I wrote this post before all the trouble Texas has experienced this past week! But I left this post for today because I figured it was a great time to celebrate a resilient, amazing Texan! It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA! Jen Vincent at Teach Mentor Texts rounds up the kidlit version of IMWAYR each week. Thanks, Jen!
I only join in occasionally, but I’ve decided that when I do, I’m going to use #IMWAYR to highlight picture books and easy readers by Minnesota authors and illustrators. We have such a wonderful kidlit community here!
It’s what I love about great picture book biographies (though I almost never ever read adult biographies): I get to know a person. Not a list of accomplishments. Not a legacy. But a real live person with emotions and dreams and struggles, just like me. Honestly, I believe that if picture books like this one and the many other picture book biographies I’ve swooned over in recent years had existed when I was a kid, I would have been SO much more interested in history–and I’d be smarter about it today!
The book doesn’t shy away from the dark and turbulent times that America was experiencing. I mean, rivers were on fire due to pollution and Lady Bird became First Lady because of an assassination! But the wonderful narrative and Lady Bird’s determination, along with the kid-friendly refrain that makes this whole series great for reading aloud (“Lady Bird Johnson, that’s who!”), makes this book appealing and accessible–and I would say even necessary–for young listeners. After all, if there’s anything our kids need right now, it’s reinforcement of the idea that you can work toward beauty and common goals even in times of division and terror.
Fabulous art by Ginnie Hsu (gorgeous, but not TOO floral) brings Lady Bird and her world to life. Thanks, Henry Holt, for the sneak peek. This book comes out tomorrow, February 23.
It was a terrible time when she became first lady & then the constant problems with the Vietnam War certainly didn’t help the Johnson image either. I’ll look for this, Laura. You’ve made it sound very good! Thanks!
Oooh, this one sounds good! I had not heard of it. I enjoyed the John Deere book in this series, I will absolutely look for it. I think it’s actually more interesting to learn more about the First Ladies’ lives than the presidents’!
thanks for the intro to this book, sounds lovely for spring.. I will check this out
Thank you for the heads-up on Lady Bird Johnson, That’s Who! I’m adding it to my TBR list. I’ve really enjoyed the recent picture book biographies I’ve been reading! I was also looking to add your If You Want to Knit Some Mittens to my 2021 Goodreads list, but I cannot get it to come up in their database. It’s possible that it is my account being wonky, but if you happen to have a direct link I’d love to grab it. Have a fantastic reading week!
I hope you like it–it’s a lovely picture book! Thanks for asking out my fall release. I’ve just manually added it to Goodreads. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57185988-if-you-want-to-knit-some-mittens (Usually the publisher does that, but it’s not there yet, so I added it myself.) Happy reading!
What a great pick! I unfortunately know next to nothing about Lady Bird Johnson as well, but it’s definitely impressive how much impact she had. I also never really thought about how she became first lady during such a turbulent time, but that only makes her accomplishments even more impressive! Thanks for the great review!
I have a different biography of Lady Bird, and I’m glad to see her getting more attention. Thanks for the great review.
I haven’t ever read anything about her, and I agree–more attention is deserved!
Thanks for sharing this today. The whole That’s Who! series sound fascinating.