Barack Obama, Son of Promise, Child of Hope, is the inspirational story of a man and his hope to “become a bridge between Whites and Blacks, rich and poor, Christians and Muslims and Jews”. The time period starts with his childhood in Hawaii, then covers some of his life-changing events in Indonesia, Kenya, Chicago, and finally ends at his historic run for the White House. Nikki Grimes, winner of the Coretta Scott King Award, tells two tales at the same time, weaving them together with a common thread of HOPE.
We first meet an inquisitive, young African American boy named David who is watching Barack Obama for the first time on TV. David asks his mother,
“Who is Obama and why is everyone cheering for him?” David’s mother, a single parent, proceeds to tell her son about a boy called “Barry” who was born of a White mother from Kansas and a Black father from Kenya. The conversation between David and his mom continues simultaneously on the bottom of each page as the story unfolds. For example, when a young Barry struggles with his relationship with his absentee father, David says,
“I miss my dad, too.” When an older Barack searches for ways to help the hungry and homeless in the streets of Djakarta (and later in Chicago), David comments,
“He didn’t give up, did he?”
While this book was actually published before the results of the November election were known, I still found a wealth of valuable information. In the back of the book there is a list of Important Dates from 1961 to 2008. There is also a picture of a family tree that shows Obama’s relatives from Kansas to Kenya. An inspiration children's book for young readers (and old!).
About the Author
Nikki Grimes (http://www.nikkigrimes.com ) is an African American poet and best-selling author of more than 45 books for children and young adults.
There are many fascinating books featuring the Obama family on this website, including
Michelle Obama: An American Story by David Colbert,
Which Puppy? by Kate Feiffer, and
Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance by Barack Obama (click on links below to read book reviews).