Tag Archives: Twenty-First Century Books

Review: Vote!: Women’s Fight for Access to the Ballot Box by Coral Celeste Frazer

Book Review and Content, Nonfiction, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , ,
Vote by Coral Celeste Frazer

Vote!: Women’s Fight for Access to the Ballot Box
Coral Celeste Frazer
Twenty-first Century Books
Published August 6, 2019

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About Vote!: Women’s Fight for Access to the Ballot Box

August 18, 2020, marks the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution, which prohibited states and the US government from denying citizens the right to vote on the basis of sex. See how the 70-year-long fight for women’s suffrage was hard won by leaders such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Alice Paul, Carrie Chapman Catt and others.

Learn how their success led into the civil rights and feminist movements of the mid- and late twentieth century, as well as today’s #MeToo, #YesAllWomen, and Black Lives Matter movements. In the face of voter ID laws, voter purges, gerrymandering, and other restrictions, Americans continue to fight for equality in voting rights.

My Review

Reading this book, right now, as Federal officers are deployed in Portland and potentially other places (I am writing this a few weeks before it goes live, so things may have changed) was really strange.

I didn’t know a lot about the fight for women to vote before I’d read this book. Here are some of the things I learned that stood out most:

  • Women’s rights and Black rights activists sometimes worked together and sometimes worked against each other. I want to know a lot more about the dialogue between the two groups and people who devoted themselves to one cause at the expense of the other or in opposition to the other.
  • Police attacked women’s rights protestors. I don’t know what I imagined those protests looked like, but there was violence.
  • The book also points out and spends several chapters talking about the rights of Black and POC women and the fight for their right to vote as well. I hadn’t deeply thought of those as two separate battles before, which really just points up more of my ignorance, honestly.

One of the things I love about this book is that it’s packed with personal stories of the women involved in women’s rights activism. I loved learning the names and approaches of these women. Lucy Stone and Fannie Lou Hamer stand out to me the most. I’d love to learn more about both of them.

August 18 marks the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote. If you don’t know a lot about the struggle that preceded it, I recommend this book as a great introduction to the topic.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 up.

Representation
Follows the stories of women’s rights and civil rights activists.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
References to Christian faith as a motivator for some activists.

Violent Content
References to lynchings. Descriptions of police brutality against protestors. Descriptions of force-feeding prisoners who were on hunger strikes.

Drug Content
References to women’s rights groups that also opposed drinking alcohol and protested in front of bars and saloons.

Note: I received a free copy of VOTE!: WOMEN’S FIGHT FOR ACCESS TO THE BALLOT BOX in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.

Review: Giraffe Extinction by Tanya Anderson

Nonfiction, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,

Giraffe Extinction
Tanya Anderson
Twenty-first Century Books
Published October 1, 2019

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Goodreads

About Giraffe Extinction

Quietly, without most people noticing, the population of giraffes in the wild has decreased by nearly 40 percent since 1985. Giraffes have disappeared entirely from seven countries where they used to live. Researchers believe fewer than 98,000 exist in the wild–fewer even than endangered African elephants. In 2016, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature added giraffes to the organization’s Red List of Threatened Species. What is causing their disappearance? Overpopulation of humans in giraffe habitats and illegal poaching.

Learn about giraffes’ physical characteristics, habitats, and life cycles; examine the dangers they face from humans and climate change; and meet the scientists working to save these gentle giants using technology and conservation efforts.

My Review

My youngest daughter’s favorite animal right now is a giraffe, so I thought this book would be interesting to read just as information for myself. She’s too young to really understand the information, but I think that also the possibility that giraffes could face extinction in the near future made me want to learn more. It’s hard to imagine a world in which giraffes don’t exist since they’re such an iconic animal.

The book is a little tough at the beginning. There’s some explanation of the history of studying giraffes and while I think it’s great information, it’s not as friendly and easy to read as other books by this publisher. Once I got past the first chapter or so, though, I think it was easier to understand.

One of the things I found most fascinating is the way giraffes have been classified and how that impacts any available protection. I hadn’t ever considered whether there are multiple species of giraffes or only one with subspecies. I enjoyed learning about that process and what its effects might be for the future.

Also, did you know giraffes make a sound?! Okay, they don’t make a sound like you’re thinking, like a cat meowing or something. But for a long time, scientists thought giraffes would be mute because of their long necks. Actually, they make a humming sound while they sleep. Pretty cool!

Over all, I enjoyed the balance of interesting facts, history and context for why giraffes are threatened and how essential they are to the environment where they live. I recommend this book for young conservationists and animal enthusiasts alike.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
None.

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 the costs of running this blog. I received a free copy of GIRAFFE EXTINCTION in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Legalizing Marijuana: Promises and Pitfalls by Margaret Goldstein

Book Review and Content, Nonfiction, , , , ,

Legalizing Marijuana: Promises and Pitfalls
Margaret Goldstein
Twenty-First Century Books
Published on November 1, 2016

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Many states and experts have vastly different positions on the use of marijuana. Are the medicinal benefits strong enough to justify legalizing it for treatment of some serious health conditions? Is it safer than already legalized recreational substances like alcohol and tobacco?

In chapters populated with information on the drug’s history, scientific studies, and current laws governing use, this book presents a fairly balanced look at issues surrounding the potential legalization of marijuana. Strong arguments in favor of medicinal use are checked by the reality that currently, scientists in the United States do not enough true scientific data to support the various claims of its effectiveness in treating medical conditions. The text explores law enforcement issues arising in states whose laws conflict with those of the federal government. All in all, it’s an informative resource for someone looking to explore the history, use, and arguments for or against the legalization of marijuana.

My Review
I can be honest, right? We’re all friends here.

So here’s the thing. I’m not a fan of recreational drug use. At all. Before reading this book, I had very little information (or even interest, really) in the debate about whether marijuana should be legalized and, if so, for what purpose and with what restrictions. In the last year or so my family, like many of us, has become more politically active. For us this means researching issues and contacting our representatives about important topics. Reading this book has been part of an endeavor to better understand the issues surrounding the potential legalization of marijuana. I think getting more information is a good idea, and I want to find resources I can pass along with confidence.

Legalizing Marijuana raised a lot of interesting points and questions. There were some arguments I’d heard before and some new ones. I liked having specific facts and statistics—though in some cases I would have liked to have even more data.

For instance, one of the most compelling points the book explores relates to the argument about legalizing marijuana for medicinal use. Right now it’s very difficult for scientists to conduct studies testing the effectiveness of different types of marijuana to treat various types of illnesses because it’s a Schedule I drug. There’s a lot of anecdotal evidence that it helps vastly and more effectively than other drugs with a wide range of problems. But we don’t have great scientific proof because of how difficult it is to get approval for the studies. I felt like that was an interesting point that added weight to both sides of the argument for and against marijuana for medicinal use. It certainly gives supporters some areas in which political outreach may be helpful, too.

One area where I wished the book included more statistics was in a chapter about recreational use. The argument is that marijuana is safer than tobacco or alcohol in terms of its health risks. It would have made for a more compelling argument to give some specific numbers on alcohol-related car crashes versus marijuana-related car crashes for instance. Give some numbers that show some actual comparisons rather than the vague trust-me-it-is-so type of statement here.

I’m not sure this book changed how I feel about the legalization of marijuana—other than pointing out how lucrative it is for states in terms of tax revenue, which made me suspect we’ll see a greater push toward legalization for financial reasons than we have seen in the past—but I feel better equipped in terms of information on the topic. I’m glad I read it.

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Cultural Elements
This is more about the topic than people, so there aren’t really cultural elements highlighted in the book.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
 A blog reader noted the book also contains a photo of a shirtless guy and a young woman, representing the 1960s.

Spiritual Content
Brief reference to a high THC form of marijuana used by some groups who believed it would help them commune with spirits.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
Lots of information about what kinds of ways marijuana is used. Not specific how-to type stuff—more like exploring the goals or outcomes of people who use it.

As pointed out by a blog reader, there’s also a photo from the “Reefer Madness” movie.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

 

Review: Trashing the Planet by Stuart A. Kallen

Book Review and Content, Nonfiction, , , , , , ,

Trashing the Planet: Examining Our Global Garbage Glut
Stuart A. Kallen
Twenty-First Century Books
Available August 1, 2017

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Humans produce an incredible (or incredibly gross) amount of trash each year. Garbage ends up in landfills, rivers, oceans, and even in space. Controlling this waste to keep it from polluting air and water supplies is a monumental task. Scientists continue to learn more about the impact of waste and chemicals on the environment. Exciting new inventions create opportunities for cleanup to proceed quickly, allowing humans to undo some of the damage done to the environment. But as the mess took a global effort to make, it will take a massive effort to clean up, and understanding how garbage is managed is an important step in that process.

This book made me think much more deeply about the problems we face in terms of disposing waste. It describes some of the complications many landfills wrestle with on a daily basis and what will happen if toxins from these sites leach into our water supply.

There’s been a lot of focus within the current government about rolling back regulations to allow for more unhindered growth of businesses and industries. Without really going into that debate, I’ll say this book raised some important examples from history on why we developed many of those regulations to begin with. One of the things which surprised me was how often the EPA intervenes not just for wildlife protection but for protection for human lives from toxins which have had terrible impact on our health.

My favorite part of the book, though, was learning about some of the amazing solutions being developed to combat the garbage problem. From cities using methane produced by landfills as trash decomposes for an energy source to a trash filtration system which aims to use the oceans’ naturally occurring currents to remove garbage from the water. We may have made a big mess, but we have some amazing people with some incredible ideas working hard to help reduce and hopefully eliminate these problems. It doesn’t mean we can afford to sit back and let them handle things. It’s still so important to get educated—and this book is an excellent starting point. But it’s comforting to know there are solutions, and we can make a difference.

Recommended for Ages 10 up.

Cultural Elements
The book focuses a lot on the way trash is dealt with in America but contains sections dedicated to inventors from other countries who’ve had really cool ideas for ways to better manage garbage.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

 

Review: Prom by Jill S. Zimmerman Rutledge

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

Prom
Jill S. Zimmerman Rutledge
Twenty-First Century Books
Published January 1, 2017

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Prom serves as an important tradition for youth in America today. This book explores the history of the social event as well as its evolving trends while giving a spotlight to students and community members who worked hard to create integrated proms which protect and encourage LGBT student participation. Adults reflect on their prom experiences, some dating back to the Great Depression, and share tips and memories for today’s Prom attendees. Current trends like “promposals” and dress registries get a nod as well as some creative prom dress-making challenges and programs to provide dresses for girls who couldn’t otherwise afford to attend the dance.

While the history of Prom contains a lot of fascinating details, the book feels low on other elements. The section containing tips and memories from former attendees is organized so that each responder gets a section. This made the section more personal, but also sort of muddied the information. A clear bulleted list or chapter detailing safety tips, ideas for saving money, or clever ways to make the dance more fun might have made this section more dynamic. Overall, though, it makes a nice overview. This book will probably be most useful to middle school and early high school students who are curious about what they have to look forward to when they have a chance to attend Prom.

Recommended for Ages 12 to 16.

Cultural Elements
The book discusses battles fought by African American and Caucasian students to have integrated proms.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
The author encourages attendees not to feel sexual pressure on prom night. Other contributors reflect back on prom experiences, one describing a friend who ended up in a scary situation. Her date treated her like he expected her to have sex with him, and she ended up needing help and protection from others to stay safe.

Spiritual Content
There are a couple of references to Christian schools which would not allow students to bring same gender dates, and a girl who wanted to bring a transgender boy as her date.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
The author and contributors also encourage teens not to feel pressure to drink alcohol or use drugs on prom night. One contributor states that it’s a smaller group of people who actually drink than you think it is. One girl recalls being sent home after drug paraphernalia was found in her boyfriend’s bag.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

 

Review: Racial Profiling by Alison Marie Behnke

Book Review and Content, Nonfiction, ,

Racial Profiling: Everyday Inequality
Alison Marie Behnke
Twenty-First Century Books
Published January 1, 2017

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Media and political activists have worked hard to bring attention to the issue of racial profiling in America. Profiling occurs when details about someone’s racial identity are used as reason to treat them differently. Sometimes this happens when police assume a person of a particular race must be guilty of a crime before any investigation takes place. The real statistics about how many people experience racial profiling can be staggering. In this book, Behnke carefully defines racial profiling and explains what it is and areas of the community where profiling can occur. Though it can be a charged political topic, Behnke’s clear, straightforward narrative presents a calm and thorough investigation supported by statistics and further illustrated by stories shared by victims and their families, making it a great resource for students and teachers interested in educating themselves about this topic.

One of the things I really liked about this book is how easy the author has made it to find additional information. The chapters are peppered with case studies and historical facts as well as full-color illustrations supporting the narrative. Extensive source notes as well as suggestions for further study in books, documentaries, and websites make this a high-powered, informative, resource.

I feel like this is a tough topic to talk about because it’s one I think we all wish were not a reality and certainly not one nearly so pervasive and devastating as it seems to be. It has been interesting as a parent watching my daughter discover some of these things about the world and wrestle with the frustration we feel when we find the world to be different than we believe it should be.

I think it’s also an important issue to be educated about. I’ve flagged some of the resources Behnke used and some of the recommended texts as well so that I can continue to learn more. I found this to be an accessible, easy-to-understand book, so if you’re looking for a place to begin, this could be it.

Recommended for Ages.

Cultural Elements
The book focuses mainly on issues faced by people of color, including African Americans, immigrants (particularly from Mexico and Latin America), and Muslims.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
The book briefly talks about prejudice faced by Muslims or those mistaken for Muslim.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.