An inspiring, energizing guide to life illustrated by space anecdotes.
A retired astronaut renowned for having spent a full year on the International Space Station, Kelly offers compelling insights in this work that is part memoir, part how-to guide.
Kelly relates how, when he was 7, his grandmother, a special education teacher, gave up after trying to teach him how to read; she said he was just dumb. This belief informed much of his life going forward, as he took senseless risks and lived fearlessly—and only learned in the military and at NASA how fear can actually be helpful. Because of his childhood struggles, Kelly felt like a failure, but learning when to be comfortable with failure was also important. Readers become acquainted with much of Kelly’s personal life, including how, as a White American, diversity of all kinds has positively impacted his career; he hopes in his lifetime to see a transgender astronaut (his son is transgender). Folded into every anecdote is a life lesson, for example, about the value in admitting one’s errors and the importance of empathy. Kelly does a great job of exploring the arduous aspects of being an astronaut as well as offering a peek behind the curtain at the most thrilling parts of the job. Those with an interest in space exploration will immediately be hooked, but others will also appreciate Kelly’s straightforward approach to topics like conspiracy theories, risk-taking, good leadership, and more. The text is enhanced with photographs.
An inspiring, energizing guide to life illustrated by space anecdotes. (photo credits) (Nonfiction. 12-18)Pub Date: April 12, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5247-6432-6
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: Jan. 25, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2022
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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