Book Review: Honor Girl

HONOR GIRL: A GRAPHIC MEMOIR by Maggie Thrash tells the story of first love at an all-girl summer camp.

Maggie spends her summers at Camp Bellflower in Kentucky. From music to target shooting, she experiences the typical drama of summer friendships. However, the summer she turns 15, Maggie falls for a 19-year-old camp counselor. Camp rumors and melodrama don’t diminish her experience of first love.

Using flashbacks to her time in summer camp, the author skillfully weaves a story of self-discovery and young love. She also reminds readers that it’s impossible to revisit the past. Although the book explores a lesbian relationship, Thrash’s portrayal of teen angst and struggles with sexuality are universal themes.

The colorful drawings will appeal to the young adult audience. Librarians will find HONOR GIRL to be a popular addition to the growing number of quality graphic memoirs for young adults.

Learn more about the author at http://www.maggiethrash.com/.

Published by Candlewick on September 8, 2015.

Website Review: StopBullying.gov

The STOPBULLYING.GOV website provides a variety of useful resources to help educators develop programs to prevent bullying.

Managed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the website contains major sections including “what is bullying”, “cyberbullying”, “who is at risk”, “prevent bullying”, “respond to bullying”, and “get help now”. The content includes definitions, examples, statistics, strategies, and additional information.

In addition, there are sections specifically aimed at parents, educators, community members, teens, and kids. The website blog and newsroom contains up-to-date information and resources including articles, research findings, and strategies.

Of particular note are the media sections. The images page contains appealing photos and infographics that could be used in library displays. The video page includes dozens of short videos focusing on specific issues such as LGBT bullying and cyberbullying.

For youth working on research projects related to bullying, the resources page and policies and laws page would be particularly useful.

Kick off the school year with a library promotion that encourages friendship and positive relationships. Weave in resources to help young people address the issue of bullying before it starts.

To visit the website, go to http://www.stopbullying.gov.

Book Review: Stonewall: Breaking Out in the Fight for Gay Rights

STONEWALL: BREAKING OUT IN THE FIGHT FOR GAY RIGHTS by Ann Bausum is a powerful and timely work of nonfiction for today’s teens.

Bausum’s compelling narrative begins in the summer of 1969 at a bar in Greenwich Village, New York. What begins as a police raid on the Stonewall Inn soon erupts into riots in the street and cheers of “gay power.” In the days following the raid, emotions continued to run high as frustrated LGBT citizens began to organize. The raid had become a symbol of the oppression felt by thousands of gay and lesbian community members in the city. The rest of the book describes the gay pride movement of the 1970s, the impact of AIDs in the 1980s and 90s, and the changing public attitudes of the 2000s. The book concludes on an optimistic note focusing on the LGBT community’s rainbow symbol of diversity and unity.

Bausum is known for her carefully researched books focusing on social justice. From carefully describing the oppression experienced by generations of gay individuals to clearly explaining the tireless work of gay advocates, Bausum does a masterful job helping today’s young people understand how decades of struggle led to recent societal changes. In the book’s author notes, Bausum explains her motivation for writing a book about the gay rights movement at this point in American history. Her timing is perfect.

Librarian who have been waiting for an up-to-date LGBT history will be quick to add this outstanding work of nonfiction to their library collections. Filled with first hand accounts, historical quotes, and primary source documents, social studies teachers will find this book to be an excellent addition to their social justice curriculum.

Look for STONEWALL to appear on many “best of nonfiction” lists for 2015.

To learn more about the author, go to http://www.annbausum.com/.

Published by Viking on May 5, 2015.