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
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
A celebration of progressive Judaism and an inclusive primer on Jews making a difference in the world.
This wide-ranging collection of short biographies highlights 36 Jewish figures from around the globe and across centuries.
Explicitly pushing back against homogenous depictions of Jewish people, the authors demonstrate the ethnic, racial, and gender diversity of Jews. Each spread includes a brief biography paired with a stylized portrait reminiscent of those in Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo’s Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls (2016). A pull quote or sidebar accompanies each subject; sidebars include “Highlighting Jewish Paralympic Athletes,” “Jewish Stringed Music,” and “Ethiopian Jews in Israel.” Kleinrock and Pritchard’s roster of subjects makes a compelling case for the vastness and variety of Jewish experience—from a contemporary Ethiopian American teen to a 16th-century Portuguese philanthropist—while still allowing them to acknowledge better-known figures. The entry on Raquel Montoya-Lewis, an associate justice of the Washington Supreme Court and an enrolled member of the Pueblo Isleta Indian tribe, discusses her mission to reimagine criminal justice for Indigenous people; the sidebar name-checks Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Elena Kagan. The bios are organized around themes of Jewish principles such as Pikuach Nefesh (translated from the Hebrew as “to save a life”) and Adam Yachid (translated as the “unique value of every person”); each section includes an introduction to an organization that centers diverse Jewish experiences.
A celebration of progressive Judaism and an inclusive primer on Jews making a difference in the world. (resources) (Nonfiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 24, 2024
ISBN: 9780063285712
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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