Our world seems to be very chaotic lately. Many people are upset by the election. Yet, our society does it by popular vote at least by popular vote to electors, and Kamala Harris did not win. Today however I am sharing a beautiful picture book about Kamala Harris and all she has accomplished. The book is If Kamala Can ... You Can Too! by Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrated by Ariana Pacino. It is recommended for ages 5 to 10. It is a perfect book for Women's History Month as well as Black History Month and Asian and Pacific Island Heritage Month.
From the Publisher:
If Kamala can, so can I! From the newly-announced Young People's Poet Laureate comes a powerful and inspiring picture book that shares how each milestone and moment in Kamala Harris's life represents something that lies within young readers' reach, too—building community, asking for answers, learning from elders, standing up for what's right, pride, friendship, strength, and most of all—knowing that nothing is out of the reach of their future!
From Me:
I will admit I am a fan of Kamala Harris. I truly believe our country would be better off with her as our President. However, that is not the theme of this book. This book shares some facts about Kamala and her life. And with each fact comes a goal for a child. She comes from two different cultures (Black and Asian and Pacific Islander) and fights for equal rights for all. A child should be proud of his or her own cultures. The book goes on like this. It shares about her childhood as well as her adult life. It goes through her being Vice President--the first female Vice President, the first Black and first Asian Vice President. It shares so many inspirational parts of Kamala and relates them to kids' everyday lives.
One of the things I noticed right away was the various kids illustrated in the book. They are not just Black girls. There are boys and girls of all different races and even one in a wheelchair. It is an inspirational and feel-good book. It is also a biography about Kamala without getting into the details likes dates. At the end of the book there are a few quotes from Kamala as well as a bit more of a biography. This book is important to mark the amazing accomplishments of Kamala and how her successes are a step forward for people everywhere. It is important to note how she has gone further than any other woman in our country. The book truly focuses on positive things in her life and the ways she helped others and was successful. It is meant to push kids to reach for their dreams and put the work in so they can achieve them. It pushes them to respect their elders, ask questions, work hard and be a good friend. It is truly a wonderful book that marks a piece of our history.
