"For children there was a bit too politic stuff," said Alice, my ten year old reader, "But otherwise it was very interesting." More than any First Lady since Jackie Onassis, Michelle O's looks have been studied and commented on. Yes, she is very pretty and well groomed, but needless to say, there is a lot more to Obama than what's on the surface.
Dawne Allette's biography, Michelle Obama - The Making of a First Lady, begins in North London at the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Language College where Michelle visited in April 2008. There she gave an inspirational speech to the children there and answered there questions. From there she goes back to 17 January 1964 when Michelle was born.
Allette draws the English reader in by focusing on Michelle's visit to London and then takes the reader through her childhood, her education at Princeton and Harvard, meeting Barack and the election campaign.
The chapters are short and easy to read. They are punctuated by "fact file" boxes that tell things about Chicago or her favourite singer or which fashion magazine Michelle Obama appeared in. There are a handful of colour photos inside of Michelle as a child, student, wife and mother.
Even if they complain about the political parts, it couldn't do them harm. The story is inspirational and fun for grown-ups who missed the magazine articles and want a crash course of the woman behind the "most powerful man" in the world.
Remy did his Great Changer project on Barack, but he wanted to do Michelle! I loved this & am now officially turned onto it. Thank you.
Posted by: Sarah Buttenwieser | May 04, 2010 at 07:34 PM