Obama: A Promise of Change [Paperback]

David Mendell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 6, 2008 | Age Level: 8 and up

Barack obama captured America's attention when he delivered his renowned keynote address to the 2004 Democratic National Convention. By encouraging his followers to believe in America's great promise, Obama has become a symbol of hope, change, and unity. From veteran Chicago Tribune journalist David Mendell comes a rich portrait of Barack Obama, chronicling his life up until his decision to run for president.

See history in the making! This book includes an afterword about Obama's presidential campaign through the Ohio primary and a photo insert! It is adapted from Obama: From Promise to Power, winner of an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 6–8—This adaptation of Mendell's adult book Obama: From Promise to Power (HarperCollins, 2007) summarizes the life of Obama through March 2008, describing his upbringing, changing family, education, and political work. The text is accurate and well researched, with endnotes providing citations for each chapter. Captioned black-and-white photographs appear in a centerfold. Though the lack of an index makes this title more appropriate for reading from cover to cover than for research projects, the table of contents does allow youngsters to locate specific times in Obama's life by topic. Brief chapters and accessible vocabulary are appropriate for the intended audience, although adult assistance might be needed for total comprehension of the discussions of how politicians operate in party politics, run campaigns, and hire image-builders. These ideas may be unfamiliar to younger kids, and may need some explanation.—Sara Rofofsky Marcus, Yeshiva Har Torah, Little Neck, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

Rendered down from Mendell’s 400-plus-page Obama: From Promise to Power (2007), this profile will acquaint younger readers with the candidate’s family background, youth, early work as a community organizer, 2006 trip to Africa, and rise to visibility in both Illinois and in national politics. A journalist who has been covering Obama for several years, Mendell paints a positive but not entirely glowing picture, focusing (here, at least) less on Obama’s specific opinions and accomplishments than on his general outlook and his developing skills in the political arena. Though illustrated with an insignificant selection of small black-and-white photos, and—aside from a terse reference to the March 2008 primary results—ending with his presidential candidacy announcement in February 2007, this still may have some value for its generally evenhanded view of Obama’s career and character. Grades 5-8. --John Peters

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Amistad (May 6, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061697001
• ISBN-13: 978-0061697005
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,975,384 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Sarah L. Thomson is the author of Stars and Stripes: The Story of the American Flag, a Nebraska Golden Sower Award finalist; all the Wildlife Conservation Society I Can Read Books, including Amazing Tigers!, winner of an Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Award; and What Lincoln Said, written with "admirable simplicity" (ALA Booklist). Sarah lives in Portland, Maine.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Magic of Obama, September 10, 2008

By 

H. F. Corbin "Foster Corbin" (ATLANTA, GA USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Obama: A Promise of Change (Hardcover)

OBAMA: A PROMISE OF CHANGE is an adaptation for young readers ages eight to twelve of David Mendell's OBAMA: FROM PROMISE TO POWER. It is a good introduction to Obama's history and should appeal to the audience for which it is written. Each chapter opens with a quotation, sometimes from Barack Obama himself, his wife Michelle ("Congratulations, Mr. Senator"), elderly Kenyan women, Obama's brother-in-law, an Obama voter et al. Mr. Mendell quotes liberally from both Mr. Obama's writings and interviews and includes photographs as well.

The author briefly describes Obama's uniqueness, his father from Kenya, his mother from Hawaii and Kansas, his childhood in Indonesia, his education, how the young Barry became Barach, his community organizing in Chicago, his marriage and children, his faith, then his foray into state and national politics and his visits to Africa in straightforward language. He explains terms and events to the young reader-- the definition of a stump speech and the events of 9/11, for instance, as well as how to pronounce the word "Kibera" without being pedantic, a necessary quality for any writer trying to get the attention of young readers in this age of television and the many other distractions that keep them from picking up a book.

Whether one is for Mr. Obama for president or not-- after all children do not vote anyway-- it is impossible to read this book without catching the magic of the man and believing that ours is a diverse country where all things are possible.

2 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Political Mumbo Jumbo, November 13, 2008

By 

John R. King "Lancelot" (Raleigh, NC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Obama: A Promise of Change (Paperback)

This books is just glorified politics of good feelings but doesn't really tell what his promise of change really will be. Sad thing people will believe this stuff and follow him into socialism.