Category Archives: Nonfiction

Review: Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh

Book Review and Content, Memoir, Nonfiction, , , , ,
Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh

Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem and Other Things That Happened
Allie Brosh
Gallery Books
Published October 29, 2013

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About Hyperbole and a Half

From Goodreads: This is a book I wrote. Because I wrote it, I had to figure out what to put on the back cover to explain what it is. I tried to write a long, third-person summary that would imply how great the book is and also sound vaguely authoritative–like maybe someone who isn’t me wrote it–but I soon discovered that I’m not sneaky enough to pull it off convincingly. So I decided to just make a list of things that are in the book:

Pictures
Words
Stories about things that happened to me
Stories about things that happened to other people because of me
Eight billion dollars*
Stories about dogs
The secret to eternal happiness*

*These are lies. Perhaps I have underestimated my sneakiness!

My Review

This is another one of those books that I read because I needed to read it. I laughed so hard I woke my husband up. I laughed until I cackled and had tears streaming down my face. I laughed like I didn’t even know I needed to laugh until I was laughing.

The pictures are fabulous. The drawings are packed with emotion and humor. The stories are both hilarious and also such a frank exploration of what makes us human. It’s also possibly one of the best descriptions of depression that I’ve read.

It’s silly and self-deprecating and sometimes totally irreverent, but I found it to be exactly the kind of humor I needed to get me through a tough week.

If you liked FURIOUSLY HAPPY by Jenny Lawson, definitely check out HYPERBOLE AND A HALF.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Main character is white.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used pretty frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
There is a violent goose.

Drug Content
None.

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

Review: #MeToo and You by Halley Bondy

Book Review and Content, Nonfiction, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , ,

#MeToo and You: Everything You Need to Know About Consent, Boundaries, and More
Halley Bondy
Zest Books
Published February 2, 2021

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About #MeToo and You

The #MeToo movement has changed the way many people view the world, but how well do tweens understand it? Middle-grade readers are ready to learn about consent, harassment, and abuse, as well as healthy boundaries in all their relationships.

#MeToo and You includes essential terminology, from consent to assault, from just plain yes to just plain no. Author Halley Bondy explores the nuances of emotions, comfort, and discomfort in sexually charged and emotionally abusive situations. Detailed scenarios, both real and hypothetical, provide valuable examples of what’s acceptable and what is not, along with tools to help everyone treat others appropriately and to stand up for themselves and their peers.

My Review

One of the things I really liked about #MeToo and You is how practical it is. The first chapter focuses on some simple ways to tell if a relationship you’re in is safe and healthy or if it’s toxic and potentially abusive. That checklist can be used to evaluate any relationship, and it’s very easy to understand.

Throughout the book, the author will introduce a concept, such as a way to be a good ally, and then a story follows which illustrates the concept. Bondy also includes a breakdown of each story, discussing what the people involved did well or what things that happened were wrong.

I appreciated the section that talked about reporting and what someone’s rights are as well as what the reporting process can look like. While the author doesn’t sugarcoat any of it, and while the process still felt a bit overwhelming, I think it’s helpful information to have. Understanding the overview of the reporting process might help people feel more prepared to come forward to report abuse.

In every chapter, Bondy writes with sensitivity and though she’s frank, she also tries to be encouraging and to point readers to healthy, trustworthy resources. #MeToo and You includes a list of call centers and websites for help and support.

While this book won’t be for everyone as it includes some graphic content, I think it makes a good resource for people who’ve experienced abuse or assault or are in dangerous relationships and are trying to work out what to do next. #MeToo and You also makes a great resource for anyone looking to become a better ally and wants information about how to help someone in their life who has experienced or is currently experiencing abuse.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages Readers ages 12 up could easily read the first chapter, which describes how to tell when a relationship is healthy vs. toxic or dangerous. Readers 14 up could read the whole book. (See the rest of the content section.)

Representation
The author writes to include all gender identities and sexual orientations.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content – Trigger Warning for Descriptions of Sexual Assault/Abuse
Each chapter heading has a section with any trigger warnings in it. The author encourages readers to read only the chapters they feel comfortable with. Chapters 2-6 contain some stories about people who’ve experienced sexual assault or abuse. A few of the stories give some brief graphic information. At the end of each story, the author breaks down what happened in terms of the outcome and what parts were toxic/wrong and what to do.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
See section on romance/sexual content.

Drug Content
One victim’s story involves a young girl who drinks a beer given to her by an older boy. The drink was also drugged.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support running this blog. I received a free copy of REA AND THE BLOOD OF THE NECTAR in exchange for my honest review.

Review: She Came to Slay by Erica Armstrong Dunbar

Biography, Book Review and Content, Nonfiction, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , ,

She Came to Slay: The Life and Times of Harriet Tubman
Erica Armstrong Dunbar
37 Ink
Published November 5, 2019

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About She Came to Slay

Harriet Tubman is best known as one of the most famous conductors on the Underground Railroad. As a leading abolitionist, her bravery and selflessness has inspired generations in the continuing struggle for civil rights. Now, National Book Award nominee Erica Armstrong Dunbar presents a fresh take on this American icon blending traditional biography, illustrations, photos, and engaging sidebars that illuminate the life of Tubman as never before.

Not only did Tubman help liberate hundreds of slaves, she was the first woman to lead an armed expedition during the Civil War, worked as a spy for the Union Army, was a fierce suffragist, and was an advocate for the aged. She Came to Slay reveals the many complexities and varied accomplishments of one of our nation’s true heroes and offers an accessible and modern interpretation of Tubman’s life that is both informative and engaging.

Filled with rare outtakes of commentary, an expansive timeline of Tubman’s life, photos (both new and those in public domain), commissioned illustrations, and sections including “Harriet By the Numbers” (number of times she went back down south, approximately how many people she rescued, the bounty on her head) and “Harriet’s Homies” (those who supported her over the years), She Came to Slay is a stunning and powerful mix of pop culture and scholarship and proves that Harriet Tubman is well deserving of her permanent place in our nation’s history.

In the bestselling tradition of The Notorious RBG comes a lively, informative, and illustrated tribute to one of the most exceptional women in American history—Harriet Tubman—a heroine whose fearlessness and activism still resonates today.

My Review

After I got my first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine (in April), I stopped at the bookstore to browse. One of the books I picked up was this one. I’d been thinking about the movie Harriet and how surprised I was to learn that she’d led a military expedition during the Civil War and worked as a Union spy. It really struck me that we should have learned that stuff in our history class in school. And it made me want to learn more about Harriet Tubman’s life.

So while I was browsing through the bookstore, I noticed this book, and decided to buy it. I was looking at it at home and decided to skim the first few pages just to see what the writing was like.

It only took a line or two and I was completely hooked. The writing is really conversational, so it feels like really easy reading. I don’t think it’s specifically marketed for young readers, but looking at the graphics and writing style, I think it’s perfect for middle and high school students.

SHE CAME TO SLAY has a great balance between the conversational writing and really informative content. I felt like I learned so much about Harriet Tubman’s life and what she experienced. I think it helped give me more perspective on the Civil War as well.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 up.

Representation
The book focuses on Harriet Tubman’s life and family.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Harriet is married twice.

Spiritual Content
Harriet is a devout Christian and believes that she has visions sent to her by God.

Violent Content
Brief descriptions of torture and war injuries. Brief reference to the fact that women were raped as slaves.

Drug Content
Mothers fleeing with Harriet give their babies a drug that makes them sleepy and suppresses their appetite.

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

Review: Pride: The Celebration and the Struggle by Robin Stevenson

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Pride: The Celebration and the Struggle
Robin Stevenson
Orca Book Publishers
Published March 24, 2020

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About Pride: The Celebration and the Struggle

Like the original version, this new edition of Pride: The Celebration and the Struggle celebrates the LGBTQ+ community’s diversity and the incredible victories of the past 50 years–but it also has a larger focus on activism, the need to keep fighting for equality and freedom around the world and the important role that young people are playing.

The new edition has been updated and expanded to include many new Proud Moments and Queer Facts as well as a profile of LGBTQ+ refugees from Indonesia, a story about a Pride celebration in a refugee camp in Kenya and profiles of young activists, including teens from a Gender and Sexuality Alliance organizing Pride in Inuvik and a trans girl from Vancouver fighting for inclusion and support in schools. There is also a section on being an ally, a profile of a family with two gay dads (one of them trans) and much, much more!

Praise for the first edition, Pride: Celebrating Diversity & Community

“LGBTQ culture and rights are covered through the prism of Pride in this timely work…This attractive work will be welcomed by readers searching for guidance and hope.”–Kirkus Reviews

“Informative…Positively festive in its attitudes and outlook, this book more than lives up to the word celebrating in its subtitle.”–Booklist

“Upbeat and matter-of-fact…These stories, sad and happy, are where vulnerable preteen kids may see themselves.”–Quill & Quire

“An excellent and necessary addition for all collections.”–School Library Journal

My Review

I haven’t read any other books about the history of Pride, so I don’t have anything to compare this one to, but I really enjoyed reading the book. I love that it’s a book for kids, and I think it’s written in a really accessible, engaging way.

The opening of the book focuses on the history of Pride celebrations and protests, and I felt like it gave tribute to a lot of specific people who made big differences in the movement. The margins contain powerful and inspiring quotes. Sometimes a bar at the bottom of the page would show “Queer Facts” or important definitions.

One of the chapters that really sticks with me is the one about how Pride is celebrated around the world. Not only does the book teach about places where positive steps are being made for freedom and equality, but it also highlights places where Pride has been outlawed, or where identifying as LGBTQIA+ is dangerous or illegal.

I feel like I learned so much reading this book. It made me want to find the nearest Pride parade and join. It made me want to learn even more about the history of gay rights. Reading this book, I felt more connected to what’s happening right now not just in the US where I live but across the world. This is one of those books I want everyone to read. Not just those identifying as queer and allies, but everyone.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
The book focuses on some members of the LGBTQIA+ community and their contributions to Pride protests and celebrations.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
No explicit sexual content.

Spiritual Content
Some pages talk about LGBTQIA+ people of different faiths, mainly Christians, Muslims, and Jews.

Violent Content
References to police brutality or violence against members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Drug Content
None.

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

Review: Undecided by Genevieve Morgan

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Undecided (2nd Edition)
Genevieve Morgan
Zest Books
Published October 6, 2020

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About Undecided

For high school students all over the country, figuring out what to do after graduation is a major question. For many, the logical answer is continuing their education, whether in a training program, a community college, or a four-year university. But no matter what the path, the preparation can be overwhelming, and it’s hard to know where to start.

That’s where “Undecided” comes in! This comprehensive handbook outlines the different options available to teens after high school and provides suggestions on how to follow each path efficiently and successfully. It covers everything from SAT preparation and personal statements to trade school pros and cons and advice on how to prepare for life in the military.

Full of checklists, anecdotes, brainstorming activities, and journal exercises, UNDECIDED leaves no stone unturned and no option unconsidered. So settle in, keep an open mind, and find the future that really works for you!

My Review

I’m so impressed with this book. I want to go back through it and highlight so much stuff. I really wish I’d had a book like this as a high school student.

Though a large chunk of the book focuses on college– including how to figure out which schools are right for you, how to apply, and how to pay for it– there is a LOT more that’s covered here. There’s a lot of information on trade programs, joining the military, internships, and travel opportunities. I learned about programs I had no idea existed. I read about volunteer opportunities that sounded incredibly life-changing.

UNDECIDED is an incredible resource not only for students looking at going to college, but anyone who’s not sure college is right for them, but isn’t sure what all the other options even are.

I also love how practical the advice and information is. There are some personality tests aimed at helping you consider the type of personality you have and how your needs fit with different types of careers. The author gives some great information on how student debt works and things to consider before taking out a loan.

This is a must-have for any school library or guidance office or any family with kids reaching the high school level, especially if they’re not sure what they want to do. I wholeheartedly recommend this book.

Genevieve Morgan’s TedTalk on Undecided

I noticed in her author biography, that Genevieve Morgan gave a TedTalk on her book, Undecided. If you’re on the fence about whether the book would be helpful for you, check out the TedTalk and see what you think.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
The book contains profiles with information about a diverse group of Americans.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used very infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
The author cautions readers that certain careers, like the military, do random drug testing, so basically don’t join if you’re using recreational drugs.

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

Review: Boy from Buchenwald by Robbie Waisman

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Boy From Buchenwald
Robbie Waisman
with Susan McClelland
Bloomsbury Children’s Books
Published May 11, 2021

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Boy from Buchenwald

It was 1945 and Romek Wajsman had just been liberated from Buchenwald, a brutal concentration camp where more than 60,000 people were killed. He was starving, tortured, and had no idea where his family was-let alone if they were alive. Along with 472 other boys, including Elie Wiesel, these teens were dubbed “The Buchenwald Boys.” They were angry at the world for their abuse, and turned to violence: stealing, fighting, and struggling for power. Everything changed for Romek and the other boys when Albert Einstein and Rabbi Herschel Schacter brought them to a home for rehabilitation.

Romek Wajsman, now Robbie Waisman, humanitarian and Canadian governor general award recipient, shares his remarkable story of transforming pain into resiliency and overcoming incredible loss to find incredible joy.

My Review

I feel like I’ve been sitting at my keyboard awhile struggling for the right words to review this book. It’s definitely one that left me speechless, in a good way. I’ve read NIGHT by Elie Wiesel, and a couple other accounts of surviving Nazi concentration camps, but it never gets easier to read about it. The horror and shock of it strikes me fresh every time, and it should.

I feel like this book does a really great job balancing the reality of what happened with an understanding of its audience as young readers. The authors give a frank account but seem to know when to zoom in or zoom out on the scene being described. There’s a gentleness to the way the story is told. Like it’s not only being told my someone who’s survived, but someone who understands and connects with other kids. I’m not doing a great job explaining this. I guess maybe what I’m trying to say is that it doesn’t surprise me at all that Waisman speaks to schools. It seems like he has a gift for it.

A lot of the story focuses on Romek’s recovery from imprisonment in Buchenwald. At first he has very few memories of his life before with his family, or of happiness. At the beginning of each (or most) chapters, he flashes back to a memory, sometimes difficult ones. As he has time to grieve and to heal, those flashbacks show his memories gradually returning. And the progression of them shows its own journey through trauma and anger and loss and until finally he’s able to remember happy moments from his childhood.

Conclusion

BOY FROM BUCHENWALD is an inspiring story about grief and healing. It’s about the way that we need each other. It’s about the worst ways in which we hurt one another and the best ways we help one another heal. I loved it, and I think it’d make a great addition to a classroom library or Holocaust study.

Content Notes for The Boy from Buchenwald

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Most major characters are Jewish and Holocaust survivors.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Two instances of mild profanity. One is a reference to a name for a ship carrying Jewish refugees that was turned away from other countries. Another refers to time spent in a concentration camp as being in hell.

Romance/Sexual Content
Reference to children being hidden by the women in the concentration camp brothels.

Spiritual Content
Some scenes describe Jewish services and celebrations. After being liberated from Buchenwald, some of the boys take refuge in faith while others can’t reconnect with faith at all.

Violent Content
Some brief descriptions of torture, starvation, and cruelty toward prisoners of the camps and Jews under Nazi occupation. The boys develop a reputation as angry and destructive.

Drug Content
None.

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