Kamala Raised Her Hand

Gr 1-3–A beautiful and inspiring biographical portrait of Kamala Harris that is light on facts, choosing to focus on anecdotes about times she raised her hand in service to others. Mirchandani distinctly illustrates the power of using one’s voice and underscores how it takes bravery to do so. The message, combined with Kelkar’s mixed media art of paper, fabric, and digital paint, is excellent. The use of color and shadow is brilliant, providing depth and movement as Harris grows from a child to an adult. Covering her parents’ civil rights protests to her standing up against a bully as she defends a friend, each moment captures what it means to speak up. Other moments include protests in her neighborhood and at her college, her work as a district attorney and Attorney General, her service as a U.S. senator and as vice president, and willingness to step up as the Democratic candidate for president. Notes from the author and artist are included, but no source notes are provided.