Joey

July 6, 2020
Biden’s anecdotal portrait of her spouse’s early years spotlights his competitiveness and risk-taking as a boy who “never refused a dare, even when it was dangerous.” But she places equal emphasis on his role as a peacemaker, devoted brother, and defender of bullied peers—an empathy nurtured by his own experience being mocked for stuttering. The narrative also underscores the influence of his parents’ unwavering encouragement and belief in his ability to succeed, and reveals how Joe Biden’s metamorphosis in high school, when he became a star athlete and class president, paved the way for leadership roles in college and beyond. Bates contributes softly focused, Rockwellian mixed-media illustrations that effectively chart time’s passage. The author’s tone is expectedly laudatory (she cites President Obama’s proclamation that Joe Biden was “the best vice president America’s ever had” and describes her husband as “always voted ‘most liked’ ”), and a line about the figure being “not privileged” strikes an odd note. A concluding timeline concisely supplies details of the 2020 presidential hopeful’s personal and political lives. Ages 4–8.

August 1, 2020

PreS-Gr 3-This biographical picture book, penned by the subject's wife with assistance from Krull, chronicles 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden's evolution from a risk-taking youngster who overcame stuttering (by reading out loud daily) to the man who would later become vice president to Barack Obama. In addition to providing facts about Biden's life story, the text emphasizes the qualities (peacemaker, family man, researcher, and thinker) that demonstrate the leadership capacity associated with elected officials. Bates's illustrations, complemented by a rustic palette of sepia tones, evoke the yesteryear of Biden's childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood. VERDICT Although the book reads like campaign literature, young readers are likely to find inspiration and aspiration in young Joey as a relatable, athletic, and tenacious kid who grew into a civic leader. Recommended for public and school libraries.-Tamela Chambers, Chicago P.L.

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