by Roberta Edwards, Who HQ Series

As the world now knows, Barack Obama has made history as our first African-American president. With black-and-white illustrations throughout, this biography is perfect for primary graders looking for a longer, fuller life story than is found in the author's bestselling beginning reader Barack Obama: United States President.

Children's Literature

A recent addition to the "Who Was. . .?" series of biographies is this breezily-written but informative look at President Obama's family, education, and rise to political power. Four chapters explore the president's early life and schooling in Hawaii and Indonesia through his move to Columbia University in New York, where he explored Harlem and learned about life in the mainland US. Though his divorced father had invited him to visit in Kenya, Obama never saw him again; he died in 1982. Working as a community organizer in Chicago, Obama was accepted into Harvard Law School, but first took time for a trip to Kenya, where he met his father's large and colorful family and paid a moving visit to the graves of his father and grandfather. At Harvard Obama met Michelle Robinson (the future First Lady), and published his first book. Back in Chicago, he taught and entered Illinois politics in addition to becoming a father. From then on, Obama's rise was spectacularly swift. Especially dramatic is his story of being summoned by Harry Reid and told that the Democratic Party wanted him to run for president. Two final chapters take readers through the exciting campaign and Obama's triumphal election. Sidebars highlight the Civil Rights Movement, Kenya, the Constitution, and African-American presidential candidates. Keeping pace with the story are O'Brien's quick pen-and-ink sketches, focusing on Obama and the people in his life; timelines and a bibliography that are included will be helpful to young researchers. Reviewer: Barbara L. Talcroft