Teen Guide to Student Activism

Starred review from March 1, 2019
Grades 7-12 *Starred Review* Today's middle, high-school, and college students are increasingly being recognized as leaders in the activist causes they support; they (individually or collectively) see a need and start to address it. The rub for many youth activists, however, is that enthusiasm can trump practicality, and that enthusiasm may wane before an issue or need is fully addressed. Kallen has created a guide for teens, and even that will help prepare them to tackle a problem and sustain momentum to persevere (even slog) through minutia they might not have considered. Using documented examples of student-led activism projects, interspersed with quotes from students themselves, he holds readers' interest even as he collates critical advice from other sources on the topics of organization, balance between activist participation and daily life (including schoolwork and social life), and use of social media. The book's format breaks what could be a text-heavy document into an appealing, readable one with quote and text boxes, short divisional headings, and colored photographs. Detailed source notes, a list and description of volunteer and activism organizations, resources for student activists, and an index round out this relevant reference title.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)