A striking biography of a remarkable activist that could have been improved by placing her fully in the narrative spotlight.
An introduction to should-be-better-known Japanese American Yuri Kochiyama (1921-2014) and her lifelong activism.
Before Japan bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941, “racism had never been a part of [Kochiyama’s] all-American life.” The U.S. government’s repressive actions against Americans of Japanese descent during World War II, however, precipitated her father’s death at 56 and led to her family’s imprisonment—experiences that awakened her activism. She married U.S. Army veteran Bill Kochiyama, and the couple moved to New York City, settling in Harlem in 1960. Yuri “noticed injustice all around her” and welcomed all into their home, “from neighbors to notables.” One of those guests was Malcolm X, whom Kochiyama met, admired, and immediately challenged, sparking a mostly epistolary relationship—until Malcolm was shot 21 times at an event Yuri attended; he died with his head in her lap. Inspired by her friend and mentor, Kochiyama’s tireless activism would continue for almost 50 more years. Focusing so much of Kochiyama’s biography through her relationship with Malcolm ultimately reads like a misstep. While pivotal, that emphasis seemingly shrinks the nonagenarian’s achievements to a 16-month relationship. More impressive are Brown’s inviting spreads, which feature exceptionally detailed scenes of people caught in motion—a Harlem sidewalk scene showcasing young children with attitude is particularly memorable.
A striking biography of a remarkable activist that could have been improved by placing her fully in the narrative spotlight. (timeline, brief biographies, glossary) (Picture-book biography. 8-12)Pub Date: Oct. 13, 2026
ISBN: 9781636550893
Page Count: 42
Publisher: Red Comet Press
Review Posted Online: July 20, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
For every dreaming girl (and boy) with a pencil in hand (or keyboard) and a story to share.
A multiaward–winning author recalls her childhood and the joy of becoming a writer.
Writing in free verse, Woodson starts with her 1963 birth in Ohio during the civil rights movement, when America is “a country caught / / between Black and White.” But while evoking names such as Malcolm, Martin, James, Rosa and Ruby, her story is also one of family: her father’s people in Ohio and her mother’s people in South Carolina. Moving south to live with her maternal grandmother, she is in a world of sweet peas and collards, getting her hair straightened and avoiding segregated stores with her grandmother. As the writer inside slowly grows, she listens to family stories and fills her days and evenings as a Jehovah’s Witness, activities that continue after a move to Brooklyn to reunite with her mother. The gift of a composition notebook, the experience of reading John Steptoe’s Stevieand Langston Hughes’ poetry, and seeing letters turn into words and words into thoughts all reinforce her conviction that “[W]ords are my brilliance.” Woodson cherishes her memories and shares them with a graceful lyricism; her lovingly wrought vignettes of country and city streets will linger long after the page is turned.
For every dreaming girl (and boy) with a pencil in hand (or keyboard) and a story to share. (Memoir/poetry. 8-12)Pub Date: Aug. 28, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-399-25251-8
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2014
Though a bit loose around the edges, a charmer nevertheless.
Tales of a fourth grade ne’er-do-well.
It seems that young Jordan is stuck in a never-ending string of bad luck. Sure, no one’s perfect (except maybe goody-two-shoes William Feranek), but Jordan can’t seem to keep his attention focused on the task at hand. Try as he may, things always go a bit sideways, much to his educators’ chagrin. But Jordan promises himself that fourth grade will be different. As the year unfolds, it does prove to be different, but in a way Jordan couldn’t possibly have predicted. This humorous memoir perfectly captures the square-peg-in-a-round-hole feeling many kids feel and effectively heightens that feeling with comic situations and a splendid villain. Jordan’s teacher, Mrs. Fisher, makes an excellent foil, and the book’s 1970s setting allows for her cruelty to go beyond anything most contemporary readers could expect. Unfortunately, the story begins to run out of steam once Mrs. Fisher exits. Recollections spiral, losing their focus and leading to a more “then this happened” and less cause-and-effect structure. The anecdotes are all amusing and Jordan is an endearing protagonist, but the book comes dangerously close to wearing out its welcome with sheer repetitiveness. Thankfully, it ends on a high note, one pleasant and hopeful enough that readers will overlook some of the shabbier qualities. Jordan is White and Jewish while there is some diversity among his classmates; Mrs. Fisher is White.
Though a bit loose around the edges, a charmer nevertheless. (Memoir. 8-12)Pub Date: Feb. 2, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-338-64723-5
Page Count: 208
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Nov. 17, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
