Skillfully introduces the complex story of wildfires, Indigenous knowledge, and climate change.
Advocacy for Indigenous fire-management practices, a thorough account of wildfire science, information on firefighting—and a blazing black-and-orange color scheme—make this book a hot ticket.
Anderson, a scientist and enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, and prolific nonfiction author McPherson provide a balanced, well-written analysis of conflagrations. Paradoxically, fire causes damage but also has benefits, even as human land use competes with essential ecosystem regeneration. The authors contrast the natural role of wildfire in maintaining healthy ecosystems with horrific blazes that are worsened by mismanagement and climate change. Case studies highlight First Nations communities and individuals from around the world and show how scientists are increasingly considering Indigenous practices, sparking change. Scientists have come to accept what “for millennia, Indigenous peoples across the globe have understood,” that “by burning layers of dead vegetation that could otherwise become fuel, carefully tended fires lessened the chance of a disastrous wildfire.” These practices are also about “livelihood, traditions, beliefs, values, and spirituality.” The authors explain what fire is and describe fire suppression and prescribed burns in the U.S., conveying a lot of science in a palatable form. Climate change is at the heart of the story—and of this book. The text defines terms in context, contains helpful text boxes with additional information, and is supported by color photos.
Skillfully introduces the complex story of wildfires, Indigenous knowledge, and climate change. (timeline, glossary, source notes, selected bibliography, further information, index, photo acknowledgments) (Nonfiction. 13-18)Pub Date: April 2, 2024
ISBN: 9781728424002
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Twenty-First Century/Lerner
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2024
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 2024 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.
