Hillary Clinton

June 1, 2016
Harness delivers an accessible overview of Clinton's life, from childhood to her current campaign to become the Democratic candidate for U.S. president in 2016.Similar in content and audience to Cynthia Levinson's Hillary Rodham Clinton: Do All the Good You Can (2016), Harness chronicles Clinton's childhood and youth in Illinois, her student activism at Wellesley College and Yale University, and relationships with her parents, daughter, and husband. She examines Clinton's lifelong commitment to service: working for the committee investigating the possible impeachment of President Richard M. Nixon, as an attorney for the Children's Defense Fund, first lady of Arkansas and then of the United States, U.S. senator, secretary of state, partner in the Clinton Foundation, and two-time candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination. It's all quite straightforward. "Like most people, she's complicated," Harness writes in the introduction, but there's little elaboration on Clinton's complexities or contradictions. Scant attention is given to the pivotal role religious faith plays in Clinton's ambitions and ordeals. The Whitewater scandal is discussed, but there's only the most glancing mention of the Monica Lewinsky affair (referred to only as "improper activities...involving a female government employee"). This is a respectful, informative introductory biography, but it's not a sufficiently nuanced one. (photos, further reading, sources notes) (Biography. 8-12)

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July 1, 2016

Gr 5-7-Lawyer, first lady, senator, secretary of state, and presidential candidate; Hillary Rodham Clinton has had many titles. Adults may be familiar with the Clinton Era, but today's young people may not be aware of her background. Prolific author Harness has constructed a readable biography, taking Clinton from her early years in Park Ridge to the 2015 Iowa Caucus. Kids will briefly engage with the larger scope of the baby boomer generation and come to understand how the times in which Clinton grew up and lived shaped her personality and politics. Harness discusses scandals such as Whitewater, Bill Clinton's impeachment, and Benghazi. Specific mention of Monica Lewinsky is not included. This work does contain some biased and speculative language regarding conservatives, Republicans, and the 2008 Democrat bid for election (specifically the line "But just as Obama downplayed his race..." without proper context). Harness's occasional, opinionated interjections could be misleading for the intended audience, who are just learning about the role of perspective in history. This is not a totally just-the-facts work; the author is presenting a slightly slanted portrait of an important but complex public figure. VERDICT An oversimplified middle grade view of a multifaceted individual. Consider for a lesson on viewpoint or where biographies are popular.-Laura Dooley-Taylor, Lake Zurich Middle School North, IL

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