Yes We Can!

Author: Sam McBratney
Illustrator: Charles Fuge

The cover of this book really does a good job of capturing the momentum that is building behind the Obama campaign. Here you see animals enthusiastically jumping in the air, which is appropriate because this election has drawn more interest and enthusiasm than any election in recent memory.

But note that the animals are not your standard elephant and donkey. No, here you have a kangaroo, a mouse, and a duck. In their diversity, they represent the vanguard of the movement towards a post-partisan political climate. We are more than just democrats and republicans, blue states and red states... I mean, a blue kangaroo? That's just silly.

Look a little closer and you will notice the leaves falling from the sky, indicating that we are indeed in a season of change, which has been one of the prime buzzwords of this election season. It is no wonder that Obama chose this book to be the foundation of his campaign message: Yes We Can.

Here is the Obama Yes We Can speech in New Hampshire, the one used for the will.i.am video. While the video is cool, I prefer the speech without the celebrities because, call me square, but I'd rather not have my vote swayed by the lead singer of the Pussy Cat Dolls.

Yo! Yes?

Author/Illustrator: Chris Raschka

This book celebrates the power of friendship to not only transcend cultural and personality differences, but also language itself... because apparently these boys can't talk. Years of watching television and playing video games has robbed them of the ability to communicate with other live human beings using anything beyond a monosyllabic version of the English language:

Yo! Yes?
Me? You!
Talk? More?
Hell! No!

Despite the sparse dialogue, the book is surprisingly effective. Raschka uses a deft touch to infuse the minimalist conversation with real human emotion... and makes a valid point about the difficulties of male interaction. It is true that guys often have trouble communicating (unless we're talking about games or drinking... or drinking games). But that doesn't mean we don't feel, damnit! (That being said, it is never okay to ask a guy to watch Legends of the Fall. We have to draw the line somewhere. Yo? Yes!)

Note: This book also proves that you don't necessarily have to know how to write to author an award-winning children's book... a fact that has inspired thousands to reach for fame and fortune through writing children's books. (Want to be a writer but hate writing? Come on down!) Unfortunately, it's not that easy. True, a picture is worth a thousand words... but that doesn't mean they can't be a thousand crappy words.