A thorough, timely guide to a wretched hive of scum and villainy.
A painstaking account of the personal and business practices that somehow failed to prevent the Trumps from becoming America’s first family.
This tale of both moral and literal bankruptcy begins with the immigration of the president’s grandfather from Bavaria and proceeds in a long tally of cheats, tweets, and deceit to an all-caps bit of saber rattling against Iran in July 2018. With hundreds of endnotes to attest to the depth of her research, Brockenbrough (Alexander Hamilton, Revolutionary, 2017, etc.) sets out to build a character portrait of her subject by documenting patterns of behavior, and in that she succeeds convincingly. Printed in blue ink that does neither the text nor the photographs any favors, it’s nevertheless an invaluable resource for student research; as a cover-to-cover read, interest may flag under the weight of details of suits and settlements, hirings and firings, boasts vs. outright lies, alleged and indicted malfeasance by a large cast of slimy associates, and like intrigues. Also, though perhaps justifiably focused on the Donald, the author so rarely spares a glance at the women in his family and circle that the overall picture lacks a possibly significant dimension. Extensive backmatter includes capsule bios of the members of Trump’s campaign and legal teams, biographical and presidential timelines, and evidence (to mid-2018) of his Russian connections.
A thorough, timely guide to a wretched hive of scum and villainy. (family tree, timeline, biographies, endnotes, bibliography, index) (Biography. 12-adult)Pub Date: Dec. 4, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-250-30803-0
Page Count: 434
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: Nov. 24, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2018
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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