Jamey Christoph

"Awatershed picture book for a watershed moment—all in time for the Stonewall uprising’s 50th anniversary.

The historic Stonewall Inn, site of the eponymous uprising (and the book’s first-person-plural narrator), originated as two separate stable houses in 1840s Greenwich Village. By 1930, the buildings were joined to become Bonnie’s Stone Wall restaurant, “a place where being different was welcomed and accepted.” 1967 saw another change—to the Stonewall Inn (a tamely depicted bar and dance club). Subsequent years saw multiple police raids targeting the establishment’s LGBTQIAP patrons. On June 28, 1969, the people finally fought back, galvanizing the LGBTQIAP rights movement. As the text carries readers from past to present, its unusual narrative perspective gives a strong sense of place and community. Sanders attempts to balance the received historical narrative with inclusivity, but his retrospective tone bears slight hints of erasure when, for example, “gay men and women” is used as a catchall phrase. Moreover, though the backmatter makes mention of the key roles of trans women of color in the uprising, the visuals instead position a white-presenting woman as a key instigator. Christoph’s digitally rendered illustrations paint a vivid, diverse portrait of both setting and community. The book concludes with photographs and an interview with Martin Boyce, a participant in the uprising.

A beautiful—if a bit cis-centric—tribute. (glossary, bibliography) (Informational picture book. 5-9)" www.kirkusreviews.com… (altro)

Everybody's different. Everybody. Everyone has their own likes and dislikes. Everyone has their own special gift or talent. Everybody has something that they just cannot do, too. Each and everyone of us has something so precious, it is a shame that someone should take it away or even tell you that you are not worthy of it. It's called a choice. Everyone has the right to choose. Even though some people succumb to societal views about who they choose to love, the choice that Love makes itself is never wrong. There should never be a standard that says to anybody, "You are hated because you didn't choose...( like ME)!" We are all people, and truth be told, we are JUST people. And people are NOT God's greatest invention! The Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village was a place where homosexuals could come to and dance and laugh and be with their friends, making it different from any other pub HOW?!?! The police, who were either afraid or ignorant, or maybe both decide to raid and continuously raid the Stonewall Inn until one night the tables turned. The gays did not disappear into the night. They did not leave quietly. That night, on June 28, 1969, they stood for themselves against bigotry. Their strength and their stand became the basis for equal rights as homosexual citizens of this country. The Gay Rights Movement was birthed.… (altro)

A really great book that introduces young readers to a moment in history that some may not be aware of. It has really wonderful pictures and the story is told in a way that all ages can understand and be interested in. This story tells the tale of the Stone Wall Inn of where the LGBTQ rights movement began, where a community came together to reunite with friends and enjoy each other company in a place they felt welcome and free. It shows the steady progression of a community of people that stood up fro their rights and changed the way they were treated by society.… (altro)