Review by New York Times Review
IT'S A question parents have wrestled with since the 2016 presidential election: How do we explain this political moment to our children? I, for one, was hoping the answer would not involve a book aimed at teenagers in which a candidate's obscene reference to female anatomy appears on Page 2, butthatis where we are. In unpresIDENTED: A Biography of Donald Trump (Feiwel and Friends, 384 pp., $19.99; ages 12 and up), Martha Brockenbrough provides an encyclopedic tale of the rise of Donald J. Trump. Brockenbrough's version is, unapologetically, a liberal's framing of events. Then again, I'm not sure if a nonpartisan book about Trump could grow out of the current climate. For now, there is this thorough, hard-hitting volume that seeks to explain Trump, from the time he was born with a silver spoon and "golden hair, pink cheeks and a tiny pucker of a mouth," to his shocker of a presidential campaign ("candidates typically don't insult the parents of soldiers who die in combat"). The tone isn't lighthearted, yeti laughed out loud in Chapter 4. Is there any more telling symbol of our bizarre (and yes, unprecedented) times than Roy Cohn appearing prominently in a young adult book, and not one about the bygone days of McCarthyism? Brockenbrough describes Trump's infamous lawyer and fixer (or "attack dog," as she calls him) in such stark, terrifying terms that he seems almost like a cartoon villain, a closeted Cruella de Vil "with weatherworn skin, dark eyes and a nose that looked like it had encountered many fists in his 46 years." Halfway through "Unpresidented," I found myself craving a different type of children's book, something that would enlighten kids about the current climate, educate them on the historical struggles that got us here, but also offer bipartisan hope. I wanted a respite from the partisan rancor, preferably with appealing illustrations that didn't include a 2016 Electoral College map. I FOUND ALL of this and more in several immersive picture books about women leaders. The standout books of the bunch tell the stories of two remarkable women of color. In WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A VOICE LIKE THAT? (Beach Lane, 48 pp., $17.99; ages 4 to 8), a biography of Representative Barbara Jordan written by Chris Barton and illustrated by Ekua Holmes, we go from Jordan's modest upbringing in Houston to her civil rights activism to the halls of Congress and back to Texas after a multiple sclerosis diagnosis takes her out of public life. All the way, Jordan's distinct "big, bold, booming, crisp, clear, confident voice" guides us. Appropriately, Holmes's illustrations are big, bold, booming, crisp, clear folk art collages. The images - Jordan strumming a guitar against a starry sky, walking with a cane against the rowhouses of her youth - draw on Holmes's prowess as a mixedmedia artist. We learn about United States history in the process. "In 1960, America was not as free or fair a place as it could be. Barbara believed politics could change that," Barton writes. "Her voice had made a difference." IN TURNING PAGES: My Life Story (Philomel, 40 pp., $17.99; ages 4 to 8), Justice Sonia Sotomayor delivers an ode to books under the guise of recounting her life story. Lulu Delacre's soft renderings of the first Latina Supreme Court justice as a little brownhaired bookworm in the Bronx will make both Red and Blue hearts melt. But Sotomayor's book serves another purpose - her musings about her favorite comic books and Nancy Drew novels reinforce how few children's books reflected little girls like her. "Her make-believe life was so different than mine," Sotomayor writes of the Nancy Drew mysteries. "She lived in a big house on a tree-lined street and partnered with her dad, a successful lawyer, to solve crimes." Justice Sotomayor credits "Lord of the Flies" with teaching her why "we need laws and rules to feel safe." Her story skips a beat (or 12) when young Sonia suddenly ends up at Princeton, followed by a successful legal career and a seat on the Supreme Court. But it's a small hiccup in a children's book that bursts with charm. THESE BOOKS, in addition to ELIZA: The Story of Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton (Schwartz & Wade, 48 pp., $17.99; ages 4 to 8), a Sweet romp written by Margaret McNamara with artwork by Esme Shapiro that gives the woman and philanthropist best known as Alexander Hamilton's wife her proper due, appeal partly because their subjects aren't running for president. I MIGHT HAVE found ELIZABETH WARREN: Nevertheless She Persisted (Abrams, 48 pp., $ 18.99; ages 6 to 9), a biography of the Massachusetts senator by Susan Wood with peppy, absorbing illustrations by Sarah Green, equally charming were it not for Warren's obvious 2020 ambitions. Young readers will benefit from seeing little Elizabeth growing up in Oklahoma as her parents struggle financially. But lines like "Elizabeth wondered why more and more middle-class families weren't getting by anymore while the rich just seemed to get richer" track too closely with what'd we'd hear on the stump. Political mythmaking or not, the book's subtitle - "Nevertheless, She Persisted" - is satisfying. I'd bet that the majority leader, Mitch McConnell, didn't know he'd uttered the ?-Span moment that launched a thousand children's books when he tried to silence Warren's objections to the confirmation of Attorney General Jeff Sessions. His line, "Nevertheless, she persisted," became a feminist rallying cry, but it also quickly morphed into what seemed like attention for everyone except Warren. (Chelsea Clinton, for example, has written two children's books whose titles borrow from the phrase.) So I was delighted to see the words on the cover of this biography, underneath Sarah Green's quirky illustration of Warren, the woman who'd been told essentially to shut up, in a bold blue suit, finger raised to make a point, standing at a lectern. ANOTHER POTENTIAL 2020 CANDIDATE, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, is the author of BOLD & BRAVE: Ten Heroes Who Won Women the Right to Vote (Knopf, 40 pp., $18.99; ages 6 to 9), a delicate-looking picture book with sumptuous, pink-washed art by Maira Kalman. It was only in the first few pages, when Gillibrand relays the story of the strong women in her own family, that I wondered whether she wrote this book to educate children or to woo their parents (or babysitters of voting age). After that, "Bold & Brave" features blocks of straightforward text that introduce female activists from Elizabeth Cady Stanton to Alice Paul and Ida B. Wells, with Kalman's illustrations, both portraits and scenes of action, painted in cotton-candy tones. I WANT MY SON (and other little boys) to know about the women featured in these books, but "Bold & Brave" doesn't seem to invite boys in. There are only thumbnail images of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln, and a lot of policemen and men in drab brown suits dragging women away. That's historically important, but I wished "Bold & Brave" also showed boys how they can play their part in women's progress. Sure, boys could stick to genderneutral titles like what's the big deal ABOUT ELECTIONS (Philomel, 48 pp., $17.99, ages 4 to 8), by Ruby Shamir with illustrations by Matt Faulkner, and what can a citizen DO? (Chronicle, 52 pp., $17.99, ages 5 to 8), by Dave Eggers with illustrations by Shawn Harris, two new titles that feel like obligatory reading for future informed citizens. But if we're truly going to teach our children about this political moment, then boys and girls both should heed the stories of Barbara Jordan, Justice Sotomayor and Susan B. Anthony. Roy Cohn can wait. AMY CHOZICK is a writer at large at The Times and the author of "Chasing Hillary."
Copyright (c) The New York Times Company [July 21, 2019]
Review by Booklist Review
Brockenbrough offers the first heavily researched biography of Donald Trump for teens, though containing as much detail as it does, this could easily be a crossover biography for adults. In her preface, she informs readers that one of her goals is to see patterns in her subject's life, and this she does very well. Trump was in elementary school when he wrote he loved to hear crowds cheering him. Some other lifelong patterns, as amply demonstrated throughout, include his tendency to exaggeration, lack of empathy, and self-aggrandizement. The book gets in the weeds about several topics, especially the fiscal machinations surrounding building his real-estate empire, offering more than some, especially younger readers, may care about. Brockenbrough ends about the time of the Helsinki visit with Vladimir Putin, but notes that most days in Trump's presidency are about the same, with trafficking "in conspiracy theories, partisan sniping, threats and lies." Though there's no doubt where her sympathies lie, Brockenbrough documents her book in copious notes, and her bibliography shows diverse sources. Surveying Trump and his presidency will be an interesting challenge for writers. This is a strong first shot. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: For better or for worse, Trump is a subject of public fascination, and this measured resource will provide readers and citizens with the tools they need to stay informed despite murky waters.--Ilene Cooper Copyright 2018 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 7 Up-Reality star-turned-controversial president Donald Trump was born into privilege and mentored in business by his father. This evenly paced, meticulously researched biography from the author of the acclaimed Alexander Hamilton, Revolutionary uses primary and secondary sources and contains dialogue, pull quotes, and photos. The book is mostly chronological, covering Trump's grandfather's immigration to the United States, his father's rise to wealth, and Trump's youth and young adulthood and concludes with a heated Twitter exchange from July 2018. Trump supporters may call this book biased, as scandal is never far from Trump's business dealings or political career, but the author carefully cites sources to ensure accuracy, and the reporting is straightforward, without subjective asides. The author handles sensitive issues (Trump's misogynistic language and sexual assault accusations, for example) in a manner that's appropriate for teens yet still respectful of their intelligence. Brockenbrough's thorough research and comprehensive work laying down Trump's backstory make this a strong resource, even as current events carry on in real time. The back matter is similarly extensive, with 90 pages dedicated to "Donald J. Trump's Milestones," short biographies of campaign advisors and legal team members, and a list of Russia connections in addition to end notes, a bibliography, and an index. VERDICT Painstaking research, straightforward delivery, and succinct explanations make this a smart addition to nonfiction collections.-Lindsay Jensen, Nashville Public Library © Copyright 2019. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Brockenbrough opens her critical biography of Donald Trump with a sampling of events leading up to the surprising (to most) results of the 2016 presidential election. She then takes readers back to the beginning, providing an overview of Trumps grandfathers emigration from Germany; his fathers shady real estate empire in Queens, New York; and formative events in his childhood, his own career in real estate, his personal and family life, and his rise as a television personality. But more than half of the book is dedicated to his presidential campaign and the first year and a half of his presidency, culminating with his July 2018 Twitter tirade to Iran: NEVER, EVER THREATEN THE UNITED STATES OR YOU WILL SUFFER CONSEQUENCES Brockenbrough provides enough context from Trumps earlier life to help set the scene for his present-day behavior; and while the books details may not be new to many readers, there is a striking difference between assimilating them day-by-day via the news and having them all strung together in a cohesive narrative. It is not a flattering portrait of the forty-fifth president, but it is a factually accurate one, scrupulously documented and well-reasoned, with photographs and primary-source documents included throughout. The back matter is extensive; timelines, a cast of characters, source notes, a bibliography, and an index are appended. The odd design choice of blue type throughout can make the text difficult to read. jonathan hunt March/April 2019 p 98(c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A painstaking account of the personal and business practices that somehow failed to prevent the Trumps from becoming America's first family.This tale of both moral and literal bankruptcy begins with the immigration of the president's grandfather from Bavaria and proceeds in a long tally of cheats, tweets, and deceit to an all-caps bit of saber rattling against Iran in July 2018. With hundreds of endnotes to attest to the depth of her research, Brockenbrough (Alexander Hamilton, Revolutionary, 2017, etc.) sets out to build a character portrait of her subject by documenting patterns of behavior, and in that she succeeds convincingly. Printed in blue ink that does neither the text nor the photographs any favors, it's nevertheless an invaluable resource for student research; as a cover-to-cover read, interest may flag under the weight of details of suits and settlements, hirings and firings, boasts vs. outright lies, alleged and indicted malfeasance by a large cast of slimy associates, and like intrigues. Also, though perhaps justifiably focused on the Donald, the author so rarely spares a glance at the women in his family and circle that the overall picture lacks a possibly significant dimension. Extensive backmatter includes capsule bios of the members of Trump's campaign and legal teams, biographical and presidential timelines, and evidence (to mid-2018) of his Russian connections.A thorough, timely guide to a wretched hive of scum and villainy. (family tree, timeline, biographies, endnotes, bibliography, index) (Biography. 12-adult) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
