Review by Horn Book Review
Fourteen poets (both well-known and less so) use a variety of forms (e.g., tanka, free verse, spoken word) to reflect on the work and influence of young change makers. Each of the activists is celebrated by "a poet who relates to an aspect of the activist's identity." The young subjects' causes include bullying prevention, clean water, healthcare for Native people, and Down syndrome advocacy. An engaging portrait, a paragraph of more information, and a tip for young activists-to-be accompany each profile. More about the ten poetic forms and the poets is appended. (c) Copyright 2021. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Tributes in prose and poetry to children and teens of today who have spoken out to support a cause or protest injustice. Budding activists in search of child role models beyond the high-profile likes of Malala Yousafzai and Greta Thunberg may well draw inspiration from this less-intimidating--but no less brave and worthy--lineup. For each, a poem by one of 14 poets and a laudatory paragraph flank an engaging, soft-focus portrait by Bradley that digitally emulates chalk and pastels on a textured brown background. "Each activist," write the editors, "inspired a poet who relates to an aspect of the activist's identity." New Yorker Charles Waters, for instance, gives a shoutout to 6-year-old Samirah "DJ Annie Red" Horton, "proudly / representing the People's Republic of Brooklyn" with her anti-bullying rap; Zach Wahls, founder of Scouts for Equality, poses with his two moms next to a triolet from Lesléa Newman. Other contributors, including Carole Boston Weatherford, Janet Wong, and Joseph Bruchac, honor young people making good trouble in areas of contention as varied as climate change, gender identity, immigration law, safe drinking water, and gun violence. The contributors are as diverse of identity as their young subjects, and as a sidelight, the poems are cast in a variety of identified forms from free verse to reverso, cinquain, and tanka. Never too soon to start stirring things up: "We may be small / but / we / can / ROAR!" (contributor bios, notes on poetic forms) (Informational picture book/poetry. 6-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
