The author and illustrator of Obama: Only in America (2010) offer a companion life of the First Lady, showing the values of her childhood family and summarizing her schooling and her current role. Barrett’s realistic oil paintings, done on canvas in muted tones, serve as a series of full-bleed portraits that chronicle her growth. Opposite, a few lines of spare text outline her life. The dedication page includes a vignette, a set of books, perhaps from a children's literature series of the time. This reappears on each text page, reminding readers of the bookish nature of this "walking talking American success story." Curiously, though the subtitle highlights her role as mother, the children's first appearance is on the next-to-last spread, in which Obama is shown coming home to kiss her girls goodnight during the presidential campaign. This disappointing biography may appeal to parents looking for inspiring stories of successful women, but it’s unfortunate that the author has defined success only in terms of her subject’s acceptance at prestigious schools and marriage. (Picture book/biography. 4-7)
