. Throughout, the author and adapter take care to use accurate pronouns and avoid imposing contemporary terminology onto historical figures. In some cases, they quote primary sources to speculate about same-sex relationships while also reminding readers of past cultural differences in expressing strong affection between friends. Black-and-white illustrations or photos augment each chapter. Though it lacks the teen appeal and personable, conversational style of Sarah Prager’s Queer, There, and Everywhere (2017), this textbook-level survey contains a surprising amount of depth. However, the mention of transgender movements and activism—in particular, contemporary issues—runs on the slim side. Whereas chapters are devoted to over 30 ethnically diverse gay, lesbian, bisexual, or queer figures, some trans pioneers such as Christine Jorgensen and Holly Woodlawn are reduced to short sidebars.
Though not the most balanced, an enlightening look back for the queer future. (glossary, photo credits, bibliography, index) (Nonfiction. 14-18)Pub Date: June 11, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-8070-5612-7
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Beacon Press
Review Posted Online: March 12, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
