I Am Barack Obama
Kindergarten-Grade 5—This title uses inspirational verse and illustrations to introduce readers to the president. The poetry itself is contrived and vague unless supplemented with "Barack's Story," presented in prose at the end of the book. The flat illustrations are out of order as Barack, shown as a young child in a classroom with an airplane drawing, is placed after two images in which he is depicted as a teen and an intermediate student. Lacking depth, the artwork does not generate interest or complement the text, and none of the people depicted are identified. Children are invited to submit inspirational stories about their dreams and President Obama. Several examples from children are appended along with a message from the author. Nikki Grimes'sBarack Obama: Son of Promise, Child of Hope(S & S, 2008) is a much better choice.—Nancy Baumann, Indian Paintbrush Elementary, Laramie, WYCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.