I have been a history geek since I was a little girl. I am particularly drawn to political history, so my non-fiction picture book offerings to AB have been slightly heavy in this department. But, I believe that it is important for me to impart on her that the things that she is able to do today are a direct result of the courage that someone had years ago to stand up and speak their mind.
Here are a few of my favorites:
Focusing on courage and perseverance, this book is a nice survey of the major points in JFK's life. I appreciate Rappaport including some more difficult aspects that are not so easily explained to young readers, such as the Cuban Missile Crisis. However, she does it simply and seemingly effortlessly. By not sugarcoating JFK's experiences for her audience, she allows for the theme of courage to shine even more brightly. She also works in excerpts from JFK's personal letters, speeches and interviews which lend authenticity. Tavares's illustrations are a brilliant aid. Jack's Path of Courage is a great way to introduce a child to John F. Kennedy, as well as the concept of primary and secondary resources in research.
The illustrations are a fantastic fit to the story of rebellious Alice Roosevelt embodying the spirited nature of Theodore Roosevelt's oldest daughter. While she had her own share of struggles, losing her mother when she was a newborn and wearing leg braces for many years due to a mild case of polio, she resisted being pitied and bullied. This motivation drive her to be even more extraordinary. She truly "ate up the world" serving as a informal goodwill ambassador for her father during his presidency. She did not shy away from politics as an a "boys only" realm, instead she made herself an indispensable advisor to her father and husband. Alice was outrageous and offensive as she eschewed the rules but that is what made her so fabulous. Oh Alice, indeed.
Juxtaposed with her exuberant cousin Alice, we have the more reserved (but no less opinionated) Eleanor. The illustrator's style in
Eleanor, Quiet No More is a beautiful reflection of Eleanor's style reserved yet striking. Rappaport's effective style of interweaving the subject's own words into the story (as always) works wonderfully. Placing
Eleanor, Quiet No More and
What to Do About Alice? side by side and asking children to describe the kind of person the book is going to be about is a wonderful exercise in the power of illustration. It is also a way to emphasize that you don't have to be the loudest or most outgoing person in the room to be heard. It is important to speak up for what you believe in and Eleanor is a perfect example. Even if it did not align with public opinion, she still spoke up, whether it was against racism and discrimination (including disagreeing with her husband's decision to allow internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II) or in support of better housing, health care, and education. After her husband's death, she raised her voice to a global level, as she advocated for international human rights as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Alice and Eleanor are two women that I introduce to my daughter as examples of strong women who informed themselves, formed intelligent opinions and entered the discourse, making great strides and paving the way.
President Obama gathers an inspiring collection of Americans who have made contributions to American society through their varying talents including artists, scientists, atheletes, and activists. It helps underscore my belief that no matter what your personality, no matter what your talent, you can use your strengths to make a difference. It is also a great reminder that all children have a great mixture of creativity, intelligence, bravery, kindness, and perserverance in them, but it will manifest differently in every child. We as parents, teachers, aunts and uncles, friends and neighbors must be aware of the light that shines in every child. We must nuture it and protect it because (as cheesy as it sounds) it is true: the children are our future.
Happy Reading!
