An introduction going beyond the tales to their sources and significance.
Five brief chapters cover many highlights of the substantial body of Norse myths.
Beginning with Yggdrasil, the World Tree; the race of gods called the Aesir; and the worldview, cosmology, and values inherent in the myths, Nardo then retells and comments on key stories. (Many others, however, like Baldr’s death, Sigyn’s catching the poison dripping on Loki, or the forging of Thor’s hammer, are omitted.) Citing historians and scholars, Nardo discusses the possible impetus behind the motifs and preoccupations found in these tales. One chapter traces the gods’ (especially Odin’s) various quests. Another examines Norse attitudes to fighting and death and their conception of the afterlife. A chapter is devoted to dwarfs, elves, and other supernatural beings, and the final chapter traces the ultimate destruction of the Aesir and their world. Sidebars define words and explain such topics as the Poetic Edda, an early written source of the myths; Norse worship practices; and the battle of Ragnarok. Many colorful illustrations and a couple of photographs add a romantic flavor, balancing the narratives’ violence. This book will not supplant Neil Gaiman’s magisterial volumes (cited as sources), and for pure storytelling, the d’Aulaires and Kevin Crossley-Holland are still the standard, but Nardo’s concise overview offers a solid foundation.
An introduction going beyond the tales to their sources and significance. (picture credits, source notes, further reading, index) (Nonfiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2023
ISBN: 9781678205720
Page Count: 64
Publisher: ReferencePoint Press
Review Posted Online: May 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2023
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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