Matching Nordstrom’s respect for young people, Hudgins does her brave, funny, and singular subject proud.
Only the rarest kind of best was good enough for this editor.
Few can claim the star-studded oeuvre that was Ursula Nordstrom’s (1910-1988). Born in New York City to actor parents, she lived a childhood that was magical “until it wasn’t.” Her parents divorced, and she was shipped off to boarding school—difficult experiences for this shy child, but her love of reading proved invaluable. Guided by the belief that only “fresh,” “original,” and “honest” stories were worthy of young people, she climbed the ranks at Harper & Brothers, and from here, Hudgins focuses squarely on the titles that Nordstrom helped to bring into existence. Everything from Charlotte’s Web to Harriet the Spy gets its day in the sun, with ample backstories and fun tidbits of information tucked into each chapter. Where a rote biography of an editor could easily devolve into a dull affair, Hudgins peppers her pages with “Writing Tips From Ursula,” advice on how to “Be Like Ursula,” and sidebars throughout. She notes how Nordstrom championed books about Black children and titles that considered gender identity and the LGBTQ experience; the author also repeatedly references the role of Mary Griffith, the woman Nordstrom loved. In the end, the book drills home the understanding that Nordstrom believed in the innate intelligence of the child reader.
Matching Nordstrom’s respect for young people, Hudgins does her brave, funny, and singular subject proud. (source notes, bibliography) (Nonfiction. 9-12)Pub Date: March 24, 2026
ISBN: 9781419775673
Page Count: 192
Publisher: Abrams
Review Posted Online: Nov. 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2026
A tighter focus would make this fascinating life story even more intriguing.
In this graphic memoir by sports journalist Shah, a ninth grader pursues his passion in the face of familial expectations pushing him toward a medical career, while also navigating the perils of high school social life.
It’s 1995, and Indian American Amar is desperate to meet the Chicago Bulls—Michael Jordan, in particular—when they stop by his Orlando, Florida, school. A lucky break leads him to his first sports interview, with Phil Jackson, and his tenacity takes him further, leading to multiple conversations with Shaquille O’Neal. But Amar’s luck in journalism doesn’t spill over to his relationship with his crush, blond Kasey Page (“like a mixture of Cameron Diaz, Tinkerbell, and heaven”), or his efforts to remain close with best friends Rohit and Cherian, who start spending more time with other classmates. The work relies on captions as much as plot developments to propel the story. It also follows a broad cast of characters—close and former friends, antagonists, supportive adults, and famous athletes—who appear in multiple storylines. The story accurately depicts the complexities of life as a young teen, though overlapping life challenges pull it in multiple directions, leaving some threads underexplored and hastily wrapped up. Doucet illustrates the characters using loose, disjointed outlines that give the artwork a sense of movement, and the colorful backgrounds use patterns and action lines to indicate a wide array of emotions.
A tighter focus would make this fascinating life story even more intriguing. (author’s note, photographs) (Graphic memoir. 9-12)Pub Date: Aug. 5, 2025
ISBN: 9781546110514
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Graphix/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: June 13, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A spirited biography untangles the accretion of myth and story around Pocahontas and makes clear what little is actually known and what fragments of the historical record are available. The text is rich in illustration and in sidebars (on longhouses, colonial diet, weaponry and so on) that illuminate the central narrative. Whether Pocahontas saved John Smith’s life directly or as part of an elaborate ritual might not matter, argues Jones. Pocahontas and her people were certainly responsible for keeping the English settlement of Jamestown from starvation. Relations between English settlers and Native people were uneasy at best, and the author traces these carefully, relating how Pocahontas was later kidnapped by the British and held for ransom. When none was forthcoming, she was converted both to English ways and the Christian religion, marrying the widower John Rolfe and traveling to England, where Pocahontas saw John Smith once again and died at about the age of 21. An excellent stab at myth busting and capturing the nuances of both the figure and her times. (glossary, bibliography, source notes, index) (Biography. 9-12)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-4027-6844-6
Page Count: 124
Publisher: Sterling
Review Posted Online: Aug. 31, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2010
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