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“Travels through both urban spaces in the U.S. and the countryside of Africa in his formative years shaped Obama into the man who would become the 44th U.S. President. …As the title suggests, the tale focuses on the subject’s quest to learn about his absent Kenyan father, whom he only met once. It gives examples of how Obama, though raised in a predominantly white world (as well as in Hawaii, and briefly Indonesia), goes from being a biracial kid struggling with identity to a 20-something proud Black man.”

– School Library Journal

Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance

Written by Barack Obama
Published by Delacorte Press

Now adapted for young adults—This is a compelling journey tracing the future 44th president’s odyssey through family, race, and identity.

A revealing portrait of a young Black man asking questions about self-discovery and belonging—long before he became one of the most important voices in America. This unique edition includes a new introduction from the author, full-color photo insert, and family tree.

The son of a white American mother and a Black Kenyan father, Obama was born in Hawaii, where he lived until he was six years old, when he moved with his mother and stepfather to Indonesia. At twelve, he returned to Hawaii to live with his grandparents. Obama brings readers along as he faces the challenges of high school and college, living in New York, becoming a community organizer in Chicago, and traveling to Kenya. Through these experiences, he forms an enduring commitment to leadership and justice. Told through the lens of his relationships with his family—the mother and grandparents who raised him, the father he knows more as a myth than as a man, and the extended family in Kenya he meets for the first time—Obama confronts the complicated truth of his father’s life and legacy and comes to embrace his divided heritage.

On his journey to adulthood from a humble background, he forges his own path through trial and error while staying connected to his roots. Barack Obama is determined to lead a life of purpose, service, and authenticity. This powerful memoir will inspire readers to examine both where they come from and where they are capable of going.

Look for the Spanish version, Los Sueños de Mi Padre: Una Historia de Raza y Herencia.

Primary ISBN: 9780385738729
Publication Date: October 2021
Available As: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook
Young Adult, Memoir, Age 12 or older

Community Represented:

Themes: , , , , , , , , , ,

Setting: United States (Hawaii, Illinois), Indonesia, Kenya

Character's Place in the Immigration Journey: 1st Generation

Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience

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Engagement Projects & Resources:

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Engagement Materials:

President Barack Obama on Dreams from My Father (Adapted for Young Adults)

Source: Get Underlined