A clear overview of teen mental health challenges along with some practical steps to address them.
An overview of the ongoing teen mental health crisis.
Even before Covid-19, concern about teens’ mental health was building, as various negative indicators rose. Since then, adverse data points have continued to mount. Balancing anecdotal and statistical evidence and recounting stories of a diverse range of teen sufferers, Currie-McGhee lays out the problems, discusses possible causes, identifies the most at-risk teens, and suggests some solutions. Citing abundant recent research, she outlines the symptoms of each condition and describes some effects of anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and self-harm, stressing the obstacles posed by stigma, the necessity of self-awareness, and the importance of seeking therapeutic, familial, and other support. Contributors to poor mental health discussed here include external social factors (like lockdown isolation, social media, racism, homophobia, and family conflict) and internal genetic and psychological factors. Among the remedial steps proposed are increased access to counseling, emergency hotlines, and proactive school programs; promoting more inclusive communities to protect marginalized youths; better social media practices; and peer education and involvement. Effective sidebars highlight key points, and the stock color photos feature racially diverse young people. This accessible, user-friendly work offers concise, informative, and approachable coverage for young people, parents, and educators on a topic that is just as important to well-being as physical health.
A clear overview of teen mental health challenges along with some practical steps to address them. (source notes, resources, index, picture credits) (Nonfiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2023
ISBN: 9781678205645
Page Count: 64
Publisher: ReferencePoint Press
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 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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