Impressively detailed, this is a valuable addition to the nonfiction shelf.
This nonfiction title takes a close look at deforestation and its consequences.
Four chapters focus, in turn, on defining a forest, how we harvest trees, current uses of forests, and how choices we make today can affect the future of trees. The importance of forests as carbon sinks, as participants in the water cycle, and as homes for the majority of land species and many Indigenous peoples sets the stage for this exploration of the various kinds of forests found on Earth and their role in human and natural life. Each chapter is organized into short sections and subsections, with sidebars, labeled stock photographs, and “Tree Trivia” featurettes, all of which introduce fascinating facts, concepts, and terminology relevant to trees and forests. Words printed in boldface in the narrative are defined in a glossary. The text takes a measured approach to the issue of deforestation, pointing out that each of us uses trees for ease of living while also showing how better choices can lead to a healthier Earth and more sustainable solutions for generations to come. Presented more like a magazine than a cohesive narrative, this volume offers a wealth of historical and contemporary information, inspiration from concerned people who have made a difference, tips for contributing to conservation efforts in daily life, and resources for learning more.
Impressively detailed, this is a valuable addition to the nonfiction shelf. (index) (Nonfiction. 9-14)Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-4598-2355-6
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Orca
Review Posted Online: June 2, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2020
A breezy, bustling bucketful of courageous acts and eye-popping feats.
Why should grown-ups get all the historical, scientific, athletic, cinematic, and artistic glory?
Choosing exemplars from both past and present, Mitchell includes but goes well beyond Alexander the Great, Anne Frank, and like usual suspects to introduce a host of lesser-known luminaries. These include Shapur II, who was formally crowned king of Persia before he was born, Indian dancer/professional architect Sheila Sri Prakash, transgender spokesperson Jazz Jennings, inventor Param Jaggi, and an international host of other teen or preteen activists and prodigies. The individual portraits range from one paragraph to several pages in length, and they are interspersed with group tributes to, for instance, the Nazi-resisting “Swingkinder,” the striking New York City newsboys, and the marchers of the Birmingham Children’s Crusade. Mitchell even offers would-be villains a role model in Elagabalus, “boy emperor of Rome,” though she notes that he, at least, came to an awful end: “Then, then! They dumped his remains in the Tiber River, to be nommed by fish for all eternity.” The entries are arranged in no evident order, and though the backmatter includes multiple booklists, a personality quiz, a glossary, and even a quick Braille primer (with Braille jokes to decode), there is no index. Still, for readers whose fires need lighting, there’s motivational kindling on nearly every page.
A breezy, bustling bucketful of courageous acts and eye-popping feats. (finished illustrations not seen) (Collective biography. 10-13)Pub Date: May 10, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-14-751813-2
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Puffin
Review Posted Online: Nov. 10, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2015
A poignant and powerful look at identity, change, and resiliency.
An Indigenous perspective on the impact of European settlement.
Coombs (Aquinnah Wampanoag) uses two distinct voices to share information. The alternating chapters prefaced with “When Life Was Our Own” demonstrate the intergenerational sharing of knowledge about Wampanoag life based on oral traditions and research. Within these narratives, she teaches specific lessons: For example, readers learn how cedar was harvested with respect, “in a way that encouraged the growth of new saplings.” Later, they hear about how a sachem, or tribal leader, would resolve conflicts through a football game in order to avoid fighting. The voice of the remaining chapters “is inclusive of all tribal nations in southern New England,” covering history from the 1400s to the present. These chapters define and explore racism and provide facts about the devastating effects of the Europeans’ presence. Explorers’ 1524 arrival in present-day Rhode Island was followed by the Great Dying that wiped out entire Indigenous villages between 1616 and 1618. Europeans then proceeded to extract profits from natural resources, in contrast to Indigenous beliefs that “only the Creator who made the land could own it.” The epilogue describes the situation for Wampanoag people and other southern New England tribes in their territories today. Text boxes labeled “Let’s Think About This” pose critical thinking questions about the communities’ opposing viewpoints and engage readers. Black-and-white photos and artwork support the text. Together, the two intertwined narratives form a cohesive, engaging whole.
A poignant and powerful look at identity, change, and resiliency. (bibliography, resources, image credits) (Nonfiction. 9-14)Pub Date: Sept. 12, 2023
ISBN: 9780593480434
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2023
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