Of Thee I Sing (2010)

Nice book that incorporates various attributes with famous people in (mostly) American history. I enjoyed the illustrations, too. ( )

recommended by: Kathryn

recommended for: children & parents; for those interested in many aspects of history & historical figures

Full disclosure: I admire Barack Obama and am particularly smitten with him as a father, with his family. I think that he has a lovely family and that he and Michelle are marvelous parents, and the girls seem like truly nice people.

The concept of this book is that Obama is writing a letter to his daughters about how he feels love for them and his hopes for them, all the time educating them about people who have made a difference.

It might be thanks to the illustrator, Loren Long, that this book is ingenious in its execution.

For every attribute Obama mentions (creative, smart, brave, a healer, have your own song, being strong, honoring others’ sacrifices, being kind, not giving up, an explorer, are inspiring, are part of a family, are proud to be an American) he tells a little about various people in history who exemplify those things. The people he introduces are Georgia O’Keeffe, Albert Einstein, Jackie Robinson, Sitting Bull, Billie Holiday, Helen Keller, Maya Lin, Jane Addams, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Neil Armstrong, Cesar Chavez, Abraham Lincoln, and George Washington. (At the back of the book, there is a short biographical paragraph on each of them.)

But what’s brilliant about this, aside from introducing some inspiring people, is that the illustrations show Obama’s two girls and then each of the famous people as children. As each person’s contributions are discussed, they appear with Obama’s daughters on the next page. So, the two girls are joined by more and more people, until there are many children going forward together, as each one joins the group. I found it inspiring, especially since the focus is on the diversity of people that make the country great. It’s children who are shown here, even if the accomplishments being talked about weren’t brought to fruition until their adulthoods.

Some pictures of Bo, their dog, make it into the book, and I can never resist a cute dog.

I am far from a raving patriot, and I often don’t like “patriotic” books, but I am fond of this book. I appreciate that the people featured made contributions in all sorts of different ways, and I admire most of them, so that probably influenced how I feel about this book. For some readers this book will be an unappealing celebrity book or too didactic or political, but I enjoyed it.

The illustrations are great, showing the featured people as kids and having them come from all sort of backgrounds making all sorts of contributions will help make history come alive even for kids not normally interested in the subject. There is something here to interest almost everyone. ( )

Earnest and well-meaning but painfully obvious. Mr. President, please leave children's book writing to the professionals. ( )

I wonder who thought the idea of this book up? It reads like a spin-doctor's idea of a way to 'unite America' and mention loads of historically important people making sure that the selection is racially diverse. I liked the illustrations and the book was beautifully produced but the prose didn't move me at all. Maybe if I'd been an American I would have felt differently, but I'm not, I'm a West Indian and that means I'm support Obama but have no US party allegiance at all. ( )

This book is a motivational letter to the daughters of Obama. it goes through different Americans that have made great contributions.