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Books Good Enough for You: The Storied Life of Ursula Nordstrom, Editor of Extraordinary Children's Books

by Nancy Hudgins

Ursula Nordstrom and the books that made room for young readers

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Hardcover New English

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AlbakiReads Editorial

Ursula Nordstrom and the books that made room for young readers

Nancy Hudgins traces Ursula Nordstrom’s life from childhood through her work as an editor of children’s books, placing her career alongside collaborations with Maurice Sendak, Margaret Wise Brown, and E. B. White. The account connects familiar titles such as Charlotte’s Web and Where the Wild Things Are with the resistance they faced when some adults considered them unsuitable for children. Nordstrom’s response—supporting authors and defending young readers’ access to stories—gives the biography a clear thread. Anecdotes and excerpts from her editorial letters add a view of the relationships and decisions behind the books, while the subject also opens onto questions of censorship and what children should be able to read.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Children ages 9–12 interested in book history and libraries
  • Young readers curious about how children’s books are edited and published
  • Readers interested in censorship, creative collaboration, and Ursula Nordstrom’s career

Themes

Children’s publishingEditorial collaborationCensorship and access to booksChildren’s right to read

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

A celebration of the life and work of Ursula Norstrom--the groundbreaking editor of classic children's books like Charlotte's Web and Where the Wild Things Are--and a powerful defense of a child's right to read

Legendary Harper & Row children's book editor Ursula Nordstrom was a trailblazer. Her books were honest, smart, emotional, and firsts of their kind. And--perhaps because they challenged the status quo--they were often censored or banned. But Nordstrom always fought back.

Books Good Enough for You follows Nordstrom from childhood through her extraordinary career as book editor, literary revolutionary, and advocate. Full of anecdotes about some of Nordstrom's most famous collaborators, like Maurice Sendak, Margaret Wise Brown, and E. B. White, this biography is a true celebration of collaboration and friendship.

Many of Nordstrom's books--from to Where the Wild Things Are to Charlotte's Web--are now considered classics, but back in her day, these stories faced fierce opposition from those who deemed them inappropriate for children. In the face of this criticism, Nordstrom pushed back, building up her authors and proudly defending young readers' access to literature that reflected their worlds.

Filled with quotes from her eloquent, empathetic, and often sharply humorous editorial letters, Books Good Enough for You is a timely reminder that children deserve fresh, groundbreaking, and deeply human stories.
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