The only flag of concern here is red; pass this one by.
A brief history of pride flags.
Get to know your pride, specifically 17 different flags used by subsets of the LGBTQIA+ community. The flags—three variations of the rainbow (the “Gilbert Baker” flag, the updated Rainbow Pride flag, and the Progress flag), the Agender, the Aromantic, the Asexual, the Bisexual, the Demisexual, the Gay Men’s, the Genderfluid, the Genderqueer, the Intersex, the Lesbian, the Pansexual, the Polysexual, the Nonbinary, and the Transgender Pride flags—are each presented on a double-page spread. A stylized example of the flag in question appears on the verso, with a brief write-up about the history and vignettes of various adult members of the LGBTQIA+ community on the recto. The cartoonish illustrations, which appear to be digitally created, are slick, and the characters are diverse in terms of race, body type, and ability, but the information provided is far too sparse for the reading level. Curious readers are left adrift without citations for further exploration or context to explain the condensed information. The central question remains unaddressed: How did these flags and these specific designs come to represent a community? While creator names are included when possible, no other information about the creator or their role in the development of their flag is included. The result is a glossy and attractive but superficial work that raises more questions than answers.
The only flag of concern here is red; pass this one by. (reading guide, coloring page) (Nonfiction. 8-11)Pub Date: June 21, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-83997-258-4
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Review Posted Online: March 29, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Fans of Terry Deary and Martin Brown’s Horrible Histories and their ilk are unlikely to consider this latest imitation more than an also-ran. Oliver surveys British history from the Isles’ Ice Age formation to the not-exactly-hot-off-the-presses 2005 news that London will host the 2012 Olympics. Though accurate enough in his broad picture, the author’s debatable facts (“…the Romans introduced really useful things such as toilets and even vegetables to the people of Britain”) and awkwardly written generalizations (“The Celtic kings consulted religious advisors to help them rule, known as druids”) drag the bland text down even further. Pinder's pen-and-ink illustrations attempt snark but too often fall flat: “That girl was always getting in my way,” remarks Bloody Mary as Lady Jane Grey’s newly severed head bounces by. This catalog of major British kings, queens, wars, pivotal events and cultural milestones is unlikely to entertain—much less resonate with—American audiences. (index, royal timeline) (Nonfiction. 8-11)
Pub Date: Dec. 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-906082-72-7
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Buster/Trafalgar
Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2010
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Thirteen prominent American men and women are briefly profiled in this collection. Chronologically ranging from Thomas Jefferson to Barack Obama, each entry features an inspiring quote from its subject and a concise explanation of his or her context in history. Opposite each page of text is a watercolor painting by the author depicting an image or montage of the notable individual and illustrating the work they achieved or how they lived. Each one evokes the emotions the book is meant to inspire: courage, strength and determination. Franklin Roosevelt gazes reassuringly out at readers above a line of hungry people at a soup kitchen; Rachel Carson smiles at readers against a picture of a soaring bald eagle and an inset of her peering into a microscope. The selection includes four women and five male ethnic minorities. Almost all are familiar faces in collective biographies, including Abraham Lincoln, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks, but some names may be new to young readers, such as Emma Lazarus and Cesar Chavez. Included in the backmatter are thumbnail biographies of each figure and a list of source notes. The profiles are indeed inspiring, and younger readers will likely learn something new. For deeper research, students will have to look elsewhere but could use this book as an excellent starting point. (Collective biography. 8-11)
Pub Date: March 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-8225-6810-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Millbrook
Review Posted Online: Jan. 25, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2011
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