In 2008, the election of Barack Obama as the first African-American to serve as President of the United States, marked a pivotal point in the history of a nation too often preoccupied with race, color and identity. President Obama's re-election in 2012 underscored the important progress that has been made despite challenges that seem to not want to go away, such as racism, sexism and inequality. 

Millions of people around the world have been inspired by Mr. Obama's historic victories and his personal story of determination and success — especially children of color. In The President Looks Like Me and Other Poems, Tony Medina celebrates the diversity that President Obama symbolizes through poems that are multicultural in scope and wide-ranging in style. With distinctly urban settings and an urban flavor, the collection covers a myriad of themes that include childhood, family, friendship, identity, spirituality, social justice and Hip Hop. Medina's poems realistically capture the impact of what it means to be young in a complex world. Yet, they offer hope that resounds more prominently when a child of color can say, "he president looks like me."

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REVIEWS FOR PRESIDENT LOOKS LIKE ME

The voices of urban children ring out in these 44 multicultural poems by award-winning poet and professor, Tony Medina. The poems speak to hopes and dreams of children for their futures but also to their everyday lives and experiences. Also included are poems about famous people like musicians John Coltrane and Celia Cruz. Being Black and Latino, author Tony Medina is able to write from a truly multicultural reference point, and his poems reflect his background. The afterword offers readers a look at some of the forms of poetry used in the book including blues poems, haiku, limericks, sonnets, odes, praise poems, list poems and more. Listen to the author discuss his new book and possibilities of a Skype visit on the BlogTalkRadio interview. See more multicultural texts for children in the CL/R SIG's multicultural book reviews from April 17.

From International Reading Association READING TODAY ONLINE 

Reviewed by Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

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