An easy, upbeat breakdown of the complexities of personal finance for young people.
Lewis presents a guide to helping other teens learn about money.
As the author, a high school student, states at the outset of his book, in the United States, at the time of publication, only 23 out of 50 states require financial literacy for high school students, and the numbers are similar or worse in other parts of the world. “So doesn’t it seem weird that teens are required and encouraged to learn about Physics and French II but not their personal finances?” he asks. “And that’s sad because a class on earning, investing, and spending money might be exciting for teens.” With help from his parents, Lewis, an enthusiastic straight-A student, lays out just such a class in these pages, touching on everything from inflation to compound interest to the intricacies of investing (can you afford to buy even one share of Apple? Can you afford part of one share?). To help structure these discussions, he elaborates on nine rules teens can follow to increase their financial savvy, such as, “Don’t Just ‘Save’ or ‘Hide’ Your Money; Start Making Your Money Work for You” and “Establish Clear Money Goals.” The book is attractively designed, with plenty of breaks, illustrations, and inviting sections where readers can fill out checklists and answer prompts. The result is a winningly good-natured and nonintimidating primer on basic financial understanding that will be every bit as helpful to a great many adults as it will be to the author’s fellow teens. When Lewis writes, “You now have everything you need to get started. I’m confident you’ll get whatever you’re seeking,” readers will feel the sentiment is completely genuine.
An easy, upbeat breakdown of the complexities of personal finance for young people.Pub Date: May 18, 2023
ISBN: 9798395147608
Page Count: 184
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: June 22, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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
A fierce, penetrating, and empowering call for change.
Artist and activist Vaid-Menon demonstrates how the normativity of the gender binary represses creativity and inflicts physical and emotional violence.
The author, whose parents emigrated from India, writes about how enforcement of the gender binary begins before birth and affects people in all stages of life, with people of color being especially vulnerable due to Western conceptions of gender as binary. Gender assignments create a narrative for how a person should behave, what they are allowed to like or wear, and how they express themself. Punishment of nonconformity leads to an inseparable link between gender and shame. Vaid-Menon challenges familiar arguments against gender nonconformity, breaking them down into four categories—dismissal, inconvenience, biology, and the slippery slope (fear of the consequences of acceptance). Headers in bold font create an accessible navigation experience from one analysis to the next. The prose maintains a conversational tone that feels as intimate and vulnerable as talking with a best friend. At the same time, the author's turns of phrase in moments of deep insight ring with precision and poetry. In one reflection, they write, “the most lethal part of the human body is not the fist; it is the eye. What people see and how people see it has everything to do with power.” While this short essay speaks honestly of pain and injustice, it concludes with encouragement and an invitation into a future that celebrates transformation.
A fierce, penetrating, and empowering call for change. (writing prompt) (Nonfiction. 14-adult)Pub Date: June 2, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-09465-5
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: March 14, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2020
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