MICHELLE'S GARDEN

A young readers’ introduction to the work and legacy of former first lady Michelle Obama.

Miller opens with young Michelle Robinson and her brother as children riding their bicycles. “Before Michelle Obama was the First Lady, she was a kid just like you,” she writes, making her subject immediately accessible to young readers. The future first lady is seen enjoying a healthy diet full of veggies as a child and providing the same experience for her own family as an adult. The family exercises and eats home-cooked meals together, with Barack Obama and their daughters asking for more, just as Michelle Obama had done as a child. Miller describes how Michelle Obama sought assistance from White House chefs and gardeners and how she invited local students (depicted as a diverse group) to join in building and maintaining the garden. The bright cartoon illustrations detail both the tools needed and the work involved in building the lush garden. An author’s note shares additional information about the first lady’s garden, a 2010 photo of Michelle Obama at work in it, and a graphic guide to starting a garden with seeds planted in paper cups. Also included is a photo of Michelle Obama from 2010, working with a group of students in the White House garden. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11-by-17-inch double-page spreads viewed at 60.2% of actual size.)

Sure to encourage readers to eat their veggies and join Michelle Obama’s table, even if all they start with is a cup.