Anna L. (annalovesbooks) reviewed on 6/17/2009

ISBN 1416989552 - When I requested the book, I had no idea that it was intended to be a children's book. Having read it, I doubt that it's intended to be a children's book - and, if it is, it's a huge miss.

The text is just various quotes from Barack Obama. The illustrations are all that Kadir Nelson brings to the table and they're... ugly. Unique, but ugly. There's no story here, it being just quotes from the then-candidate. The text is in varying fonts and sizes. The drawings are pencil sketches; some of them look like nothing more than organized scribbles, even though the people and things in the images are easily identified.

This is not a biography, as it is listed in some places. It is not even something that I would call a book, exactly. It's more like a memento and it seems to me like a cheap way to make money off of the popularity of the president. If you're collecting Obama-related things for the grandchildren, this is worth adding to that box, but it's not deserving of shelf space in my house. I don't think children will find it enjoyable, particularly since it's listed for the 9 to 12 age group, who will be able to read it in under five minutes and whose books, generally, aren't expected to be illustrated anyway.

- AnnaLovesBooks

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