A necessary overview that’s rich in analysis and insight.
Faivish, a son of Holocaust survivors, and co-author Cole weave together an analysis of antisemitic propaganda posters and the history of World War II.
This work critically analyzes images from 1933 through 1946, dividing them into three sections covering the periods before, during, and after the war. Each segment opens with a one-page historical overview followed by two-page spreads featuring full-page, full-color reproductions of the posters (with captions providing translations) and a facing page containing one or more explanatory paragraphs explaining the antisemitic tropes at play. Many of the posters emerged from Paul Joseph Goebbels’ Ministry of Propaganda. During the war, as Nazi reach expanded, they designed the posters to win the sympathy of non-Germans, and the book contains examples from France, Poland, Serbia, and other countries. The formal analysis of the images will help readers understand the ideologies the posters promoted, hone their visual literacy skills, and gain historical insights that they can apply to the present day. Additionally, the book provides brief overviews of key concepts, including the ideological and economic systems of communism and capitalism, and references other maligned groups, such as Black, Romani, and LGBTQ+ people. Terms defined in the glossary appear in bold in the main text. The book ends on a hopeful note with an afterword that urges readers to use their awareness to “be good and steadfast doves who bring blessings and hope to the future.”
A necessary overview that’s rich in analysis and insight. (timeline, glossary, poster credits) (Nonfiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Oct. 21, 2025
ISBN: 9781772604290
Page Count: 100
Publisher: Second Story Press
Review Posted Online: July 3, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 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
Though not the most balanced, an enlightening look back for the queer future.
An adaptation for teens of the adult title A Queer History of the United States (2011).
Divided into thematic sections, the text filters LGBTQIA+ history through key figures in each era from the 1500s to the present. Alongside watershed moments like the 1969 Stonewall uprising and the HIV/AIDS crisis of the 1980s and 1990s, the text brings to light less well-known people, places, and events: the 1625 free love colony of Merrymount, transgender Civil War hero Albert D.J. Cashier, and the 1951 founding of the Mattachine Society, to name a few. Throughout, the author and adapter take care to use accurate pronouns and avoid imposing contemporary terminology onto historical figures. In some cases, they quote primary sources to speculate about same-sex relationships while also reminding readers of past cultural differences in expressing strong affection between friends. Black-and-white illustrations or photos augment each chapter. Though it lacks the teen appeal and personable, conversational style of Sarah Prager’s Queer, There, and Everywhere (2017), this textbook-level survey contains a surprising amount of depth. However, the mention of transgender movements and activism—in particular, contemporary issues—runs on the slim side. Whereas chapters are devoted to over 30 ethnically diverse gay, lesbian, bisexual, or queer figures, some trans pioneers such as Christine Jorgensen and Holly Woodlawn are reduced to short sidebars.
Though not the most balanced, an enlightening look back for the queer future. (glossary, photo credits, bibliography, index) (Nonfiction. 14-18)Pub Date: June 11, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-8070-5612-7
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Beacon Press
Review Posted Online: March 12, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2019
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