Of Thee I Sing, by Barack Obama

Barack Obama has chosen thirteen of America's most famous sons and daughters, from George Washington and Abraham Lincoln right up to Martin Luthor King Jr. and Cesar Chavez. Using simple language he shows how today's children can be inspired by these heroes, to do or to be anything that they want. The beautiful illustrations are a perfect complement to this fabolous tribute. As President Obama's two daughters walk through the pages, they are joined by other children representing these famous Americans. As they journey through the book they begin to share, so that by the end, Sitting Bull is holding Georgia O'Keeffe's paint palate and Neil Armstrong's toy rocket is in the hands of Helen Keller. It's a fabulous way of showing how connected we all are, even today.

Of Thee I Sing was originally written as a letter to Barack Obama's two daughters and was completed in 2008, before he was voted in as the forty fourth president.


Have I told you that you are smart?

That you braid great ideas with imagination?
A man named Albert Einstein turned pictures in his mind into giant advances in science, changing the world with energy and light.


Have I told you that you don't give up?

When violence erupted in our nation a man named Martin Luthor King Jr. taught us unyielding compassion. He gave us a dream that all races and all creeds would walk hand in hand. He marched and he prayed and, one at a time, opened hearts and saw the birth of his dream in us.