Crucial historical information wrapped in well-written, inviting prose.
A comprehensive exploration of one of the most life-changing Supreme Court cases in American history.
In May 1954, the United States Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. This ruling on a landmark case—Brown v. Board of Education—would be a vital step in the ongoing fight for racial equality. But that victory did not occur in a vacuum. The civil rights movement reached this milestone because several key figures, catalysts, and circumstances culminated in a perfect storm for progress. Goldstone details the harrowing journey toward Brown by providing ample historical and cultural context for the decades preceding the decision: the founding of the NAACP, the racist violence sweeping the nation, and the artistic explosion of the Harlem Renaissance, to name a few. The author takes care to balance depictions of Black oppression with examples of Black triumph and perseverance. Several key characters who influenced the civil rights movement also feature: Ida B. Wells, W.E.B. Du Bois, and Thurgood Marshall, among others. The prose is engaging and accessible for young readers without being condescending, and intense scenes from history illuminate nearly every chapter. Goldstone underlines the tireless efforts of civil rights activists despite staggering odds, offering hope for a present that is also plagued by racial inequalities and violence.
Crucial historical information wrapped in well-written, inviting prose. (bibliography, source notes, image credits, index) (Nonfiction. 12-17)Pub Date: Jan. 5, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-338-59283-2
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Scholastic Focus
Review Posted Online: Oct. 21, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2020
Congolese-American Sophie makes a harrowing trek through a war-torn jungle to protect a young bonobo.
On her way to spend the summer at the bonobo sanctuary her mother runs, 14-year-old Sophie rescues a sickly baby bonobo from a trafficker. Though her Congolese mother is not pleased Sophie paid for the ape, she is proud that Sophie works to bond with Otto, the baby. A week before Sophie's to return home to her father in Miami, her mother must take advantage
of a charter flight to relocate some apes, and she leaves Sophie with Otto and the sanctuary workers. War breaks out, and after missing a U.N. flight out, Sophie must hide herself and Otto from violent militants and starving villagers. Unable to take Otto out of the country, she decides finding her mother hundreds of miles to the north is her only choice. Schrefer jumps from his usual teen suspense to craft this well-researched tale of jungle survival set during a fictional conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Realistic characters (ape and human) deal with disturbing situations described in graphic, but never gratuitous detail. The lessons Sophie learns about her childhood home, love and what it means to be endangered will resonate with readers.
Even if some hairbreadth escapes test credulity, this is a great next read for fans of our nearest ape cousins or survival adventure. (map, author's note, author Q&A) (Adventure. 12-16)
Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-545-16576-1
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Oct. 2, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Unhappy teens in need of a lecture on thinking positively and being more in touch with one’s emotions need look no further.
Mangan presents in as many chapters a 20-point strategy that ranges from “Have a Positive Attitude” and “Cut Your Problems Into Pieces” to “Practice Being Patient” and “Appreciate the Value of Your Hard Work.” She blends private exercises like visualizing forgiveness with comments on selective attention, “problematic procrastination” and other bad habits, reframing situations to put them in different lights, “changing shoes” to understand others better and subjecting feelings to rational analysis. Though the author has a graduate degree and years of practice in clinical psychology, she offers generalities and generic situations rather than specific cases from her experience, and the book is devoid of references to further resources or even an index. Superficial advice (“If you are unsafe or are around kids that you know are bullies, just walk away”) combines with techniques that are unlikely to interest readers (“Make a song verse out of your list of helpful thoughts”). The author also makes questionable claims about the mind-body connection (“When you smile, your body sends a signal to your brain that you are happy”) and fails to make a case for regarding side forays into food habits and environmental concerns as relevant to her topic. Obvious issues and common-sense advice, unpersuasively presented. (Self-help. 12-15)
Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4338-1040-4
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Magination/American Psychological Association
Review Posted Online: Aug. 9, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2011
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