Memorably elucidates real experiences in graphic detail through empathetic text and visuals.
Ten years after arriving in America, a man tells the author, his cousin, the story of his perilous journey out of El Salvador.
Overworked, struggling to make ends meet, and unable to see a future for her son in El Salvador, in 2006, Carlos’ mother made the desperate decision to use coyotes to help her reach America. Fearing what might happen to her on the way, teenage Carlos decided to go, too. Despite their fears and grief over leaving loved ones behind, mother and son embarked on the long, dangerous trek. The narrative alternates between Carlos’ vivid and sometimes harrowing recollections and serene images of him narrating his experiences to Saade. The story offers remarkable insights into Carlos’ inner life and gives him agency over how his story is told; Saade is enthralled, even though Carlos comments, “Nobody would want to read about this. It’s just another story…” Powerful vignettes weave the epic odyssey of one family’s migration while highlighting the risks and sacrifices undertaken daily by migrants searching for the American dream. The striking illustrations deftly convey complex emotions and poignant symbolism. The skillful use of color highlights important moments and distinguishes past and present; defying typical genre conventions, the past is rendered in a vibrant spectrum of colors, while the present-day conversations with Saade use a minimal and muted palette, underscoring how Carlos’ memories haven’t faded with time.
Memorably elucidates real experiences in graphic detail through empathetic text and visuals. (family tree) (Graphic nonfiction. 13-18)Pub Date: April 2, 2024
ISBN: 9798765623367
Page Count: 216
Publisher: Graphic Universe
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
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
Though not the most balanced, an enlightening look back for the queer future.
An adaptation for teens of the adult title A Queer History of the United States (2011).
Divided into thematic sections, the text filters LGBTQIA+ history through key figures in each era from the 1500s to the present. Alongside watershed moments like the 1969 Stonewall uprising and the HIV/AIDS crisis of the 1980s and 1990s, the text brings to light less well-known people, places, and events: the 1625 free love colony of Merrymount, transgender Civil War hero Albert D.J. Cashier, and the 1951 founding of the Mattachine Society, to name a few. Throughout, the author and adapter take care to use accurate pronouns and avoid imposing contemporary terminology onto historical figures. In some cases, they quote primary sources to speculate about same-sex relationships while also reminding readers of past cultural differences in expressing strong affection between friends. Black-and-white illustrations or photos augment each chapter. Though it lacks the teen appeal and personable, conversational style of Sarah Prager’s Queer, There, and Everywhere (2017), this textbook-level survey contains a surprising amount of depth. However, the mention of transgender movements and activism—in particular, contemporary issues—runs on the slim side. Whereas chapters are devoted to over 30 ethnically diverse gay, lesbian, bisexual, or queer figures, some trans pioneers such as Christine Jorgensen and Holly Woodlawn are reduced to short sidebars.
Though not the most balanced, an enlightening look back for the queer future. (glossary, photo credits, bibliography, index) (Nonfiction. 14-18)Pub Date: June 11, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-8070-5612-7
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Beacon Press
Review Posted Online: March 12, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
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