Polar Bears: Survival on the Ice

Viola, Jason. Science Comics: Polar Bears: Survival on the Ice. First Second, 2018.

Science Comics is back again with another riveting adventure filled with facts about the life of polar bears. Follow two polar bear pups as they grow up, and learn about these fascinating creatures: their habitat, their habits, what they eat, and how we can protect them. Colorful illustrations and facts and details are great for readers who prefer nonfiction titles, and the graphic novel format makes this book accessible for a wide range of reading levels.

Recommended for: tweens and middle grade
Red Flags: none
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley for the purpose of review.

Wild Weather, Storms, Meteorology, and Climate.

Reed, M.K. Science Comics: Wild Weather: Storms, Meteorology, and Climate. First Second, 2019.

This nonfiction graphic novel presents information about climate change and meteorology, wrapped in the story of a meteorologist who is explaining climate change to his fellow newscasters. The information is presented in a very readable and interesting way, and the illustrations are an integral part of the overall story. The colorful illustrations will draw the eye of tween readers and may spark an interest in science and meteorology. Recommended.

Recommended for: tweens
Red Flags: none
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley for the purpose of review.

Was the Cat in the Hat Black?

Nel, Philip. Was the Cat in the Hat Black? The Hidden Racism of Children's Literature, and the Need for Diverse Books. Oxford University Press, 2017.

Considering the recent kerfuffle over the American Library Association's choice to rename the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award the Legacy Award, this book should be required reading for everyone who thinks they are entitled an opinion on diverse books, racism in the library world, etc.

This book is exceptionally academic and is not easy or fast reading. It does not have a conversational tone, does not propose solutions to the obvious problems in children's literature, and will not give new information to those who are already reading and studying this topic.

However, that does not remove the book's merit. It is an important book, and if the renaming of the Legacy Award was the first time you considered that children's books, even beloved classics, could be racist, this is a good jumping off point.

Recommended for: adults, particularly those who work with children and books

The 57 Bus

Slater, Dashka. The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime that Changed Their Lives. Farrar, Straus, and Giroux BYR, 2017.

I was living in San Leandro, CA, right next to Oakland, when this event occurred. I remember the news stories; I remember hearing about the "skirts for Sasha" day, and I remember being scared for my spouse, who is trans, who also occasionally used the 57 bus to get home when the BART wasn't working or was going to take too long.

This was an amazingly well done account of this event. The story is written in a highly compelling and readable fashion, and the author did a fantastic job delving into the background of both the victim and the perpetrator, to the point where even I felt some sympathy for the perpetrator and the situation he was facing with a possibility of being tried and imprisoned as an adult. Highly recommended.

Recommended for: teens and adults
Red Flags: one teen set another teen on fire on a bus
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars

Trashed

Backderf, Derf. Trashed. Abrams ComicArts, 2015.

This book alternates between the story of a fictional trash collector going about his daily tasks and factual information about trash collecting, its history, recycling, etc. There is good information about the amount of trash people create each day as well as a good peek into the life of a trash collector.

I've been a cafeteria worker, a retail employee, a cashier, a college dorm custodian - all of which were low-paying, high stress jobs involving lots of "yucky" work, but I've never been a trash collector. That being said, I enjoyed the fictional parts of this story the same way I enjoy reality TV - it's fun to glance at a world completely different from my own, but it's easy to zone out and ignore it, too. The informational parts were not remotely surprising, and I do wish that there were an additional section about ways to reduce the amount of trash we create or organizations that are working on that very problem. Overall, this book was well-written, well-illustrated, and I could see this being a great book to give to reluctant teen readers.

Recommended for: teens
Red Flags: language, some new-employee hazing, alcohol use by adults
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

I Fired God

Zichterman, Jocelyn. I Fired God: My Life Inside - and Escape From - the Secret World of the Independent Fundamental Baptist Cult. St. Martin's Press, 2013

This memoir details Zichterman's childhood in an abusive IFB home, her marriage to an IFB man, and their eventual escape from the cult, along with details of Zichterman's mission to help rescue those who have been abused within the IFB.

As a person who also grew up in the IFB, attending camp at the Wilds of the Rockies, at Northland Baptist Bible College (now the defunct Northland International University); spending six years earning two "degrees" from Bob Jones University, and leaving the world of the IFB behind after six additional years teaching at an IFB school, I can attest that Zichterman details accurately the life within the IFB. To be sure, her home life was more extremely abusive than may be typical, but the church politics, the breaking of a child's will, the focus on women staying home to serve their men - all of this is seen throughout various sub-cultures of the overall IFB culture as a whole.

I myself have interacted with many of the people Zichterman mentions in her book and was not remotely surprised at the character abuse she endured upon her escape, along with multiple pleas to return to "the truth that she knew." I myself was chastised for not tithing exactly ten percent of my paycheck, which was easily discoverable at my church since one of the deacons was also the school principal. I, too, was chastised for being female and wanting to think or learn or have opinions. I, too, experience flashbacks to childhood abuse and was told the most important thing was to forgive my abuser and ask for forgiveness for any sin I may have committed while having the flashbacks to being raped as a 6-year old child. I also left the IFB behind, discovered my "degrees" from Bob Jones University were worthless, and was forced to start over again, working multiple jobs while I put myself through an accredited university education so I could get a new position outside of fundamentalism.

This book isn't an easy one to read, and I'm certain it wasn't an easy story for Zichterman to tell. But it is the truth, and it behooves us to remember that there are many of these churches scattered throughout the country where children are growing up uneducated, abused, and virtually trapped because they cannot imagine a way out and have no support system in place should they choose to leave. Recommended

Recommended for: adults, those who wish to learn more about the IFB or Bob Jones University, etc.
Red Flags: lots of descriptions of abuse, language
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

The Cost of Truth

Parrott, Julie. The Cost of Truth. Xlibris Corporation. 2014. $28.03. 228p. SC 9781499000898. 

This biography of Donna Gordon covers her dramatic transformation from joining the Missionary Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception in Brisbane to leaving her calling and marrying her first love, giving birth to five children, then realizing that she is a lesbian and coming out of the closet. After leaving her family behind, Gordon was diagnosed with bone cancer. The Cost of Truth details Gordon’s struggles as she battles cancer and attempts to reconcile with her family whose religious beliefs will not allow them to accept her orientation.

The first-person narration in this book demonstrates that Parrott has spent much time with Gordon in order to tell her story properly. The story is personal, and the easy, conversational style and slow pace match this perfectly. Unfortunately, the story of a deeply religious person who comes out as LGBT has been told in many other venues already, and most libraries will find the price of this book to be prohibitive. While it is indeed a good thing that Gordon’s story has been told, this book is recommended as a purchase only for the libraries in Gordon’s and Parrott’s hometowns. Other libraries may find Aaron Hartzler’s Rapture Practice or Michelle Theall’s Teaching the Cat to Sit a better investment for their collection.

Gender Failure

Spoon, Rae and Ivan E. Coyote. Gender Failure. Arsenal Pulp Press. 2014. $17.95. 252p. SC 9781551525365.

This collection of essays and personal stories is the collaborative work of Ivan E. Coyote and Rae Spoon, both performers, musicians, and writers who admit that they have “failed” at gender. While Spoon has identified as transgender in the past and has now retired their gender altogether, Coyote has chosen to identify as trans* where they used to be identified as a butch lesbian. Both Coyote and Spoon have at times felt like outsiders and are now bringing awareness to the world at large and the LGBT community about those who live off the gender grid.

In alternating chapters, this book is a collection of the authors’ essays, song lyrics, drawings, and photographs all describing the their journeys as they have traveled through and beyond the gender spectrum. The essays and stories are personal, poignant, humorous, and bittersweet. They cover a variety of topics, touching on each author’s experience with gender, growing up in Canada, the LGBT community, and other seemingly-mundane topics such as airport restrooms. This book, like the multi-media show it’s based on, demonstrates that gender isn’t a binary thing. As such, Gender Failure is a necessary addition to any LGBT special collection, and is strongly recommended for public libraries, particularly those where there is emphasis on representing diversity within the library’s collection.

Uganda, United States, and Europe: The Anti-Homosexual Law of 2014

Stevens, ML. Uganda, United States, and Europe: The Anti-Homosexual Law of 2014. ML Stevens. 2014. $5.38. 83p. SC 978-1-49956-738-0.

This work by ML Stevens details both the cultural/political issues in Uganda as well as the development and repercussions of Uganda’s legislation outlawing the practice of homosexuality. The author’s intent is to describe the dire situation Uganda finds itself in and what response would be appropriate from the powers of North America and Europe.

The author’s passion for this topic is obvious from the first page of this book. Unfortunately, only 83 pages of content means that many issues are glossed over or simply stated without any background, evidence, or research to support the author’s point. The large typeface, odd line spacing, and multiple typographical and grammatical errors detract from the author’s important message. The style of writing is reminiscent of a high school research paper.

The countries of Africa face many difficulties: political issues, tribal issues, and the AIDS crisis, to name a few. Certainly the treatment of LGBT individuals is also of great importance, but this work will not help this topic to garner the attention it requires. With additional research and the assistance of an editor, this work will be ready to add to an academic library’s collection.

Kitty Genovese: The Murder, the Bystanders, and the Crime that Changed America

Cook, Kevin. Kitty Genovese: The Murder, the Bystanders, and the Crime that Changed America. Bold Strokes Books. 2014. $25.95. 242p. HC 978-0-393-23928-7.

In 1964, Kitty Genovese was murdered as she returned home after her job as a bartender. This event led to the development of the “bystander effect,” where crowds of people can watch a violent crime occur and choose not to help if they can believe that someone else will step up and help instead. This much-discussed case led to the creation of Good Samaritan laws in many states. Cook maintains, however, that although it is true that people did not choose to help Kitty when she was being stabbed by her murderer, the story is not as simple as it seems.

Drawing from eyewitness accounts, court transcripts, interviews, and newspaper articles, Cook paints a picture of a neighborhood where some people may have chosen not to act, but where most people were likely asleep or assumed that the noise, typical in a growing city where people stay awake throughout the night, was simply the scream of a silly, possibly drunk young couple out too late at night. While it is true that Kitty was a lesbian and that she was murdered, her murder was not a hate crime, but rather a crime of opportunity.

This true crime story is excellently told. Cook gives an appropriate amount of background both for Kitty and her murderer, leading up to the night the two of them met on the street and Kitty was killed. The aftermath, including Winston Moseley’s trial, conviction, escape, and return to prison. The author also details the sociological results of this event and how a newspaper story led to the common belief that thirty-eight people heard Kitty cry for help and chose to ignore her. This book would be a fantastic addition to a public library’s true crime section as well as an academic library’s collection.

An Unspoken Compromise

Timane, Rizi. An Unspoken Compromise: A Spiritual Guide for LGBT People of Faith. HawkFish Publishing. 2013. $19.99 178p. SC 978-1484872468.

Rizi Timane was born and raised in Nigeria, West Africa. He realized early on that he was a boy, even though he had been born with a girl’s body. However, African culture and the fundamentalist Christian beliefs of his family taught him that being LGBT was a cardinal sin. He struggled for many years with his identity, coming out first as a lesbian and finally as transgender. He had to reconcile what he knew to be true about himself with what he thought to be true about God. This book is Timane’s message to the LGBT community, especially those who are struggling to reconcile their orientation or gender identity with firmly held religious beliefs.

The title of this book leads the reader to believe that the book will be a sort of spiritual reference book, similar to Matthew Vines’s God and the Gay Christian or Justin Lee’s Torn. Unfortunately, of the 178 pages in this book, the first 100 are dedicated to describing the author’s childhood, young adulthood, coming out experiences, and transition. Two dozen at the end constitute an appendix that serves as a memorial to LGBT persons who were victims of homophobic rape in Africa. A mere fifty pages sandwiched between barely glance at the so-called “clobber passages” from the bible and Timane’s interpretation of these passages. While it is important to discuss these passages and their application to LGBT people of faith, this has been thoroughly covered by other authors. This book would serve better as a memoir of Timane’s growing up, coming out, and transition experiences, but the title will mislead readers to believe the book will be a guidebook when instead it is an autobiography. The fate of LGBT persons in Africa is certainly an important topic, and it is hoped that other works detailing these experiences will soon be available.

Recommended for: people interested in the LGBT experience in Africa
Overall Rating: 2/5 stars

God and the Gay Christian

Vines, Matthew. God and the Gay Christian. Convergent Books. 2014. 

After the viral success of his video lecture on the Bible and homosexuality, Vines has continued his study of the topic and compiled his findings into a book. Starting with introductory comments and continuing through the six “clobber passages” from the Bible most commonly used to condemn same-sex relationships, Vines draws from biblical scholarship, language studies, ancient history, and other texts contemporary to biblical writings to show a different way of looking at the arguments against homosexuality. The factual information is punctuated with snippets from Vines’s own coming-out experience with his father. The final chapter highlights modern church reformers such as Kathy Baldock of Canyon Walker Connections and Justin Lee of the Gay Christian Network, as well as discussing Vines’s own work in the Reformation Project. Extensive endnotes indicate that Vines has, indeed, put much time and effort into thoroughly studying this topic. Rather than giving pat answers or simple slogans, Vines walks the reader through the historical context of the arguments against same-sex relationships and explains how the church (and the world) has viewed this issue throughout history.

An excellent academic read and companion to Lee’s Torn: Rescuing the Gospel from the Gay vs. Christian Debate and Shore’s Unfair: Christians and the LGBT Question, Vines avoids the common pitfalls of resorting to numerous “human interest” stories to prove his point and instead focuses on the logic and history behind the religious arguments against same-sex relationships. Readers who expect an in-depth look at biblical themes and passages will not be disappointed. Evangelical and other conservative Christians will appreciate Vines’s approach to the topic as well as his stance on church doctrine. Vines asserts his belief in the absolute authority of the Scriptures, and in so doing he invites those who have turned away from previous attempts at reconciliation between the two camps to look again at what the Bible itself has to say on this very controversial topic. This book would make an excellent addition to a public library’s collection in conservative communities as well as academic libraries at religious institutions.

To The End of June

Beam, Cris. To the End of June: The Intimate Life of American Foster Care. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013.

This book was frighteningly dry. I expected lots of statistics, descriptions of programs, and with a book this length, dozens of stories as the results of interviews. What I got what a painfully in-depth look at three families, with their stories retold from the perspective of each family member. Is the foster care system in need of help? Absolutely, but this book didn't do anything to convince me, nor did it add anything to my knowledge that I hadn't already learned from watching The Fosters.

Recommended for: adults

Red Flags: discussions of drug use, etc.

Overall Rating: 2.5/5 stars

This Star Won't Go Out

Earl, Esther. This Star Won't Go Out: The Life and Words of Esther Grace Earl. Dutton Juvenile, 2014.

With the movie based on John Green's novel The Fault in Our Stars coming out this year, it's appropriate that a collection of the writings of the girl to whom the book was dedicated would be published.  This book would be very popular among my students if I were able to purchase a copy.

Unlike other memoirs of terminally ill children, I didn't actually enjoy this book much. The book truly is a scrapbook collection of photos and writings by Esther, rather than a memoir by her parents or loved ones of her progression through the disease.  It's a good book, but it didn't hold my attention the way other memoirs have.

Recommended for: teens
Red Flags: none
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

Beyond Magenta

Kuklin, Susan. Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out. Candlewick Press, 2014. 

The author interviews five transgender teens and details their coming-out experiences, how they define themselves, how they have dealt with bullying, etc.

The first 90% of this book is amazing. I love the photographs and the stories of transgender teens. I think this part of the book should be in every library to help raise awareness of issues facing the trans* community.

HOWEVER, the resources list in the back is sadly lacking. First, there are only two fiction titles listed, when I can name at least ten good trans* titles without even consulting my Goodreads shelves. The websites, videos, nonfiction suggestions are similarly lacking. If the author and publisher would do a better job with the research and get more information in a much-needed resource list for trans* teens and their parents, then this book would be excellent. Here's hoping the next edition has these errors corrected.

March

Lewis, John Robert. March. Top Shelf Productions, 2013.

This book describes John Lewis's involvement in the Civil Rights Movement. The art is well done, the story and historical context are interesting, and it was easy to read in e-format. I would love to have a copy of this book in my school's library, especially during Black History Month.

Recommended for: teens, tweens
Red Flags: violence
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars

The Boy on the Wooden Box

Leyson, Leon. The Boy on the Wooden Box. Atheneum BFYR, 2013.

This is the memoir of Leon Leyson, a Jewish boy who survived the Holocaust because he was on Schindler's list and was spared on several occasions.

This book reads very similarly to other Holocaust stories, but it has the added bonus of being nonfiction. I have many patrons who are interested in the Holocaust, and this book is a great addition to our collection.

Recommended for: tweens, young adults
Red Flags: concentration camps - violence, starvation, death, etc.
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

Branded by the Pink Triangle

Setterington, Ken. Branded by the Pink Triangle. Second Story Press, 2013.

This book tells the story of the persecution of gay men in Germany and throughout Europe during the Second World War, and their difficulties in receiving reparations and recognition at the conclusion of the war.

It's common knowledge that Hitler caused the deaths of millions of Jews through his "final solution" program of concentration camps, but it's easy to forget that homosexual men, Jehovah's Witnesses, persons with disabilities, the Roma, and political prisoners also received harsh treatment at the hands of the Nazis. This is a great resource for students who wish to study the second world war or who want to understand the heritage of the LGBT+ community.

Recommended for: young adults, adults,
Red Flags: since this discusses concentration camps, there are lots of mentions of death, beatings, torture, rape, starvation, etc.
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars

Read-alike: Rose Under Fire

Branded by the Pink Triangle

Setterington, Ken. Branded by the Pink Triangle. Second Story Press, 2013.

This book tells the story of the persecution of gay men in Germany and throughout Europe during the Second World War, and their difficulties in receiving reparations and recognition at the conclusion of the war.

It's common knowledge that Hitler caused the deaths of millions of Jews through his "final solution" program of concentration camps, but it's easy to forget that homosexual men, Jehovah's Witnesses, persons with disabilities, the Roma, and political prisoners also received harsh treatment at the hands of the Nazis. This is a great resource for students who wish to study the second world war or who want to understand the heritage of the LGBT+ community.

Recommended for: young adults, adults,
Red Flags: since this discusses concentration camps, there are lots of mentions of death, beatings, torture, rape, starvation, etc.
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars

Read-alike: Rose Under Fire

Enrique's Journey

Nazario, Sonia. Enrique's Journey: The True Story of a Boy Determined to Reunited with His Mother. Delacorte BFYR, 2013.

Enrique's mother left Honduras for the United States so that she could make more money and provide for her children. Years later, her son Enrique decides to follow her to the United States as well. Enrique is sent back to Honduras time and time again as he travels atop trains and in the backs of trucks on his way to the United States.

Enrique's story was a good remind of the reasons why some people emigrate to the United States, legally or otherwise. This book has been popular in my library because of the large Hispanic population in my school, and I will continue to recommend this book to my students.

Recommended for: teens, tweens, adults
Red Flags: violence, drug use, mentions of rape
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars