Customer Reviews

Barack

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(15)

 

 

This is a beautifully written and illustrated story for children. It's an inspirational story of self-discovery that also imparts our American values of pursuing one's dreams with hard work and perseverance. I'm a Republican and don't support/like Obama, but this is a great book because it tells a story my kids enjoy about another human being who has made something of his life. (I only wish the McCain book was as well written). I highly recommend this and Winter's other children's biographies if you want your children to enjoy learning about about history and culture through truly inspirational life stories.

Of the current group of books for children about Obama, this is by far the most well-written, most successfully executed, and most child-appropriate one. This isn't a smart country we live in, and children do, regardless of what the election's outcome might be, need to have the story of this candidate told in simple terms, in writing and not in a schmaltzy TV documentary. After 8 horrendous years, Americans nominated this man to run for President--a tremendous stride for his race; a book about a historic moment like this is worth more than all the toilet-training adventures and ghost-written celebrity stories about minding your manners you could possibly imagine. The illustrations, too, by a newcomer, promise a strong, strong career. I was very happy to purchase this book, and I'm very happy to see a work with such a combination of sophistication and energy on the market. A million thanks to everyone involved.

I'm still holding out on buying this book or the McCain book, depending on who wins. It would be a great way to introduce our new president to students. The McCain book I saw was more informative and had actual photographs. This Obama book had beautiful illustrations and covered the basics on Obama's life with the focus being on finding his identity. It sounded as if the author read Obama's first book and just regurgitated it, making it sound choppy. I find that most biographies for children do turn people into flawless heroes with hearts of gold and this book did it again...either way, still worth using it for possibly introducing the president and enjoying the beautiful illustrations.

This is an openly affectionate portrait of Barack Obama, speaking to where he comes from and what he hopes to stand for. My young son is an Obama fan, for any number of reasons he can tell you about if you're in the neighborhood, and this book helps him better understand the man he likes so much. The writing's precise and spirited, nicely suited for its intended readership but also not likely to drive parents nuts if they're reading the words aloud. A sweet and thoughtful book.

Winter, Jonah. Barack. Illustrated by A.G. Ford. Collins. 2009.

This lovely picture book provides a touching, lyrical overview of the major elements of Barack Obama's life mentioning his mixed race parents, childhood years spent in Indonesia, one time meeting with his father, adolescence spent living with his mother's parents in Hawaii, community organizing in Chicago, political life in Illinois, and campaign for President in 2008. It is a great way for young children to meet the man who is now the President of the United States. Written before Barack was elected President, this book showcases how Barack has become a great human being and leader because he was able to pull together the many disparate pieces of his life into a healthy whole. The vibrant illustrations glow with color and drama. It is very hard to depict real people because probably every reader will have a slightly different view of their accurate appearance; I think that Michelle Obama is far more beautiful and animated than she appears in this book.

I purchased four Barack books for my grandchildren for this historic election. The book takes a younger child's view and explains much about his background and what he has accomplished. I assume it will be a collector book some day.

As adults we are all so interested in what is happening around us. This election has been the main topic of conversation for months. This book is a wonderful way to get our children excited about our country and about this crucial election. Decisions we make as Americans are going to greatly impact our young children and their future, why not get them involved. This book has inspired me and my kids to talk about the election and ask questions. Great job!

As a big fan of Jonah Winter's picture book biographies, I was thrilled to see he had taken on a subject as enormous and timely as Barack Obama. And I was even more thrilled to see the results -- a very passionate, condensed portrait of a history-making candidate, written in a simple, direct style certain to appeal to children. Winter keeps the tone up-beat and emotional, almost channeling Obama's own tone, avoiding any negative references to other political candidates while simply stating what, in the content of Obama's character, led him to become the first African-American presidential nominee in American history.

If you're a children's book afficianado but not familiar with Winter's other picture book biographies, such as FRIDA (about Frida Kahlo) and DIZZY (about Dizzy Gillespie), you owe it to yourself to check those books out. In each biography, Winter uses a different style and tone, appropriate to the specific subject, to get at the essence of each figure -- and in an engaging manner kids will respond to. Though he mainly has written about musicians, artists and athletes, Jonah Winter is the perfect author to bring the inspirational story of Barack Obama to children.

This is probably the best of all the children's books of real-life people, political and presidential figures that I've seen.

The illustrations hearken back to a much earlier time in children's books and even evokes a certain sense of nostalgia to many of the old classics. The irony of this is that with such a positive message for the future from the principal subject of the book, it's a nice message of the past about him which tells the moral of remembering where you came from, who you are and what your own story is. The telling is warm and affectionate, but tasteful.

I think this is a great story for children without the necessity for camp or distortion.

Similar luke-warm attempts have been done about so many other political figures in the last two years that one may have re-examine these efforts in their entirety, but I think this book will continue to be seen as a classic for some time to come and separate from the many other submissions that we're already all too familiar with.

I purchased my copy the day it hit the shelves and obtained a first edition. I can't find this book anywhere now. Buy it while you can, it's worth in the future is assured.

There's something to be said for being part of a movement as it's moving and there's no reason for children to be left out. Why should we only teach our children about dead people? To the people who were appalled by the idea of a book being written before someone's legacy has already been established I would like to say that it is essential that we lead our children to feeling that this is their country, their world and even a realm as distant and "grown up" as politics is part of it. Thank you Mr. Winter. This book is amazing. My children love it!