A biography about the first lady that focuses on her role as "mom-in-chief." It is a valuable look at the life of a smart, educated, confident African-American with multiple roles who appears to put her role of mom at the top of her list. The story of Michelle's life helps children understand the past by pointing out that when Mrs. Obama was young there were relatively few blacks on TV, and that she was one of only a small percentage of black students at Princeton and Harvard.
There is a nice combination of photographs and watercolor pictures to support the very clear and readable text. It is a very positive look at the first lady with almost no negative material. This is not that unusual considering the it is intended for elementary aged children. Most biographies of presidents and their families written for this age group are positive and contain little negative or controversial information.
Grades K-5

Upper elementary students will enjoy reading about our current first lady, Michelle Obama, in this short, readable biography. Photographs accompany watercolor illustrations of her life growing up in Chicago's Southside. She grew up in a time when blacks were not welcomed in white neighborhoods. She thought her family was just like those she saw on TV; they weren't wealthy, but they weren't poor either. They loved to play games and spend time together. Readers will find that she was a smart, determined young girl who always knew her own mind. She followed her dream to college and eventually became a lawyer in a firm where she met her future husband, Barack. Little did she know that she would be the first lady of our nation. She sees herself as a mom first, and wants to help other working women who also juggle the demands of a job and family. This is a good source for students writing their first research papers on famous people. The readable text is accessible to all students while not oversimplified. Michelle is portrayed as a real person, mom and wife, with thoughts and ideas like other women students know. Students gain real knowledge of her, without glorifying her position of first lady.