5 stars
A gorgeous, heartfelt letter from Barack Obama to his daughters, introducing various historical figures in American history and how they helped shape and change the country and the world.
The letter itself is simple yet lyrical, lovely to read aloud. Obama gives a short introduction of each figure, what they are best known for, and connects the trait to those of his daughters.
I loved the illustrations. The historical figures are introduced one by one, then join Malia, Sasha, and the others. Each page builds on the last. I enjoyed looking at all the details as the group grew. The figures mingle with one another, making new friendships, and sharing their interests and gifts with others as shown in trading their associated objects. This was such a lovely detail and coincided well with the book’s message of people coming together, learning from one another, and working to build something great.
At the end of the book, there is a short bio of each person mentioned. There is a nice variety is those Obama chose to highlight. There are very popular people like Helen Keller and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and individuals less often represented in collections like these such as Maya Lin. There are some controversial figures who undoubtedly evoked big change such as Sitting Bull and Cesar Chavez. There are also some who are well known but have been put under more realistic criticism in recent years including George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.
In this collection, Obama chooses to focus on the positive traits and changes individuals helped actualize. These were real human people with flaws and strengths. This book opens up some great learning opportunities as children age and are deemed ready to learn about some of the less positive aspects of history. It promotes traits such as creativity, intelligence, bravery, perseverance, and inspiration, and using those qualities to help others and make the world better for all.
A lovely message presented in a lovely book. Inspiring, heartfelt, and a great opening to learn about various aspects of history.