I was not expecting to like Barack Obama’s children’s book with Loren Long, but I did.

Of Thee I Sing is a clear wish for using information from the past to shape the future – a history lesson that includes women and men from all backgrounds, and contributions that range from science to social work.

When the book is open, the illustrations on the left depict the famous Americans as children, facing the page of the adult in the action of his or her expertise, e.g., Jackie Robinson playing baseball or Georgia O’Keefe painting a flower.  As the book continues, the left page becomes cumulative, until everyone is there –  America “made up of people of every kind.”

Not only a gift to his daughters but also a contribution to all children, Obama’s Of Thee I Sing offers a creative and short lecture on American history.

With Paul Revere’s famous ride making the airwaves lately,  it’s too bad he wasn’t included in the book.  But, Jean Fritz had it covered in her book – And Then What Happened, Paul Revere?