Young Kate

School Library Journal

YA The eccentric and worthwhile lives of Katherine Hepburn's parents and ancestors are covered in greater detail in this book than the life of the young star. Katherine's mother, Kit Houghton, was a cofounder of both Planned Parenthood and the League of Women Voters. Her father, Dr. Thomas Hepburn, was a pioneer in venereal disease prevention. When readers finally meet young Kate halfway through the book, she is a tomboy, as feisty as her suffragette mother. Her older brother's suicide and the agonies of her first college year are experiences about which young adults will read with empathy. As the book closes, Kate heads to Baltimore for her first professional acting role, and readers have gained a good sense of the forces that shaped her future.Keddy Outlaw, Harris County Public Library, Houston

Booknews

Based on conversations with Katherine Hepburn, this book recounts family days of her youth. Includes sixteen photographs. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)