A compassionate, practical self-help guide for understanding and coping with the trauma of racism.
A multiracial therapist for children and families shares her personal experiences and professional expertise, guiding readers in confronting a topic that is critical to emotional and physical well-being.
This compact yet comprehensive guide begins with exploring personal experiences of race, family and intergenerational dynamics, and the impact of racism on the self. Many topics are explored, including the additional layers of complexity added by differences in socio-economic status, colorism, and more. The work then covers what readers can do to move forward, with chapters such as “Coping With Racial Trauma Inside Your Body,” “Breaking the Cycle,” and “Understanding Racial Grief and Loss.” Other sections detail treatment options, explaining both when to urgently seek outside help and how to make progress independently through techniques such as self-talk, seeking role models, grounding, engaging in self-care, and so on. The author’s tone is empowering; she empathetically acknowledges challenges but also emphasizes what readers can do to break free from the consequences of the pain brought about by racism. Guided activities and lists offer specific tips and suggestions, balancing the illuminating and never overwhelming contextual data and historical information. While the book is explicitly addressed to and uses examples relevant to Black and Black biracial teens, readers of other backgrounds who have endured racism will find much content that resonates with and proves helpful to them.
A compassionate, practical self-help guide for understanding and coping with the trauma of racism. (references, link to online resources) (Nonfiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-64848-012-6
Page Count: 176
Publisher: Instant Help Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 28, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2022
PERSPECTIVES
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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