Becoming

 

Becoming

Michelle Obama

Meira.Elena

Ages: 14+

Lexile: 1170L

 

Written by former First Lady Michelle Obama, Becoming is her journey to who she was, who she is, and who she may one day be. Obama tells her audience about her childhood; the struggles she faced in college and at her first job; falling in love and starting a family; and the realities of being the spouse of a politician and President of the United States. Obama’s honest and accessible prose invites readers to think about their own journeys and encourages them to become.

 

Growing up in the South Side of Chicago, Obama was surrounded by love, music, and encouragement, but also by disparities and inequities. She explains the differences and similarities she witnessed among her neighborhood, her family, her classmates, and her teachers. She goes on to explain how spite—against a school guidance counselor who told her she couldn’t—got her first into Princeton and later into Harvard. Obama honestly writes how she struggled to find a career that would support her and her family while also leaving her feel fulfilled and able to make a positive change in the world. She explains her distaste of politics and the sacrifices her family made in order to support her husband as first a state Senator and later as the President. Finally, she tells her journey—from the wife of a Senator to the wife of a President to an active, powerful First Lady, eager to use her position to better the lives of others.

Obama created programs, such as Lets Move!, which supported student physical activity and healthy exercise. She created the Reach Higher program, to encourage students from low-income, high-risk areas to use their education to push themselves further towards success. Obama started the Let Girls Learn program to support girls across the world get access to education. Finally, Obama and Jill Biden, wife of former Vice President Joe Biden, created the Joining Forces program, to support military veterans and spouses.

I read this book because I only knew Michelle Obama as the wife of Barack Obama, and I wanted to know her as an independent person. This was a fantastic book! The writing style was engaging and accessible; her story was honest and thought-provoking; and the way she told her story allowed her to connect to readers of all ages and backgrounds. Truly a well-written book for all!

          In today’s world—amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, a countdown to the next election, and an unknown future for thousands of Americans—Michelle Obama’s novel inspires hope in both the American democracy and, more importantly, in her people. Obama recalls those who fought for change and succeeded with the support of others. She epitomizes her own phrase “When they go low, you go high”, focusing on all the positives this country has to give.

        I recommend this novel to everyone. To high school readers heading off to college; to college readers looking for their first job; to new parents and older ones; to newly weds and those who are single. I recommend this book to readers across the world, as an example of how to remain strong, graceful, and dignified in the face of international scrutiny and judgment.