Category Archives: Biography

Review: Marked Man by John Florio and Ouisie Shapiro

Biography, Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Nonfiction, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,
Marked Man by John Florio and Ouisie Shapiro

Marked Man
John Florio and Ouisie Shapiro
Roaring Brook Press
Published March 19, 2024

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About Marked Man

1971. Brooklyn, New York. Undercover cop Frank Serpico is knocking on a drug dealer’s door. His partners are there to back him up, but when the door opens, he’s staring down the barrel of a gun―and his partners are nowhere to be found.

For more than a century, the New York Police Department had been plagued by corruption, with cops openly taking bribes from gamblers and drug dealers. Not Serpico. He refused to take dirty money and fought to shed light on the dark underbelly of the NYPD. But instead of being hailed as a hero, he became a target for every crooked cop on the force.

In Marked Man, John Florio and Ouisie Shapiro bring this true story of police corruption to life. Join Frank Serpico on his one-man crusade to clean up the largest police force in the United States. And discover the price he had to pay for being an honest cop.

My Review

Wow. This is not the kind of book I would normally pick up off the shelf at a bookstore or library, but I am really glad I read it. The structure of the book is a little unusual in that it’s eight chapters written like a biography—third-person point of view, recounting events chronologically. The chapters are broken down into shorter sections with breaks between them. Between the chapters, Serpico speaks to us directly in short notes in which he discusses how he felt at a particular moment or what he expected would happen next. I loved the way this pulled me into his life story and made me feel connected to him.

The short sections within each chapter make this a pretty quick read, too. I think I read it in a little over two hours or so. I also read it all in one day because I couldn’t stop thinking about it every time I closed the book.

I’m so glad we have brave officers like Frank Serpico who have had the courage to stand up for what’s right, even when it would have been so much easier to look the other way. Reading this book makes me only more convinced that we need outside accountability for police departments everywhere so that if there are issues, they can be fairly addressed.

I think readers who enjoy fast-paced nonfiction, biographies, or true crime stories will enjoy this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Frank Serpico is an Italian American who was a police officer.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used pretty infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
References to prostitution.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Frank overhears or directly hears racist comments against Italians and Black people. Someone shoots a man in the face.

Drug Content
References to drug trafficking.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.

Review: Always Matt: A Tribute to Matthew Shepard by Lesléa Newman and Brian Britigan

Biography, Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Nonfiction, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , ,

Always Matt: A Tribute to Matthew Shepard
Lesléa Newman
Illustrated by Brian Britigan
Abrams ComicArts
Published September 26, 2023

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About Always Matt: A Tribute to Matthew Shepard

A poignant tribute to the life of Matthew Shepard and his legacy in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights, published on the 25th anniversary of the formation of the Matthew Shepard Foundation.

On the night of October 6, 1998, in Laramie, Wyoming, Matthew Wayne Shepard (1976–1998) was brutally killed solely because he was gay. It was a shocking murder that was nationally covered in the media, and it became a rallying cry for the LGBTQ+ rights movement. In 2009, the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act was signed by President Barack Obama, expanding the federal hate crime law to include crimes motivated by a victim’s actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.

With a foreword by Jason Collins—the first openly gay, active player in the NBA—and written by Lesléa Newman—author of the Stonewall Honor–winning novel-in-verse October A Song for Matthew Shepard, and a friend of the Shepard family—Always Matt is an emotional yet ultimately hopeful look at the progress that’s been made, as well as the work that still continues, in advocating for the dignity and equality of all people. Without shying away from the pain and tragedy of his death, moving, lyrical prose and minimalist line drawings present a celebration of his incredible life.

Twenty-five years after the formation of the Matthew Shepard Foundation, which dedicates its mission to erasing hate, Matthew’s story still resonates for those who lived through it, and remains a vital piece of LGBTQ+ history for younger generations to learn.

My Review

I don’t have any strong memories from when these events happened, but I know I’d heard about Matthew Shepard before reading this book. Despite not having a personal connection to the tragedy, I found reading this book so deeply moving. Each page drew me into thinking about what Matthew Shepard’s life was like. His childhood. Adolescence. Early adulthood.

When I got to the page that references his death, I felt gut-punched. I felt gut-punched again reading about the hateful protests at the courthouse and the funeral service. Is there anything as destructive as hate? Awful. I loved that people dressed up as angels with giant wings that they used to shield people from those messages of hate and fear.

What’s truly beautiful, though, is the way that Matt’s family and community have rallied together to share a message of peace and kindness. It’s courageous.

This is a brave book. It’s unflinching in its truth-telling, but it centers around celebrating a boy’s life, his dreams, and hopes for the future. In the foreword, Jason Collins shares how Matthew Shepard’s death impacted him personally. The author and illustrator also share their personal connections. There were a few other brief stories about people who’ve been impacted. All were so heartfelt.

This is an incredible tribute to a young man whose life has, without doubt, changed the world. I am honestly in awe, and I’m so grateful that the author reached out and asked me to review this book.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Includes a foreward by Jason Collins, the first openly gay active NBA player. The story focuses on the life of Matthew Shepard, a young gay man.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
The family received comfort in Matt’s ashes being interred at an Episcopal church with a ceremony led by the first openly gay bishop in the church.

Violent Content
One illustration shows Matthew Shepard lying on the ground after being attacked. It isn’t graphic, but I did find the image shocking because it really brings home what happened. The text talks about the murder briefly but spends much more time talking about the impact this senseless death had on the community and world.

There are brief references to homophobic protests held at Matthew Shepard’s funeral and outside the hospital.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of ALWAYS MATT in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.

Matthew Shepard Foundation

The Matthew Shepard Foundation is an organization that works to promote dignity and equality among all people through sharing Matt’s story and his passion for creating a kinder world. You can learn more about the foundation on their website.

Review: Spare Parts (Young Readers’ Edition) by Joshua Davis and Reyna Grande

Biography, Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Nonfiction, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,

Spare Parts: The True Story of Four Undocumented Teenagers, One Ugly Robot, and an Impossible Dream (Young Readers’ Edition)
Joshua Davis and Reyna Grande
Farrar, Straus, & Giroux
Published May 30, 2023

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About Spare Parts

A riveting true story about dreams, dedication, and an amazing robot named Stinky, based on Joshua Davis’ New York Times bestseller and now adapted for young readers by bestselling Mexican American author Reyna Grande.

In 2004, four undocumented Mexican teenagers arrived at the national underwater robotics championship at the University of California, Santa Barbara. No one had ever told Oscar, Cristian, Luis, or Lorenzo that they would amount to much―until two inspiring high school science teachers convinced the boys to enter the competition. Up against some of the best collegiate engineers in the country, this team of underdogs from Phoenix, Arizona, scraped together spare parts and a few small donations to astound not only the competition’s judges but themselves, too.

Adapted by Reyna Grande―author of the acclaimed memoir The Distance Between Us about her experience as an undocumented child immigrant―this young readers’ edition of Joshua Davis’s New York Times bestseller showcases these students’ ingenuity and courage in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. Timely and empowering, Spare Parts is an accessible introduction to STEM, immigration, and the reality of the American Dream.

My Review

I really enjoyed this book. It’s broken down into short sections about each boy’s life, telling of their early childhood in Mexico, what circumstances brought them and their families to the United States, and what the transition to school in the US was like for them. In each boy’s chapters, we learn about their family life and how robotics inspired them in different ways.

For example, Lorenzo grew up watching his godfather fix cars with few tools and lots of ingenuity. The experience taught him to think outside the box and find solutions that work rather than reaching for expensive, flashy materials. Meanwhile, Cristian developed a love for home improvement shows, which taught him how to build things and use different types of tools. Oscar excelled in JROTC, where he learned how to be a great leader and get things done.

The pacing of the book was excellent as well. I felt like the narrative spent just enough time on different parts of the story. Each scene was a puzzle piece, set in place and adding to the picture, taking shape as I read. The short sections and clear writing made this one a really fast read.

I wish there had been some pictures of the team and the robot included in the book. I’m reading a pre-release version, so it’s possible there are in the book available for purchase. I’m not sure, but I hope so.

All in all, I think SPARE PARTS (Young Readers Edition) is an inspiring story, perfect for readers interested in STEM or anyone looking for a heartwarming story about an underdog team rising to victory.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 to 14.

Representation
All four boys are from Mexican families. Three boys and their families are undocumented and living in the US. One, Luis, was eventually able to get a green card.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used very infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
One boy prays to the Virgin Mary before the competition.

Violent Content
One boy gets into fights as a result of kids picking on him. All of them experience bullying at one time.

Drug Content
One boy’s father drinks alcohol often, leading him to avoid being home as much as possible.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of SPARE PARTS in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Irin Carmon and Shana Knizhnik

Biography, Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Nonfiction, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , ,

Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Irin Carmon and Shana Knizhnik
Dey Street Books
Published October 27, 2015

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About Notorious RBG

You can’t spell truth without Ruth.
Only Ruth Bader Ginsburg can judge me.
The Ruth will set you free.

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg never asked for fame—she was just trying to make the world a little better and a little freer. But along the way, the feminist pioneer’s searing dissents and steely strength have inspired millions. NOTORIOUS RBG: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF RUTH BADER GINSBERG, created by the young lawyer who began the internet sensation and an award-winning journalist, takes you behind the myth for an intimate, irreverent look at the justice’s life and work. As America struggles with the unfinished business of gender equality and civil rights, Ginsburg stays fierce. And if you don’t know, now you know.

My Review

I’ve been looking for a biography about Ruth Bader Ginsburg for a while, and I’m super excited to have found this one. It’s upbeat, filled with facts and personal stories from Ginsburg’s life. I really enjoyed reading about her career as a lawyer and law professor as well as her relationship with her husband Marty, who not only believed in her and celebrated her successes with her but also seemed like a really fun and wonderful person, too.

I thought it was cool to learn that Justice Ginsburg had such a close relationship with Justice Scalia even though they had vastly different views. Her work ethic is legendary, but the compliments from her clerks and the people she worked with say so much about the kind of person she was.

It’s worth pointing out that the book was written before Justice Ginsburg passed away, so some of the wording is still in present tense. I don’t know if there are plans to release an updated version of the book, but I would love to see that and would definitely buy it!

All in all, I loved THE NOTORIOUS RBG. It only reinforced my admiration of Justice Ginsburg for her careful way with words and her unwavering commitment to human rights.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Ruth Bader Ginsburg is Jewish.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Mentions of her marriage to Marty Ginsburg.

Spiritual Content
Mentions of Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Jewish faith and the fact that when she was a child, she would not have had the option to celebrate her Bat Mitzvah with a big ceremony, though boys had ceremonies for their Bar Mitzvah celebrations.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog.

Review: Her Story, Her Strength by Sarah Parker Rubio

Biography, Book Review and Content, Christian World-View, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , ,

Her Story, Her Strength
Sarah Parker Rubio
Zonderkidz
Published March 7, 2023

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About Her Story, Her Strength

Girls are beautifully and wonderfully made in God’s image. This comprehensive collection of stories focused on 50 women of the Bible shows how God worked in their lives and continues to have a plan and a purpose for his beloved daughters today.

In a world that too often tells girls that they are not enough, HER STORY, HER STRENGTH uses biblical retellings and reflections that include the historical context behind each story to remind young women that they have a God who loves them deeply and empowers them to live and love like he does. For any girl ages 8 and up who is asking questions about her worth, identity, and place in the world and church, this colorful and engaging book provides a positive, loving, and scriptural lens that helps them interpret the messages they receive from their peers, media, and society.

Girls who read HER STORY, HER STRENGTH will:

  • come to a profound, unshakable understanding of God’s love for them and their value in his eyes.
  • see how they reflect God’s image both innately and through the actions, words, and attitudes they choose each day.
  • learn about biblical characters and events in a way designed specifically for them.

My Review

I have some feelings about this book. Let me start by saying that I love the idea of a book filled with the biographies of women from the Bible. I think that’s a really cool idea. Celebrating the lives of women mentioned in the Bible and talking about God valuing women sound like great goals for a book for young readers.

I also love that there’s a cartoon illustration of each of the women or characters profiled in the book. Those show brown-skinned women, and the author comments on this in her biography of Mary. The author points out that artists often depict Mary, Jesus’ mother, with fair skin and blue eyes when she would have looked like someone from the Middle East. I love that the author commented on this.

Was including 50 women’s stories too ambitious?

The book profiles 50 women (including four stories from writings in which a woman is depicted as part of the story rather than being a person who was born and lived). 50 is a pretty ambitious number.

The book includes all the stories I was familiar with as women heroes of the Bible: Deborah, Ruth, Esther, Elizabeth, Mary, etc. And it included some stories that I didn’t remember. One that stood out to me were Shallum’s daughters, who helped him rebuild his section of the wall that would protect the city of Jerusalem even though that was considered the duty of a father and his sons.

The book also included some choices that I thought were odd, like Wisdom, the Woman of Virtue, and the Bride from Song of Songs. Those are not actual women, but are virtues personified as women.

I found myself wishing that instead of 50 stories, the author had chosen a smaller number of stories and focused specifically on the “positive, loving” ways it shows their value in God’s eyes.

Instead, the book feels muddied by the inclusion of stories in which the author has filled in assumptions about the woman’s character or motives that aren’t included in the Bible. There are also stories in which women are treated in harmful, immoral ways and the author doesn’t comment on how God views this treatment.

Assumptions and Lack of Comment on Immoral Treatment of Women

HER STORY, HER STRENGTH also tells the story of Naaman’s servant, a young woman who the book identifies as having been carried off into captivity as one of the “spoils of war”. The general who captured her falls ill, and she suggests he visit a prophet to ask for healing. The virtue identified in the story is her great forgiveness for the captors who enslaved her. That’s quite a lesson to pull from this story. Also, the Bible is not clear about her motivation. It felt like a big leap to assume she spoke up because she forgave her captors and then frame a whole lesson around that idea.

Several stories mention the practice in those days where a woman would “give” her servant over to her husband to impregnate her. If the servant had a child this way, the child belonged to the people who enslaved her. That’s stated pretty matter-of-factly and without any judgment passed on the inhumanity and immorality of that practice. Seems a weird choice for a book with a goal of teaching women their value in God’s eyes.

Conclusion for My Review of Her Story, Her Strength

I really enjoyed some of the stories in the book, especially the stories of Deborah and Rahab in addition to Shallum’s daughters, which I mentioned above.

Telling fewer stories would’ve allowed the author to emphasize stories that best teach spiritual lessons on women’s value. Some of the problematic stories could be left for discussion with an older audience, where it would be easier/more appropriate to address those issues. I would have liked to see more in-depth stories of women like Esther and Miriam, too. I’d love to see something for kids that went into more depth on biographies like those.

Content Notes for Her Story, Her Strength

Mentions of murder, torture, and sexual assault.

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Most of the women profiled in the book are Middle Eastern, and the cartoon illustrations show brown-skinned women. Many of the women represented in the book are also Jewish.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Vague references to sex. This isn’t identified as rape in the book, but it is. Many characters become pregnant in their stories. The book identifies Rahab as a prostitute.

See violent content for note on sexual assault.

Spiritual Content
These are stories from the Bible. A section called “Her God” encourages readers to reflect on spiritual principles and ideas raised through the narrative biography.

Violent Content
In the story of Jael, she murders a general with a tent stake and hammer. The story doesn’t overtly describe this, but we see her contemplate killing him. She picks up those weapons before the narrative jumps to after the man’s death.

There are also several stories which reference a woman “giving” her servant to her husband with the intention that he will have sex with her (the servant has no say in this arrangement) and hopefully get her pregnant. Nowhere does the book challenge this practice as immoral, cruel, or evil, not to mention that it’s rape.

One story describes a group of women who watched as Jesus was tortured and executed via being crucified.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of HER STORY, HER STRENGTH in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Rebel Girls Rock: 25 Tales of Women in Music

Biography, Book Review and Content, Middle Grade 8-12, Nonfiction, , , , ,

Rebel Girls Rock: 25 Tales of Women in Music
Rebel Girls
Published March 7, 2023

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About Rebel Girls Rock: 25 Tales of Women in Music

TRUE STORIES OF WOMEN WHO RAISE THE ROOF!

This collection features 25 stories of extraordinary women in music–women who have moved hearts and minds with their lyrics, uplifted other musicians, and gotten people to jump, dance, and sing along with their music.

Belt out pop anthems with Lizzo, bang on the drums with Nandi Bushell, and write country hits with Dolly Parton. The women in this book come from all around the world. They play different instruments, experiment with new sounds, and stand out in their genres. But one thing is true of them all: They rock!

With a foreword by iconic rocker Joan Jett and activities curated by Gibson Guitars, this book will have readers everywhere jamming out! Plus, scannable codes let you listen to more stories on the Rebel Girls app.

My Review

I’ve come across a lot of books by Rebel Girls, but this is the first time I’ve had the opportunity to read one, and I felt really excited about that. I love that they publish so many collections of biographies about women and the ways they’ve impacted the world. That’s such a great thing to celebrate.

So, REBEL GIRLS ROCK contains 25 one-page biographies of women in the music industry. I loved seeing familiar names on their list, like Ella Fitzgerald, Dolly Parton, and Lizzo. I also loved learning about women in the music industry who were new to me. Though most of the women in the book are musicians, there are producers and DJs as well.

Rebel Girls has an app that can supplement the stories in the book, too, which is a cool idea. I didn’t know anything about the company that makes the Rebel Girls books until I looked them up as I was writing this review. The Los Angeles Business Review has an article that does a really good job covering the Rebel Girls founders and company goals.

The reading age for this book is a little younger than I expected, but I think it’s very well targeted for readers in middle elementary school. The biographies are told in story form and just long enough to hit some high notes. A perfect step up for readers who loved the She Persisted book series.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 10.

Representation
Features biographies of woman of many different racial and ethnic backgrounds. One featured musician is a transgender woman. Another is deaf.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of REBEL GIRLS ROCK in exchange for my honest review.