Born Biracial (1961-1979)

Gr 7 Up—These titles offer an in-depth look at the life and presidency of Barack Obama. However, the information is heavy on quotations at the expense of narrative flow, and there are often numerous quotation blocks per spread, which distract from the texts rather than add to them. Although the authors attempt to give context, prior knowledge is definitely helpful. Captioned color photos frequently take up half a page. With different authors, there is a distinct difference in writing quality among the volumes. In fact, the volume that covers the racial background of Obama's parents and grandparents makes some uncomfortable presumptions about the reading audience, calling Africa "A Land Unlike Our Own." The series provides a plethora of information, but in some problematic ways. The iPad edition will be released first, with the other editions to follow.