Hispanic Star: Ellen Ochoa

I love a good kids biography. I find them inspirational, short enough to keep me interested and not bogged down in information, and usually really engaging. The writing quality though…it can vary. I first read a Hispanic Star book last year when Capitol Choices considered one of them, and so when Ellen Ochoa came across my Edelweiss page, I was intrigued! I love the She Persisted Series, so I was hoping this would scratch the same itch. It…kind of did.

A chapter book biography, this series is focused on Hispanic individuals who made a huge contribution to the world and were truly “stars.” Other book subjects include Roberto Clemente, Celia Cruz, and Sylvia Rivera.

“Hispanic Star proudly celebrates Hispanic and Latinx heroes who have made remarkable contributions to American culture and have been undeniable forces in shaping its future.“

This is a mostly chronological and fact-forward biography, though it does begin with Ellen playing the flute in space–a great “hook” for readers who like space or biographies but want something unique to draw them in. It recounts her life growing up, her interest in space from a young age and science, the importance of seeing female astronauts like Sally Ride. It slows a bit when it slogs through her education, working one place until she could go to NASA, etc. We spend a fair amount of time on her NASA work, including the flute playing, but not enough—proportionally, I don’t think. What I didn’t know about, and what I found interesting was her life at NASA after the space fluting, etc.

While I appreciated the “break out” boxes that covered other concepts, including STEM ones and other historical moments, the pacing of this book felt off to me. It wasn’t exciting from page to page, and while chronological, it felt too long in the teeth in the early and later years, and not long enough around the really exciting time when she was an astronaut! This is a fine biography, but it reads more like a report than a book.

Hispanic Star: Ellen Ochoa is on sale everywhere September 5th, 2023.