Better for dips than dives but rich fare for fans of the odd and uncanny.
Summary reports on more than 100 unexplained appearances, disappearances, natural phenomena, historical puzzles, and mass delusions.
Loose organization, not to mention the sheer number of entries, makes this heavy reading taken cover to cover but also guarantees there will be something to pique any sort of interest. Leading off with a warning to readers to be skeptical of claims from iffy sources like social media but then loading the unlikelier reaches of what follows with plenty of what-ifs and maybe-so’s, Adams pours out reports of sightings or close encounters with UFOs, sea monsters, rains of blood or fish, and ghosts to go with tallies of vanished or never-were places (Atlantis, Hy-Brasil, Veneta), strange artifacts from Nazca Lines to the Voynich manuscript, and more. Cryptids are covered, too—along with Mothman and the Jersey Devil, the author discusses a “Vegetable Man” (“It looked just like a human stick of celery!”) in West Virginia. Still, chucking in obvious (in retrospect) hoaxes like Piltdown man, he perceptively observes that the willingness to believe can trump objective reality (one of his more telling cases in point being the way placebo medications sometimes actually work). Imamura mixes diverse human figures into painted representations of creatures fictive or otherwise, atmospheric oddities, and archaeological or geological wonders.
Better for dips than dives but rich fare for fans of the odd and uncanny. (glossary, index) (Nonfiction. 9-12)Pub Date: July 4, 2023
ISBN: 9798887770048
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Nosy Crow
Review Posted Online: May 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
For a preteen who enjoys writing her thoughts and a mom whose relationship with her daughter is already good, this...
A “How-to-Say-It” package about preteen physical, emotional, and social concerns for mothers and their daughters.
The period between childhood and adulthood can be challenging to navigate. This boxed set includes two 48-page paperbacks, one for mom and one for her daughter, and a much longer blank journal with writing prompts for the two to share. They follow the pediatrician/author’s highly successful titles about girls’ changing bodies and feelings and a similar but preteen-directed journal some users have chosen to share with parents. Topics covered include personal concerns (hygiene, nutrition, exercise, sleep, safety, body changes, periods, beauty, clothing, eating disorders) and relations with the outside world of family, friends, the Internet, romance, and time management. Each double-page spread addresses a separate topic and includes “how to say it” prompts. There are conversation starters, talking tips, and sensible suggestions about negotiating the social-media world, including a sample family contract. Appealing cartoon illustrations show a range of girls and mother-daughter pairs who are clearly communicating. The “completely private” journal has color-coded pages to indicate mother, daughter, and joint entries, as well as similarly coded ribbons to mark pages. The pages labeled “TOP SECRET” seem to contradict the open approach.
For a preteen who enjoys writing her thoughts and a mom whose relationship with her daughter is already good, this well-meant offering might help ease the pair through a difficult time. (Nonfiction. 9-12)Pub Date: Aug. 27, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-60958-978-3
Page Count: 92
Publisher: American Girl
Review Posted Online: Aug. 30, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
An excellent addition to the “growing-up” shelf.
A medical doctor and a registered nurse answer questions about puberty collected over years of experience conducting classes for young people and their parents or trusted adults.
Questions about body changes; feelings; friendships and relationships; sex, sexuality, and gender identity; and babies reflect preteen concerns, are loosely organized by subject, and are answered honestly and informatively. The dos-à-dos format (girls’ queries on one side, boys’ on the other) has the advantage of allowing readers to concentrate on their own issues but also to explore the ways others think. The authors have specialized in adolescent health care for over 30 years; their understanding of and sympathy with the age group are evident. Often the answers include gentle reminders that families and cultures differ; the young readers should also be consulting parents or trusted adults—there are even helpful suggestions for how and when to approach sensitive subjects. This revision of a 2012 title includes many of the original questions and sensible answers but has been expanded to reflect today’s changing attitudes and understandings about gender fluidity. Young people with a range of hairstyles and skin tones are shown engaged in various activities—alone, with one another, and with adults. The design, helpful diagrams, and occasional appealing illustrations have not changed significantly, but the new information will make this a sensible purchase even for those who own the first edition.
An excellent addition to the “growing-up” shelf. (Nonfiction. 9-12)Pub Date: Aug. 21, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-63217-179-5
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Little Bigfoot/Sasquatch
Review Posted Online: May 22, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2018
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