Superheroes Are Everywhere

February 1, 2019
The junior senator from California introduces family and friends as everyday superheroes.The endpapers are covered with cascades of, mostly, early childhood snapshots ("This is me contemplating the future"--caregivers of toddlers will recognize that abstracted look). In between, Harris introduces heroes in her life who have shaped her character: her mom and dad, whose superpowers were, respectively, to make her feel special and brave; an older neighbor known for her kindness; grandparents in India and Jamaica who "[stood] up for what's right" (albeit in unspecified ways); other relatives and a teacher who opened her awareness to a wider world; and finally iconic figures such as Thurgood Marshall and Constance Baker Motley who "protected people by using the power of words and ideas" and whose examples inspired her to become a lawyer. "Heroes are...YOU!" she concludes, closing with a bulleted Hero Code and a timeline of her legal and political career that ends with her 2017 swearing-in as senator. In group scenes, some of the figures in the bright, simplistic digital illustrations have Asian features, some are in wheelchairs, nearly all are people of color. Almost all are smiling or grinning. Roe provides everyone identified as a role model with a cape and poses the author, who is seen at different ages wearing an identifying heart pin or decoration, next to each.Self-serving to be sure but also chock-full of worthy values and sentiments. (Picture book/memoir. 5-8)

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March 1, 2019

K-Gr 2-Harris (the first woman of South Asian descent and second woman of African American descent to serve as a U.S. Senator) examines the people and values that shaped her life from childhood onwards. Each spread proclaims something about heroes, e.g. "Heroes are kind," shows an example of an everyday hero from Harris's life, and asks readers directly about people in their own lives, e.g. "Who is kind to you?" Cheerful illustrations show a brown-skinned, puffy-pigtailed young Harris with heroes like her first grade teacher, and then older versions attending Howard University or standing in front of the U.S Capitol. The tone is optimistic and the focus is on individual goals like following one's dreams, pursuing higher education, and treating others well. There are very brief mentions of fighting systemic injustices, as when Harris describes the attorneys she admires. These mentions raise more questions than they answer, and readers will have to look elsewhere to learn why, for instance, India was once not a free country, or what exactly Constance Baker Motley argued for in court. Charming endpapers feature family photographs of Harris and the everyday heroes, and back matter includes a "hero code" pledge for children to follow and a time line of Harris's life. VERDICT This title may be useful for units on character education, women's history, or African American history, or for families curious about the Democratic Party nominee for President.-Sarah Stone, San Francisco Public Library

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