A lack of nuance and overemphasis on positivity undermine this work’s potential positive impact.
A work that aspires to motivate teens by highlighting the power of grit and perseverance in overcoming adversity.
Each of the five chapters tackles different categories of challenges, showcasing stories of triumph in the face of learning and physical disabilities, homelessness, the struggles of being an immigrant, and mental illness. A recurring theme is encapsulated early on in a quote from a teen who survived an abusive family: “I tried to take a negative and turn it into a positive.” The persistent and repetitive optimism edges into toxic positivity, however, such as with a queer teen who, thrown out by her homophobic parents, is praised for the unerring focus that led her to graduate as co-valedictorian, win acceptance to Georgetown University, raise funds for college through GoFundMe donations, and appear on Ellen DeGeneres’ talk show. Excepting the chapters on learning disabilities and mental illness, the narrative largely and frustratingly lacks concrete details on how to manage setbacks and gain critical confidence and skills, context that would make the stories more useful and relatable. The selection of often incongruous stock photos and the somewhat dry, detached language also detract from the narrative. Ultimately, this work could leave ordinary teens feeling disheartened, as the approach it espouses seems unrealistic.
A lack of nuance and overemphasis on positivity undermine this work’s potential positive impact. (photo credits, source notes, organizations and websites, for further research, index) (Nonfiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2024
ISBN: 9781678207861
Page Count: 64
Publisher: ReferencePoint Press
Review Posted Online: Aug. 3, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 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
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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