An accessible treatment of a remarkable ice hockey career.
Follows a black Canadian ice hockey player’s career.
As a child in Toronto, Subban declared that he wanted to be a professional hockey player. His Caribbean immigrant parents were die-hard hockey fans who helped foster Subban’s love of the game. With the support of his family—including his four siblings, two of whom followed in his professional hockey playing footsteps—and active encouragement from the family with whom he was billeted, Subban became a force to reckon with. He even became the first black recipient of the Norris Trophy in 2013, the peak accolade for defensemen in ice hockey. Subban’s journey has had trials and challenges, many of which have involved dealing with racism. As a black hockey player, Subban has been exposed to much vitriol in this mostly white sport. Still, he has remained undeterred and focused on his goal of being a role model and change-maker. His career stats and charity work demonstrate success in both arenas. With the help of quotes from his parents, coaches, teachers, and friends, Rondina gives readers a concise overview of Subban’s athletic career that reads much like a highlight reel. This will prove to be an easy read even for those who are not hockey fans.
An accessible treatment of a remarkable ice hockey career. (glossary, photo credits, index) (Biography. 12-18)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-4594-1508-9
Page Count: 144
Publisher: James Lorimer
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2020
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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