A story of two individuals worth the telling.
The story of a pair of conjoined twins who became an American vaudeville sensation in the 1920s.
Violet and Daisy were born in England in 1908 to a young, unwed mother and adopted by their midwife, Mary Hilton. Hilton exhibited the twins from infancy, taking them on the road to Germany, Australia, and finally the United States, where they performed at fairs, carnivals, and circuses. In contrast to other sideshows, their act was considered wholesome, designed to emphasize their musical abilities, beauty, and charm. When they weren’t performing, the twins were sequestered from the world, and their social isolation kept them ignorant of the ways in which they were being exploited. By 1925, Violet and Daisy made the incredible leap from the sideshow to the vaudeville stage, where they debuted to extraordinary success. Catapulted to instant fame, they fascinated the press and earned a fortune for their management. Yet their outwardly sunny dispositions masked their growing turmoil at their virtual imprisonment, which finally led to a court battle that marked a watershed moment in their lives. Though related somewhat repetitively, Violet's and Daisy’s story shines when describing their deep respect for each other’s privacy and individuality and their mutual harmony despite their differences. The twins had a tendency to sensationalize their own story for publicity, and the text is careful to point out the incidents in their account that remain unsubstantiated.
A story of two individuals worth the telling. (author’s note, sources, notes) (Nonfiction. 12-18)Pub Date: April 27, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-11972-3
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade/Random
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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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