Jones catches the beauty of fair trade in the way it strengthens morale and human dignity for all those engaged, and she...
“Fair trade is not about spending more money or buying more stuff. It’s about bringing justice to people around the world.” Fair enough.
And as readers take Jones’ tour through the lands of fair trade and its role in social justice, they learn where things come from and go to. The story of fair trade is quite buoyant, because it is not just a pipe dream. As Jones notes in one of the numerous, captivating factoids that pepper the margins of the book, “fair trade products are now sold in more than 120 countries.” Numerous stock photographs bring a snappy immediacy to the story, as do Jones’ anecdotes of her own experiences with fair trade. Jones does a particularly good job bringing individuals to the fore so that readers can both identify with them and learn how these people can band together with other small producers into cooperatives to become a market force. “Ninety percent of the world’s cocoa is grown on small family farms by about six million farmers,” so it doesn’t take a math genius to appreciate that buying fair trade chocolate benefits a lot of people. Jones also presents a handful of ways that kids can encourage fair trade awareness.
Jones catches the beauty of fair trade in the way it strengthens morale and human dignity for all those engaged, and she provides a grounded (and painless) introduction to world geography. (Nonfiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Oct. 3, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4598-1043-3
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Orca
Review Posted Online: July 1, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2017
A good if limited starting guide.
Author Leavitt presents all the components of doing research into family history with easy-to-follow directions for a successful project.
The volume begins with clear definitions about genealogy and why it is important to study. It moves on to give practical tips on getting started and how to map a family tree. It introduces young readers to the important documents that can assist in gathering family facts and describes the information they provide. It gives solid directions for setting up interviews with family members and how to reach out to those who are far away. This is followed up with strategies for using online resources, including warnings on how to stay safe on social media. The work of tracing ancestors from their countries of origin can be daunting, but Leavitt gives some help in this area as well and explores the role geography can play in family stories. There is good advice for collecting oral histories, and the chapter on exploring “The Way They Were” will appeal to many, as will the concluding chapters on family reunions and keeping in touch. All of this is presented in an encouraging, upbeat tone. Sidebars, charts, illustrations, and photographs add to the accessibility. The major drawback is that it assumes a known biological lineage with heterosexual parentage; there is no mention of the unique issues adopted children and nontraditional families might have in trying to put some of the instructions into practice. A short section addresses the challenges that face African-American descendants of enslaved people.
A good if limited starting guide. (resources, index) (Nonfiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Oct. 10, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4549-2320-6
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Sterling
Review Posted Online: Sept. 17, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2017
A thorough and comprehensive treatment of the subject.
This guide to the various components of researching family history provides helpful hints for young genealogists.
Interest in family research continues across ages, and this volume explores all aspects in great detail. It begins by pointing out that all humankind began in the same place—eastern Africa—and shares what scholars believe about how various groups spread throughout the world. From then on, personal genealogy is approached as a mystery to be solved, a strategy designed to engage its target audience. The recognition that there are many types of families is a critical part of the text. All kinds of threads are explored, from documentary evidence to family stories, with suggestions on how to evaluate them. Each topic is fully described. For example, in addition to addressing how to use census data, the book discusses the origins of the census and the parts that are relevant to family research. The section on DNA is brief but gives scientific perspective. Very little is left to chance, including how to store, preserve, and retrieve the accumulated data. The narrative is inviting and lively in tone, but it doesn’t shy away from potential difficulties. It is richly illustrated in full color with sidebars to provide additional information, though some pages feel too full to digest. Diversity is woven throughout the text, illustrations, sidebars, and graphics.
A thorough and comprehensive treatment of the subject. (glossary, further resources, index) (Nonfiction. 8-12)Pub Date: April 17, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4263-2983-8
Page Count: 160
Publisher: National Geographic Kids
Review Posted Online: Jan. 24, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2018
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