Michelle Deborah Hopkinson AG Ford

Michelle by Deborah Hopkinson illus. by AG Ford This is a wonderful biography about the First Lady, Michelle Obama. It begins on January 20,2009 with the unforgettable moment when the President and Michelle Obama walked and waved to the crowd. On the first three pages are on President Obama's inauguration . The reader then meets a young Michelle Robinson, who will grow up to be the first African American First Lady. Beginning in the small apartment in the South Side of Chicago the author gives the reader a good sense of the type of person Michelle was, determined and focused. Always at the top of her class and accepted at Princeton. The author points out the importance of family in all of this success.

President Barack Obama makes his first appearance in Michelle Robinson's life at a Chicago law firm. President Obama is now a part of the story though Hopkinson's keeps the focus on the First Lady. Her commitment to community service is mentioned in the biography and expanded on in the great afterword.

The illustrations for this biography are beautiful. I love the color contrast throughout the book. If you look at the opening spread you can see for yourself. AG Ford is quickly becoming one of my favorite new illustrators. Click here and here to see why. At times like this I wish I had what it takes to breakdown illustrators and get across how great the artwork is. I can only hope that the ladies at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast will have AG Ford stop by for a chant in the future. ( Yes that is a slightly shameless request and I hope it works)

Hopkinson's information filled text and Ford's gorgeous illustrations make this biography on Michelle Obama a must have. 7up