Jackie and the Books She Loved – a different look at Jackie after JFK

Jackie and the Books She Loved, by Ronni Diamondstein/Illustrated by Bats Langley , (Nov. 2023, Sky Pony), $19.99, ISBN: 9781510776425

Ages 4-8

While most remember Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis as President John F. Kennedy’s wife and JFK Jr.’s mother, she had a storied career in publishing. Diamondstein and Langley bring that Jackie to younger readers, beginning with her book-loving childhood and accomplishments, her career as a journalist, and her key role in helping her husband win the Presidency, thanks to her newspaper columns. Diamondstein concentrates on Kennedy Onassis’s post-JFK life in New York as an editor, her interest in helping young women writers, and her commitment to putting the author first. Langley’s illustrations keeps Jackie in the center of the action and includes her trademark scarves and sunglasses. Back matter includes a timeline of Jackie’s life, an author’s note, and a sampling of the many titles she edited. A solid addition to picture book biography collections, Diamondstein treats her subject with respect and affection, making Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis much more than a former First Lady.