This 2020 book is both timely and important. It provides teachers with an opportunity to acquaint children in grades K-4 with our vice-president elect. The book shows her challenges and growth from childhood through becoming a presidential candidate and then stepping down from the campaign (note that the book was published prior to being named vice president for the Biden campaign). The story of Kamala Harris is told using a seesaw structure in which a contemporary young girl is offended when a classmate laughs at her for stating she wanted to be president when she grew up. Her story is intertwined with that of Kamala Harris as each comes to understand issues such as public service, justice, personal growth, fairness, failure, and freedom. Along the way children are also introduced to the heroes that guided Kamala—Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, Maya Angelou, and Thurgood Marshall. Children learn about the difficulties Kamala Harris had to overcome in her pursuit of justice, even learning that she failed the bar exam the first time she took it.
An SDA caution—When Harris announces that she is running for President of the U.S. she wonders “if Shirley Chisholm, the first black woman to run for President, was smiling down from heaven that very moment.”
About the Author: Nikki Grimes is a #1 New York Times Best-selling Author and has authored multiple books, many of them earning prestigious awards. In my own collection I have 16 of her books so I had high expectations for this book. I expected memorable language, lyrical writing, attitude, characters that make me care. I found some of that in this book yet I was also somewhat disappointed that my expectations were somewhat unfulfilled. Nevertheless, I know this is a high profile character that students need to become acquainted with and Nikki Grimes has done that work for us.
Grimes started her writing career at age six and has not stopped. She conducts poetry readings and gives lectures throughout the world. She has also taken part in short-term mission projects. Her interest in art extends beyond writing to singing, photography, created fiber art, sculpture beading, and making homemade cards created from recycled materials.
Her website contains helpful resources for teachers and students. She is the author who introduced me to golden shovel poems (see One Last Word). She’ll explain what that is on her website.
Teaching Points: Biography, Women in politics, Metaphors, Memorable language, Seesaw structure, Speaking & listening, Timeline
There are several metaphors in this book that should be explored with children—roots, braids, and clay. These metaphors are not so explicit in the text so the teacher may want children to explore Kamala’s life through each of the metaphors, three good purposes for re-reading.
I would pair this book with Kamala and Maya’s Big Idea. This partial biography tells the story of a childhood justice issue Kamala and her sister encountered and how they did some problem-solving and engaged in social justice to solve the problem.
Pathways Themes: Heroes, Social Issues & Justice
Reviewed by Krystal Bishop, EdD
Professor of Education
Southern Adventist University
