Book review: Obama: The Historic Journey (Young Reader's Edition)
[Disclosure: This is a MotherTalk book review; in return for posting my honest thoughts, I received a free copy of the book.]
Politics has been a dominant theme in our household since before last year's election. The kids were finally old enough to talk about the issues, and they had questions about my views versus the views of other people they know. I tried my best to present a balanced, neutral view whenever possible. I told them how I felt about certain issues, and why, and said that they may find themselves on the other side of those issues, and that's OK.
But regardless of one's political leanings, the 2008 presidential election was pretty darn historic for Americans, and an exciting time to be learning about the election process. We focused on the opportunity to have the first black president, first female president or first female vice president, and what those possibilities could mean to the United States and the world.
Obama: The Historic Journey: Young Reader's Edition is a beautiful New York Times book that skillfully and playfully addresses the personal and the professional sides of Barack Obama. It is broken up into seven major sections; a brief overview is followed by chapters on Obama's childhood, his early political years, the primary, the election and beyond.
Republicans may take issue with the way John McCain and Sarah Palin are written about, or cringe at the mention of Tina Fey's (in my opinion) hilarious impression of Palin for "Saturday Night Live," but the book stops just short of being worshipful. For example, it doesn't shy away from mentioning the polarizing "father figure," Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr. And it includes how Michelle felt about the idea of her husband running for president, and what it might mean for their girls, which is something of interest to me as a mother.
At 96 lush pages, it is probably not the sort of book you can read in one sitting with your children, but its candid and professional photos, factoids, quotes and more about "the skinny kid with the funny name" make it an enjoyable read. I plan to leave it on a side table in the living room for the kids and guests to browse at their own pace, as it rivals any coffee-table book with its eye-catching cover and content.
For more mom reviews of the latest releases, be sure to check out the MotherTalk book reviews page.
Politics has been a dominant theme in our household since before last year's election. The kids were finally old enough to talk about the issues, and they had questions about my views versus the views of other people they know. I tried my best to present a balanced, neutral view whenever possible. I told them how I felt about certain issues, and why, and said that they may find themselves on the other side of those issues, and that's OK.
But regardless of one's political leanings, the 2008 presidential election was pretty darn historic for Americans, and an exciting time to be learning about the election process. We focused on the opportunity to have the first black president, first female president or first female vice president, and what those possibilities could mean to the United States and the world.
Obama: The Historic Journey: Young Reader's Edition is a beautiful New York Times book that skillfully and playfully addresses the personal and the professional sides of Barack Obama. It is broken up into seven major sections; a brief overview is followed by chapters on Obama's childhood, his early political years, the primary, the election and beyond.
Republicans may take issue with the way John McCain and Sarah Palin are written about, or cringe at the mention of Tina Fey's (in my opinion) hilarious impression of Palin for "Saturday Night Live," but the book stops just short of being worshipful. For example, it doesn't shy away from mentioning the polarizing "father figure," Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr. And it includes how Michelle felt about the idea of her husband running for president, and what it might mean for their girls, which is something of interest to me as a mother.
At 96 lush pages, it is probably not the sort of book you can read in one sitting with your children, but its candid and professional photos, factoids, quotes and more about "the skinny kid with the funny name" make it an enjoyable read. I plan to leave it on a side table in the living room for the kids and guests to browse at their own pace, as it rivals any coffee-table book with its eye-catching cover and content.
For more mom reviews of the latest releases, be sure to check out the MotherTalk book reviews page.