Barack Obama: Working to Make a Difference (Gateway Biography) [Paperback]

Marlene Targ Brill (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-6–With a well-designed format and clear, concise prose, these biographies provide glimpses into the lives of their subjects. Brill's description of Obama's childhood is poignant, and the passages dealing with his relationship with his father are especially well written. The author also does a great job of presenting the senator's successes and failures impartially. On the other hand, McElroy's recounting of Gonzales's childhood occasionally becomes sentimental. Sidebars in both titles offer either brief summaries of important sections or interesting insights not mentioned in the texts. Color and black-and-white photographs of the men, beginning in childhood, include private and public-relations shots. Easy to read, factually correct, and serviceable for research.–Melissa Christy Buron, Epps Island Elementary, Houston, TX
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 5-8. With Obama increasingly in the spotlight, this timely entry in the Gateway Biography series will be in demand. Brill offers a warm, personal portrait of the politician, beginning with his parents' disparate backgrounds and his multinational upbringing and moving through his political awakenings, higher education, and public life. There are no source notes, an omission that is most glaring in references to Obama's personal thoughts and impressions. Still, Brill offers an intimate portrait that is bolstered by her own interviews with Obama's colleagues, schoolmates, and friends. The many photos include Obama's elementary- and high-school-yearbook pictures. Appended material includes a chronology, a glossary, and a brief list of suggested Web sites. The first of what will surely be many biographies for youth about the rising U.S. senator from Illinois. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 47 pages
• Publisher: First Avenue Editions (April 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0822560569
• ISBN-13: 978-0822560562
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 7.2 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,242,670 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Introducing Barak Obama, December 1, 2006

By 

Cathy "Multicultural Book Reviewer" (Lincoln, NE United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Barack Obama: Working to Make a Difference (Gateway Biographies) (Library Binding)

The life of rising U.S. political star Barack Obama is detailed in this biography for Grades 4-7. This book is a satisfactory introduction to Obama who is currently a senator from Illinois with possible presidential aspirations. A strength of this book is the description of Obama's early life, where he was exposed to many cultures and experiences. Great photos accompany. One drawback is the description of Obama's wife, Michelle, as "noble-looking"--something that most likely would not happen with a white subject.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Making a Difference, May 13, 2007

By 

Carolyn Mason-burton "cmasonb" (Asheville, NC) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Barack Obama: Working to Make a Difference (Gateway Biography) (Paperback)

The book is an excellent, short story,yet a well written view of Obama's life as a child to adulthood. Very easy reading for children.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Children's Booklet, February 22, 2007

By 

M. Dahlberg (Hawaii) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Barack Obama: Working to Make a Difference (Gateway Biography) (Paperback)

This booklet was intended for a young audience, not adults. Although it appears factual and contains some interesting photographs, I would not recommend it to adults interested in knowing more about Barack Obama.