The picture book biography Joey: The Story of Joe Biden is an inviting and loving introduction to the President of the United States, focusing on his childhood and the values instilled by his family and teachers. Energetic and competitive, Joey ran with the ball, literally and figuratively, as he navigated the playing fields and backyards of his Pennsylvania hometown. Outgoing and generous-spirited, he was a “people person” alert to the dynamics of his family and community, a trait that would serve him well as he grew up and moved into the worlds of high school, college and beyond. Biden entered public service at age twenty-nine, becoming a six-term United States Senator from Delaware and subsequently serving as Vice President of the United States for eight years alongside President Obama. In November, 2019, he was elected President of the United States; his chosen running mate was Kamala Harris. Author Dr. Jill Biden, with Kathleen Krull, draws on numerous family stories and happenings to provide understanding of the challenges Biden faced over the years and his significant achievements, honed by values of loyalty, determination, and truth-telling. In his address presenting Joe Biden the Medal of Freedom, Barack Obama stated: “Bravery resides in every heart, and yours is fierce and clear.” Amy June Bates’s illustrations are as engaging as Biden’s story. Combined with family photos, they provide a charming and informative introduction to our new president. A comprehensive timeline, sources and “Bidenisms” complete the book. Ages 4 up. Paula Wiseman Books / Simon & Schuster, 2020.
Author Nikki Grimes’s picture book Kamala Harris: Rooted in Justice is a rich description of a young girl growing to adulthood in the context of social awareness and activism. Grimes places the biographical narrative in the context of fictional child Eve’s conversation with her mother, seamlessly introducing the meaning of Harris’s choices as she navigated the path to becoming Vice President of the United States. As a young child in a stroller, Harris attended civil rights marches with her parents. As an elementary school student in her diverse Berkley, CA, community, she heard different languages and participated in after-school programs in her black working-class neighborhood. Kamala heard James Baldwin speak and Maya Angelou read; she listened to Nina Simone sing, internalizing what it meant to be “young, gifted and black.” Moving to Montreal for her mother’s new job brought valuable experiences, then Kamala returned to the United States to attend Howard University. Having had her confidence supported by the adults in her life, Harris was not shy about taking leadership positions throughout college, internships and law school, eventually becoming the first black woman Attorney General of California and the second black woman in the U. S. Senate. In Grimes’s words: “Each time she answered a call for help, Kamala proved her family’s legacy of public service was alive and well in her.” Laura Freeman illustrates Harris's story beautifully. In January, 2020, Harris became the first woman—and the first woman of color, the daughter of immigrants—to serve as Vice President of the United States. Ages 4 up. Atheneum Books for Young Readers / Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, 2020
