Change is in the air

Change is in the air. It was almost palpable yesterday as throngs of people — including lots of young children — witnessed the inauguration of the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama.

Hope and change have become buzzwords, but you can almost feel both. They’re certainly apparent in recent books for children (though not for children only), both inspired by the words of Barack Obama.

Kadir Nelson (opens in a new window) is probably best known for his luminous, full color illustrations for books such as his Caldecott Honor book Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom (opens in a new window) (Hyperion, 2006).

But in his new book, Change Has Come (Simon & Schuster) Nelson uses a much freer, informal style. The loose sketches combine with Obama’s own words (with sources noted, by the way) in an elegant, forward looking typeface to convey the excitement generated by this election.

Another recent book by poet Nikki Grimes entitled Barack Obama: Son of Promise, Child of Hope (opens in a new window) (Simon & Schuster) was also inspired by Obama’s own writing. Its wraparound story of a boy and his divorced mother provides an immediate connection for younger readers. Illustrations by award-winning Bryan Collier (opens in a new window) are the perfect complement to the graceful text.

Hope. Change. They’re in the air and in books for young readers. Let’s savor them and the moment.