BOOKS GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU

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.