Big dreams do merit nurturing—but not in this trite, superficial way.
A roundup of platitudes about the general behaviors and mindset required to become, and excel as, a sports professional.
Tucking in inspirational comments from active or recently active athletes—from NBA standout Stephen Curry and Olympian gymnast Simone Biles to altruistic wrestler John Cena—Roland reveals that success can’t be achieved through shortcuts and that, guess what!, achieving stardom requires not only toughness, confidence, and many hours of practice, but good eating and sleeping habits, the ability to learn from failure, and large numbers of supporters, from parents to teammates and coaches. (Toward the end he allows that all of this could be applicable to nonathletic aspirations too but doesn’t pursue the topic.) While these reminders push back against facile narratives of those born with a magic touch, the realities of bullying parents or trainers—not to mention other potential costs of years of obsessive focus, including sexual abuse, personality disorders, financial obligations, and the rest—that many superstars have weathered in their journeys to the top go unmentioned, as do the huge odds against even qualifying for the Olympics or reaching a pro level in any sport. Prominent figures featured in the narrative and the sparse assortment of photos are diverse in race and gender.
Big dreams do merit nurturing—but not in this trite, superficial way. (source notes, organizations and websites, further research, index, picture credits) (Nonfiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2023
ISBN: 9781678204846
Page Count: 64
Publisher: ReferencePoint Press
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2023
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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