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saragrochowski's review against another edition
3.0
It's interesting to read this older (recently revised) title next to the new picture book biography, Hillary, from Winter & Colon. This book feels more appropriate for slightly younger readers, but the recommended age level for both books starts at 5 years. The historical information about HRC's life included at the back of this book is a notable inclusion; there's a wealth of information packed into only a few short pages, which allowed me to better appreciate the text!
iilex's review against another edition
Children’s biography
Target audience: Grades K-3
Originally published in 2008, then revised in 2015, Hillary Rodham Clinton: Dreams Taking Flight, is a picture book biography. The book extends over Clinton’s whole life, starting when she was a child, ending with her as Secretary of State.
Strengths:
-Good illustrations
-Great message about gender equality
-The back of the book contains longer explanations about each page from the picture book portion.
Weaknesses:
-At only 32 pages, the picture book doesn’t go into depth on any one event.
-The book contains a lot of platitudes and is a little bland.
I thought this book was pretty cute. It’s a general overview of Hillary Clinton’s life, from childhood to Secretary of State. The illustrations were nice and the overall message is positive, focusing on the theme of gender equality and women’s rights. I can envision, however, Clinton non-supporters viewing this book as propaganda (though that may be the case for any children’s biography of a living politician!) I thought the book was a little bland, though. Most pages contain narrative text and also a platitude. I wondered if these were maybe quotes from Clinton speeches, but after doing some Googling it doesn’t seem like they are. They remind me of those quotes people post on Pinterest vision-boards - somewhat inane and insipid. That being said, it wouldn’t be a bad book to use on a lesson about the presidential election.
Target audience: Grades K-3
Originally published in 2008, then revised in 2015, Hillary Rodham Clinton: Dreams Taking Flight, is a picture book biography. The book extends over Clinton’s whole life, starting when she was a child, ending with her as Secretary of State.
Strengths:
-Good illustrations
-Great message about gender equality
-The back of the book contains longer explanations about each page from the picture book portion.
Weaknesses:
-At only 32 pages, the picture book doesn’t go into depth on any one event.
-The book contains a lot of platitudes and is a little bland.
I thought this book was pretty cute. It’s a general overview of Hillary Clinton’s life, from childhood to Secretary of State. The illustrations were nice and the overall message is positive, focusing on the theme of gender equality and women’s rights. I can envision, however, Clinton non-supporters viewing this book as propaganda (though that may be the case for any children’s biography of a living politician!) I thought the book was a little bland, though. Most pages contain narrative text and also a platitude. I wondered if these were maybe quotes from Clinton speeches, but after doing some Googling it doesn’t seem like they are. They remind me of those quotes people post on Pinterest vision-boards - somewhat inane and insipid. That being said, it wouldn’t be a bad book to use on a lesson about the presidential election.
autumnsorcery's review against another edition
5.0
As a young girl, Hillary Rodham dreamed of being an astronaut. Although life would ultimately take her down a different path, her dreams served her well later in life. In Hillary Rodham Clinton: Dreams Taking Flight, author Kathleen Krull and illustrator Amy June Bates share the story of a little girl who followed her dreams and became an inspiration to millions of women of all ages.
Beautiful watercolor art and inspiring quotations accompany Krull’s writing. We follow Hillary through her early education all the way to law school, from her time as First Lady of Arkansas to the First Lady of the United States, all the way to her historic run for the 2008 Democratic Presidential nomination. Hillary faced many obstacles along the way, but her hard work and determination to succeed are an incredible example to young girls with big dreams.
This book would be a good choice for classroom or home school use. In addition to the main story, Kathleen Krull has included five pages of more detailed information about the events covered in the book. This supplemental material is very interesting and will deepen an older child’s understanding of Hillary Rodham Clinton’s life and career.
Beautiful watercolor art and inspiring quotations accompany Krull’s writing. We follow Hillary through her early education all the way to law school, from her time as First Lady of Arkansas to the First Lady of the United States, all the way to her historic run for the 2008 Democratic Presidential nomination. Hillary faced many obstacles along the way, but her hard work and determination to succeed are an incredible example to young girls with big dreams.
This book would be a good choice for classroom or home school use. In addition to the main story, Kathleen Krull has included five pages of more detailed information about the events covered in the book. This supplemental material is very interesting and will deepen an older child’s understanding of Hillary Rodham Clinton’s life and career.
mmattmiller's review against another edition
3.0
Love the illustrations, but the information is a bit too surface level. In the back, there are a few details that go a bit deeper, which is nice, but I feel it's not a very informative story. I guess I wonder what the purpose is. It's a bit inspirational though, so I do like it.
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