A lively if one-sided overview of a topic that touches many teens’ lives.
Differentiating regular fans from superfans or stans, this book launches readers into a positive take on fan culture.
One expert quoted highlights the importance of the space fandom provides for self-expression; another says that it can be good for mental health. While acknowledging the boost the internet has given to these communities, the book also covers pre-internet bands like the Beatles and the Grateful Dead. The internet has amplified everything, however: David Bowie’s fans were the first to get an artist-run ISP with specially crafted content, and Harry Potter contributed greatly to the explosion of fanfic. While Taylor Swift was breaking records, Swifties were breaking the internet, and it’s impossible not to mention worldwide K-pop phenomenon BTS. The book also covers film and television (Bridgerton superfans bring their love off-screen to real events) and, of course, Star Trek, Star Wars, and Black Panther. Those who are into anime, comics, sports, and e-sports are also covered, from the vast sums spent on sports memorabilia to avid cosplayers. The sources largely consist of consumer publications, and some elements already feel dated (there is no mention of the tremendous backlash from fans against J.K. Rowling for her perceived transphobia). While passing mention is made of “some negative aspects to fan culture,” these are barely touched upon, making the guide feel incomplete for research purposes and more suited to casual browsing.
A lively if one-sided overview of a topic that touches many teens’ lives. (picture credits, resources, index) (Nonfiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2023
ISBN: 9781678206109
Page Count: 64
Publisher: ReferencePoint Press
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 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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