To Boldly Go

December 1, 2022
A tribute to Star Trek's Uhura and the powerful woman who created the iconic role. The story, as the gifted and recently deceased Nichols often told it, takes her from early triumphs on stage and in films to the interstellar gig--which she was on the verge of quitting after disrespectful treatment and cut scenes until a pep talk from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. convinced her that she had become both a role model for Black children and also a revealing example to "people who don't look like us." Dalton retells the episode in the voice of a child representing the Black viewing audience, exclaiming that "we burst with pride seeing someone who looked like us standing as an equal" and freeing fans for the next half-century to "dream...about the places...and spaces...they dare to envision themselves in." Nearly all of the figures in Semmer's stylized, screen print-style scenes are people of color, depicted in period (or Federation) dress and hairstyles and a range of skin tones. Nichols' later and real rather than fictive role in recruiting "women and minoritized astronaut candidates" for NASA is relegated to a smaller-type afterword, though it seems more directly related to the titular achievement. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Well-deserved notice. (author's note) (Picture-book biography. 7-9)

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December 19, 2022
Narrated from the perspective of a Black Star Trek viewer looking back on their childhood, this tribute to Nichelle Nichols (1932–2022) begins with the child’s family tuning in to Star Trek, proud to view Nichols’s Lieutenant Uhura, “someone who looked like us standing as an equal to make the future better for everyone.” While the fight for civil rights raged, Dalton writes, Nichols worked with Star Trek’s creator to make Uhura a reality that “represented how she saw herself: strong, independent, equal.” But Uhura was often underutilized, and Nichols planned to leave the show until meeting an unexpected fan, Martin Luther King Jr., who urged her to consider her influence. Unlined digital illustrations by Semmer focus on portraits of the subject working “to boldly go.../ to make the future better for everyone.” Back matter includes an author’s note, and describes Nichols’s post-Star Trek work to help NASA connect with “women and minoritized astronaut candidates.” Ages 4–8.

December 1, 2022
Grades 1-3 This picture-book biography opens with the author as a child watching Star Trek reruns, proud to see "someone who looked like us standing as an equal to make the future better for everyone." That someone was Nichelle Nichols, the actress who played Lieutenant Uhura, a Black character she helped to create. During the turbulent 1960s, watching Uhura provided hope for many, but at one point, Nichols quit the show. The next evening, Martin Luther King Jr. asked her to continue her work on Star Trek because she was a role model for children, including his own, and for other viewers watching Uhura's coworkers treat her as an equal. Nichols returned to Star Trek. Whether Dalton is writing about her childhood memories or Nichols' career, the text takes a straightforward approach and has an appealing tone. Semmer's pleasingly simplified digital illustrations are richly colorful. The back matter may surprise readers with its account of Nichols' role in recruiting thousands of women and minority applicants, including Mae Jemison, Sally Ride, and Ronald McNair, for NASA's astronaut training program.

COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

January 27, 2023

Gr 1-4-This engaging portrait of Nichols opens with a young Black girl tuning in to watch "Star Trek" with her family, excited to see herself represented on screen: "We burst with pride seeing someone who looked like us standing as an equal to make the future better for everyone. This was important not just to my family but for all Black people, because our reality told a very different story." From there, the author provides context on the Civil Rights Movement before recounting Nichols's journey to the screen, her development of Uhura's character, and her experiences with racism, both in her early life and acting career. Just as Nichols decides to quit the show, an encounter with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. leads her to reconsider, as he reminds her of the significance of her character. In closing, the narrator reflects on the impact Nichols and Uhura have had on generations of fans, encouraging them to dream about where they envision themselves and to work for a better future. Semmer's digital illustrations are bold and eye-catching and a perfect complement to the text. Back matter includes an author's note and additional information on Nichols's work with NASA to help diversify its astronaut applicant pool. VERDICT This stirring tribute to a rare actor and the iconic role she played on "Star Trek" should be a welcome addition for all collections.-Lauren Strohecker

Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2023
During the struggles of the civil rights movement, one weekly image on ­America's television screens was seen as a huge step in advancing Black representation: a Black woman serving as communications director on the starship Enterprise. Actress Nichelle Nichols (1932�? 2022) brought the character of Lieutenant Uhura to life on Star Trek, the popular science-fiction series that debuted in 1966. When series creator Gene ­Roddenberry offered Nichols the role, she helped create her character's backstory and came up with the name Uhura (derived from the Swahili word for freedom). Dalton makes clear that despite Nichols's professional successes, racism and bigotry were constants in her life and career, including on the set of Star Trek. Nichols was so discouraged that at one point she planned to quit but was persuaded to stay by none other than Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: "For the first time, the world sees us as we should be seen, as equals, as intelligent people." Semmer's digital illustrations help reinforce the narrative; one ­double-page spread displays an ­assortment of ­televisions, one of them showing Uhura onboard the ­Enterprise, others depicting scenes of real-life racial unrest. An epilogue-like "Beyond Star Trek" and an author's note round out this ­appreciative tribute. Eboni Njoku

(Copyright 2023 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

January 1, 2023
During the struggles of the civil rights movement, one weekly image on ­America's television screens was seen as a huge step in advancing Black representation: a Black woman serving as communications director on the starship Enterprise. Actress Nichelle Nichols (1932�? 2022) brought the character of Lieutenant Uhura to life on Star Trek, the popular science-fiction series that debuted in 1966. When series creator Gene Roddenberry offered Nichols the role, she helped create her character's backstory and came up with the name Uhura (derived from the Swahili word for freedom). Dalton makes clear that despite Nichols's professional successes, racism and bigotry were constants in her life and career, including on the set of Star Trek. Nichols was so discouraged that at one point she planned to quit but was persuaded to stay by none other than Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: "For the first time, the world sees us as we should be seen, as equals, as intelligent people." Semmer's digital illustrations help reinforce the narrative; one double-page spread displays an assortment of televisions, one of them showing Uhura onboard the Enterprise, others depicting scenes of real-life racial unrest. An epilogue-like "Beyond Star Trek" and an author's note round out this appreciative tribute.

(Copyright 2023 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)