Read + Review: The Truths We Hold: An American Journey (Young Readers Edition) by Kamala Harris

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This story follows the early life and political career of current California senator Kamala Harris. Growing up in California as the oldest daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants, Kamala learned the importance of equality and justice from a very young age. Throughout the rest of her life, her goal has been to implement these two important virtues in communities across the country that greatly lack them. This motivation to make her community a better place has driven her farther up the political ladder, putting her into a position to assist even more citizens with every promotion. Throughout this entire process, she has also emphasized inspiring the next generation of empowered leaders in this country, with the possibility of spreading her influence if she is elected as the 46th U.S. President.

I really liked the way that this book was structured. Each chapter began with a short anecdote, usually describing an event that Kamala Harris encountered during her life. As the chapter progressed towards its end, she was very reflective about the event and connected it to her core beliefs about equality and justice. She also gave a lot of context about every situation so that those who are very unfamiliar with law would be able to understand what was going on. My favorite aspect of this novel, however, is likely the inspirational message that she aspires for every reader to understand.

I learned a lot of valuable lessons while reading this book that make me think about life in this country in a completely different way than I did previously. It made me a lot more aware of issues that significantly affect members of my community on a daily basis and how to go about solving these problems. Ultimately, this book taught me how to be a good citizen, and even more importantly, a better person.

Reviewed by Griffin, Gayton Branch Library