"What's a bigot?" Beginning with this question, Gay challenges readers to probe their own responses to difficult questions surrounding intolerance. Topics in this entry in the It Happened to Me series include religious bigotry, homophobia, bullying, racism, hate language, censorship, and hate groups, and it concludes with a chapter on ways students are reducing bigotry and hate crimes. By using actual cases, Gay creates a personal connection between the target of bigotry and the teen reader. Including quotes from many teens, she shows the dangerous consequences words and actions can have on others. Although Gay's research focuses more on current situations, she supplies historical background on cases that have led to present-day problems. Chapter notes support her meticulous research on topics that teens face on a daily basis.

Gr 9 Up-This book examines bigotry throughout history: intolerance based on religion, race, sexual identification, and other personal traits; bullying in schools, online, and on the job; the language, symbols, music, and speech of bigotry; censorship; hate groups; and more. The final chapter supports the idea that concerted efforts of various groups and programs may help to lessen intolerance. The balanced text is informative, interesting, and straightforward. Sidebars provide examples and additional material, and "Did You Know?" and "What Do You Think?" boxes offer readers food for thought and/or discussion. The heavily researched material explains the basis for specific situations and includes an abundance of first-person accounts. A few black-and-white pictures, quotes, chapter endnotes, and a detailed index complete this useful volume. Susan Shaver, Hemingford Public Schools, NE