Essential reading.
A narrative of how the famed Lost Cause mythology took hold after the U.S. Civil War.
Noted nonfiction author Bausum seeks to answer the question: If history is written by the victors, how did the defeated Confederates’ viewpoint end up becoming the dominant perspective? The roughly chronological organization covers the lead-up to the war and the war itself; the Southern white elite’s deliberate use of “a cult of misinformation” to return to power post-Reconstruction; the successful spread of the Lost Cause ideology through culture, education, and monuments; and ongoing efforts, in the face of organized resistance, to restore accuracy to accounts of the past. The chapters are punctuated by sidebars covering Confederate statues (“Gallery of the Lost Cause”) and debunking 20 foundational lies of the romanticized Lost Cause (“#3: The Civil War wasn’t fought over slavery; it was all about states’ rights,” “#18: The Confederate battle flag is a symbol of southern honor”). Bausum counters the lies with direct quotes from key Confederate leaders and Lost Cause thought leaders, demonstrating how impossible it is to decouple the Confederate cause from racism and slavery. The clear, direct prose shuns euphemisms, explicitly naming obfuscating language, and addresses atrocities without lingering on grisly details. The dispassionate tone results in an authoritative voice, supported by extensive research, that avoids sensationalism. The conclusion encourages readers to reject falsehoods disguised as patriotism, learn from the past, and “better the world.”
Essential reading. (language note, author’s note, research notes, timeline, source notes, bibliography, image credits, index) (Nonfiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Aug. 12, 2025
ISBN: 9781250816573
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: May 16, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2025
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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