Authentically illustrates the challenges and hope LGBTQ+ athletes find in the world of sports.
Profiles of notable queer sports figures paired with essays written by queer, trans, and nonbinary athletes, including popular authors for young people.
This work introduces people who helped pave the way in their respective sports for other LGBTQ+ athletes, such as Olympic freestyle skier Gus Kenworthy, NFL player Carl Nassib, tennis legend Billie Jean King, and soccer champion Megan Rapinoe. In personal essays, contributors reflect on their journeys as queer people in sports. Dutch author Marieke Nijkamp describes being a nonbinary, disabled archer, Olympic medal–winning figure skater Adam Rippon writes about notions of masculinity in skating, and author Erik J. Brown emphasizes the importance of having fun, not just winning. Contributors who have experienced gender dysphoria write about creating healthier relationships with their bodies through sports. While many of these essays are largely hopeful and inspiring, the work doesn’t avoid difficult topics. For example, Jamaican American runner CeCé Telfer writes about being prevented from competing against other women at Nationals because of anti-transgender rulings. These stories from people with diverse backgrounds and identities reinforce the importance of having safe spaces to pursue one’s passion for sports. Vosseteig’s slightly stiff color portraits of the subjects and contributors are interspersed throughout. Readers will learn about the barriers and sense of belonging queer people face in pursuing athletics and the importance of representation.
Authentically illustrates the challenges and hope LGBTQ+ athletes find in the world of sports. (note on pronouns, about Title IX, contributor bios, support and advisory materials, selected sources) (Nonfiction. 10-14)Pub Date: May 13, 2025
ISBN: 9780316572002
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Christy Ottaviano Books
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: today
A breezy, bustling bucketful of courageous acts and eye-popping feats.
Why should grown-ups get all the historical, scientific, athletic, cinematic, and artistic glory?
Choosing exemplars from both past and present, Mitchell includes but goes well beyond Alexander the Great, Anne Frank, and like usual suspects to introduce a host of lesser-known luminaries. These include Shapur II, who was formally crowned king of Persia before he was born, Indian dancer/professional architect Sheila Sri Prakash, transgender spokesperson Jazz Jennings, inventor Param Jaggi, and an international host of other teen or preteen activists and prodigies. The individual portraits range from one paragraph to several pages in length, and they are interspersed with group tributes to, for instance, the Nazi-resisting “Swingkinder,” the striking New York City newsboys, and the marchers of the Birmingham Children’s Crusade. Mitchell even offers would-be villains a role model in Elagabalus, “boy emperor of Rome,” though she notes that he, at least, came to an awful end: “Then, then! They dumped his remains in the Tiber River, to be nommed by fish for all eternity.” The entries are arranged in no evident order, and though the backmatter includes multiple booklists, a personality quiz, a glossary, and even a quick Braille primer (with Braille jokes to decode), there is no index. Still, for readers whose fires need lighting, there’s motivational kindling on nearly every page.
A breezy, bustling bucketful of courageous acts and eye-popping feats. (finished illustrations not seen) (Collective biography. 10-13)Pub Date: May 10, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-14-751813-2
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Puffin
Review Posted Online: Nov. 10, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2015
Full of laughter and sentiment, this is a nudge for readers to dare to try new things.
A 1989 summer trip to Europe changes Caldecott Medal winner Santat’s life in this graphic memoir.
Young Dan hasn’t experienced much beyond the small Southern California town he grew up in. He stays out of trouble, helps his parents, and tries to go unnoticed in middle school. That plan gets thwarted when he is made to recite poetry at a school assembly and is humiliated by his peers. When eighth grade is over and his parents send him on a three-week study abroad program, Dan isn’t excited at first. He’s traveling with girls from school whom he has awkward relationships with, his camera breaks, and he feels completely out of place. But with the help of some new friends, a crush, and an encouraging teacher, Dan begins to appreciate and enjoy the journey. Through experiences like his first taste of Fanta, first time hearing French rap, and first time getting lost on his own in a foreign country in the middle of the night, he finally begins to feel comfortable just being himself and embracing the unexpected. This entertaining graphic memoir is a relatable story of self-discovery. Flashbacks to awkward memories are presented in tones of blue that contrast with the full-color artwork through which Santat creates the perfect balance of humor and poignancy. The author’s note and photos offer readers more fun glimpses into his pivotal adventure.
Full of laughter and sentiment, this is a nudge for readers to dare to try new things. (Graphic memoir. 10-14)Pub Date: Feb. 28, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-250-85104-8
Page Count: 320
Publisher: First Second
Review Posted Online: Nov. 28, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2022
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