Kamala Harris

“Using poetic language and striking imagery, Grimes details the future senator’s life, from her beginnings to her presidential run in 2020. Freeman’s artwork adds rich details and illuminates Grimes’s prose. The bright colors and background scenes pop on the pages and reflect Harris’s journey…..Penned by wordsmith Grimes and vividly illustrated by Freeman, this is an age-appropriate depiction of a notable figure in American politics. A worthy addition to children’s biography collections.” – School Library Journal * July 2020 *“This thorough portrait of the background and hard work that brought this biracial, black woman to her campaign for the presidency is worth sharing with children.” – Kirkus Reviews * June 2020 *“Lyrical prose makes the text effortlessly readable … In multitextured digital art, Freeman succeeds in creatively capturing a range of Harris’s expressions and experiences, exemplified by a layered portrait of her life and legacy. Notably, Grimes covers Harris’s presidential run and withdrawal, leaving young readers with an uplifting message of perseverance and agency.” – Publisher’s Weekly * July 2020 *“This important biography of California Senator Kamala Harries comes at an opportune moment, when the 100th anniversary of the Nineteenth Amendment intersects with the Black Lives Matter Movement. Weaving a fictional story around an account of Harris’ factual biography, Grimes’ picture book makes it easy for readers to identify with the recent Democratic presidential candidate….Freeman’s drawings work as hard as the prose to flesh out Harris’ life with realistic illustrations of her childhood and career.” – Booklist * August 2020 *”…Prolific author and poet Nikki Grimes is a master storyteller. Written for children aged four to eight, Kamala Harris: Rooted in Justice is a politician’s origin story, focusing especially on her youth as the child of immigrants. The book is written in memorable verse, with turns of phrase that will inspire your kids and tell Harris’s story.” – Oprah Magazine * November 9, 2020 *“Kamala Harris: Rooted in Justice” unfolds as a road map to how anyone can try for the job through hard work, dedication, caring and confidence….An enlightening and, at times, lyrical portrait of a woman whose life has always been about advocating for others.” – The New York Times Book Review * December 27, 2020 *“Nikki Grimes’ elegant poetry, which frames the story as a conversation between a girl and her mother, and luminous illustrations by Laura Freeman, create a portrait of a woman who knows that she will never give up on what matters.” – A Mighty Girl * January 20, 2021 *

Nikki Grimes is the recipient of the 2006 NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children. Her distinguished works include the ALA Notable book What Is Goodbye?, as well as the novels Jazmin’s Notebook, Dark Sons, and The Road to Paris, all of them Coretta Scott King Author Honor Books. She won the Coretta Scott King Author Award for Bronx Masquerade. Ms. Grimes lives in Corona, California.

Laura Freeman has illustrated many fine children’s books over the years, including Fancy Party Gowns: The Story of Fashion Designer Ann Cole Lowe, written by Deborah Blumenthal, and the Coretta Scott King Honor book Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race, by Margot Lee Shetterly and Winifred Conkling. Laura lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband and their two children.

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