Product Description

Ever since Barack Obama was young, Hope has lived inside him. From the beaches of Hawaii to the streets of Chicago, from the jungles of Indonesia to the plains of Kenya, he has held on to Hope. Even as a boy, Barack knew he wasn't quite like anybody else, but through his journeys he found the ability to listen to Hope and become what he was meant to be: a bridge to bring people together.

This is the moving story of an exceptional man, as told by Nikki Grimes and illustrated by Bryan Collier, both winners of the Coretta Scott King Award. Barack Obama has motivated Americans to believe with him, to believe that every one of us has the power to change ourselves and change our world.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #53654 in Books
• Published on: 2008-08-26
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 48 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781416971443
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 5—A bright child of humble background is encouraged by the adults around him to believe that he is capable of doing anything he wants to do. Sound familiar? It's called the American Dream, and the boy is Barack Obama, a biracial child who has gone on to change the course of history. This picture-book biography serves to educate children not only about Obama's journey thus far, but also to connect his circumstances to their own. In particular, children of color now know that they too have boundless potential. Grimes's imagery, however, is occasionally overblown as both Hope and God speak directly to Obama. His impressive life story needs no inflating, and the heavy imagery gets in the way of the message. Collier's vivid watercolor and collage artwork brings the varied aspects of the man's life together. From the sparkling beaches of Hawaii where he played as a child to the brown, arid village in Kenya where his father was buried, readers see Obama always reaching toward the future. Despite the overly laudatory tone, this book is an appealing addition to biography collections.—Joan Kindig, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
Inspirational is the word for this glowing picture-book biography, framed by the fictional story of a small African American boy who asks his loving, single-parent mom to tell him about Barack Obama. With fast free verse (“His family stretched / from Kansas to Kenya; / his mama, white as whipped cream, / his daddy, black as ink”) and big, handsome illustrations, Coretta Scott King Award winners Grimes and Collier tell the story of Obama’s life. Beginning with his childhood in Hawaii, double-page spreads show him interacting with kids from all over the world. Despite the sadness of his parents getting divorced, both inspire him to find hope in education, and he learns to confront racism (“hurt and hate and history”), and is moved to help the poor. Grimes’ stirring words and Collier’s watercolor-and-collage pictures convey the power of diversity to make a “new whole.” On each spread a small box displays the running conversation between the boy and his mother, and his final comment is: “When I grow up, I want to be the president.” Preschool-Grade 2. --Hazel Rochman

Customer Reviews

A little much, even for a fervent Obama fan
I took a look at this book at my local bookstore a few days before November 4, and at that time I giggled at the very bright, technicolor pictures of the book. I also winced a little at the dangerously-close-to-hubris conceit of writing such a book before the election results were known. How could you tell a complete story about a historical figure unless you knew what the ending was? At the time, though, I thought this was a harmless book, and was still giddy (and terrified) at the thought of Election Day coming up.

Now, after the euphoria has subsided a bit, I took a second look at this book.

I didn't laugh at it much this time around. I still winced when I read it, and not in a good way.

Some good things about the book: The final pictures were practically prescient (it almost matched the Obamas' election night picture, with the Obama parents walking out with Sasha and Malia by their sides); it was interesting to see the beginning illustrations and interpretations of Obama's childhood pictures, and the rest of the book telegraphed the giddy hope of Big Expectations that many, many people felt that night.

However, I thought the asides from the mother and her child were a little distracting, a "forced" questioning innocence from the child and an almost condescending tone from the mother. Most distracting, as noted by other reviewers, was the "Lion King/Messiah/Star Wars/Chosen One" kind of vibe given to Obama throughout the narrative. This was the dangerously-close-to-conceit part of the book that made me wince. While it's good to teach children to respect the President of the United States, this book fairly jumps across the line from respect to breathless worship.

President-Elect Barack Obama is an ordinary man. A deeply talented speaker, brilliant thinker and professor (Harvard Law School, people!), and arguably the most disciplined politician I've ever seen--BUT, an ordinary man. A devoted loving husband and father, BUT an ordinary man. He's NOT "The One/Golden Child/Messiah/Moses Of The 21st Century", and it's dangerous to put him on that pedestal.

Having said all that, when I read this book as expressive poetry instead of literal historic narrative, the technicolor visual and literary flourishes were easier to take. (Though I fervently wish they picked a different picture for the front cover!) If you don't mind the hyperbole--or if you're an "Obama Otaku" (Anime fans will know what I mean)--then the in-your-face nature of the narrative in this book won't phase you at all. In fact, reading this book with any less attitude than TOTAL WORSHIP AND EUPHORIA (caps meant) will probably make you nauseous. Otherwise, if you're looking for a more sober historical book for your child, I would steer clear of this one.

Funniest book I've read in a long time.
I'm giving this 5 stars simply because this is the most hilarious laugh out loud book I have read in a very long time. First you must realize that this is a work of pure science fiction once you understand that then you are good to go. Its a simple story of a young boy whose midichlorian count is astronomically high, he was conceived immaculately from super beings one named Hope (no relation to Bob) and another named Promise (no relations to the stripper, although I heard Promise is smoking hot). Now the story starts off with random mother and son who are staring at a box. Obama magically appears within the box, he is able to manipulate time and space since he has an operating thetan level of XIII, one less then John Travolta, and two less then Tom Cruise. Obama begins to entice the little boy with candy and a magical adventure to yesterdayland begins as we follow the boy as he follows Obama growing up to be the chosen one to defend Earth from the offspring of Xenu & Satan, a little girl named Sarah.

My favorite part of this magical ponyrific story is when Obama is seen taking orders from a hallucination of a dead man, and the little boy upon seeing this states that he misses his daddy, whom i presumed is either dead or more likely in another state with another woman. It was heartfelt and heartwarming and made my heart beat with its life affirmingness.

I recommend this book to all Scientologist, people who believe Jedi's are real and or has listed Jedi as their religion on a Census report, little children who believe that Santa died for their sins and brings them presents to celebrate how well they decorated their homes with bright flashing lights, and to anyone who voted for Obama that believe things will actually change now and that hope is all you need to feed your family.

I am so Disappointed!
I was so excited to see a picture book version of Obama's life, and knowing the work of Nikki Grimes, I ordered the title without hesitation. What I received was very disappointing. The narration was saccharine, almost to the point of being a story about someone whom I did not know. The Illustrations were also very disappointing.
I felt the book, overall, gave an unrealistic picture of a wonderful man, and was, ultimately, not suitable for young readers. I will wait for something better written and illustrated for this age group to come along.