Island Child: the Childhood of Barack Obama. This book by storyteller, Loralee Cooley and illustrated by Jillian H. Gilliland, is about the childhood of Barack Obama, the 44the President of the United States. It explores his life before age ten in Hawaii and Indonesia.
The book is a easy introduction to the life of a historic leader and a a reminder that everyone was once a child. Children will understand through descriptions of the child Barrack Obama experiences : moving to new places, being different, being in a single parent family, being part of a mixed race family, and trying to fit in this thing called life.
It's is written at a level which invites understanding for independent readers in grades 2 to 6. It could be used as a high-interest/low-level text and will definitely enhance studies of Hawaii, Presidents, Africa, Asia, families, or similar topics.
It is charmingly illustrated by chapters headers featuring symbols from Hawaii with silhouettes and images related to each chapter's content. It contains a sample recipe from Indonesia ,Chicken in Coconut Milk, as a way to extend the book and experience another culture. Other helps include a pronunciation guide for names and places, a bibliography, and a key to some of the symbols in the illustrations.
