Start Now!

October 15, 2018
How does a preteen become a voice of change for their community? (Hint: Start by reading this book!)Clinton (and her editing team) knows how to speak to the middle-grade crowd, hitting all the right notes in this useful and enjoyable guide to activism. A wide range of hot-topic issues is covered, including climate change, health and fitness, and even bullying and friendships. Each roughly 20-page chapter introduces readers to a topic with an overview, a precise bit of history, and a few real-world examples to enforce the idea that no goal is too lofty or unmanageable. Gallagher's line illustrations are intermixed with photographs of kids who've made a difference. The children discussed are inclusive of many ages, races, and genders, allowing a diverse range of readers to find personal connections to the text. The language is simple but never simplistic. When reach words or unfamiliar terms are used, they are defined, explained, and often spelled phonetically. Each chapter ends with a bulleted "Start now!" list that offers helpful suggestions for involvement, balancing advice kids can give to parents and activities they can do themselves. In most cases, writing to an elected official is included, reminding children to reach out and let their voices be heard. The backmatter includes an index but, sadly, not a bibliography for further reading.A must-have title for school and public libraries as well as young activists' home collections. (Nonfiction. 9-13)

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October 1, 2018
Grades 5-8 Clinton's latest is similar to her 2015 book, It's Your World: Get Informed, Get Inspired & Get Going! Both tackle important issues and suggest ways kids can get involved and facilitate change. This book is something of a cornucopia of issues. Each chapter delves into one general subject?for instance, the health of the planet?and then looks at individual elements like water, weather, and sanitary conditions. Other chapters include food, health, preservation, and bullying. Those big tents allow Clinton to write about everything from vitamins to endangered species to kindness, with a lot in between. In the past, Clinton's writing style has been on the earnest side, but this book is a little more sprightly, and there's a bit of a sense of humor displayed, as when discussing Roman plumbing: "think poop." Black-and-white photos as well as line drawings break up the text. Each chapter ends with a boxed list of suggestions for making change. There's a lot of interesting information here, and teachers may want to use this to spark class discussions.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)