BOOKS GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU:

The Storied Life of Ursula Nordstrom, Editor of Extraordinary Children’s Books

“A fascinating biography . . . aspiring writers and editors will gobble this up.”
—School Library Journal

Even if you haven’t heard of Ursula Nordstrom, I’ll bet you’ve heard of (or read) some of the books she edited, including:

• Goodnight Moon
• Charlotte’s Web
• Where the Wild Things Are
• Harold and the Purple Crayon
• Harriet the Spy
• Stevie

As the director of the children’s book department at Harper & Brothers (now HarperCollins) from 1940 to 1973, Ursula acquired, edited and published hundreds of books. My biography takes you behind the scenes, revealing how she worked with writers and artists, encouraging them to make these (and 10 more groundbreaking books I selected) the best they could be.

Some people feel compelled to bracket the reading ages for a book, and this one is pegged for grades 5-9, but I think of it as an “all ages” book. Anyone who grew up reading the books Ursula edited will find nuggets about the making of those books. And Ursula’s approach to stories and editing might capture the imaginations of teachers, librarians and lovers of children’s literature.

To be published by Abrams Books for Young Readers in Spring 2026.