A richly detailed exploration of a fascinating subject.
Following Fatal Fever (2015) and Red Madness (2014), Jarrow explores America’s experience with the bubonic plague.
A devastating pandemic that started in Asia found its way to California in 1900, and Chinese immigrants in San Francisco were the first to fall victim. Efforts to stem the disease were led by the U.S. Marine-Hospital Service (later the U.S. Public Health Service). Suspicion and fear of discrimination among Chinatown residents and the reluctance of state and local political figures to acknowledge the outbreak initially held back progress. Changes in medical and political leadership brought about more success, until the San Francisco earthquake and unsanitary conditions in its wake led to the plague’s return. Jarrow’s detailed narrative and attention to the stories of the medical figures involved make this compelling reading. As in the previous volumes, the level of research on display is impressive, notably Jarrow’s close look at what has been learned about the rats and fleas that spread the disease and her smooth integration of social and medical factors into her discussion. The large number of photographs and illustrations enhances the text, and the layout is graphically interesting without becoming distracting. The interesting truth that the disease can still be contracted is among additional facts included in a FAQ section at the book’s conclusion.
A richly detailed exploration of a fascinating subject. (glossary, timeline, further resources, author’s note, bibliography, source notes, picture credits, index) (Nonfiction. 10-18)Pub Date: April 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-62091-738-1
Page Count: 196
Publisher: Calkins Creek/Boyds Mills
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2016
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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