Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters

Overview
Barack Obama's 2010 picture book Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters is a tender, patriotic meditation framed as a father's note to his children. Addressed to Malia and Sasha, it celebrates the qualities he sees in them by tracing those same traits through the lives of notable Americans. The title nods to a familiar anthem while recasting patriotism as an invitation for every child to discover their gifts and to see those gifts as part of the nation’s ongoing story.

Structure and Voice
The book unfolds as a sequence of intimate questions and affirmations from father to daughters. Each spread lifts up a single virtue, creativity, courage, persistence, kindness, service, leadership, and the capacity to dream beyond limits, paired with a brief vignette about a historic figure who embodied that quality. The rhythm is lullaby-like and reassuring, with plainspoken sentences that are easy to read aloud yet layered enough to prompt conversation. The cumulative effect is both personal and public: a family letter that becomes a civics lesson about character.

American Figures and What They Embody
Obama’s selections draw from science, art, activism, exploration, and public service. Figures such as Georgia O’Keeffe and Maya Lin represent creativity and the power to shape beauty and memory. Albert Einstein stands for curiosity and the courage to reimagine how the world works. Jackie Robinson personifies bravery and grace under pressure. Helen Keller signifies perseverance and the breakthrough that comes from refusing to accept limits. Jane Addams brings to life compassion and community care. Martin Luther King Jr. voices moral vision and collective justice, while Cesar Chavez models solidarity and dignified labor. Billie Holiday evokes the truth-telling of art. Neil Armstrong suggests exploration and the awe of first steps into the unknown. George Washington symbolizes leadership and service to a fragile experiment, and Sitting Bull represents strength, wisdom, and the deep roots of American identity in Native nations. The roster is not exhaustive; it functions as a mosaic in which diverse stories combine to sketch an inclusive portrait of America.

Themes and Messages
At the heart of the book is the idea that qualities celebrated in national heroes are present, in seed form, in every child. The narrative aligns personal growth with civic ideals, proposing that imagination, empathy, and resilience are as foundational to a democracy as laws and institutions. It balances pride with humility, acknowledging struggle and injustice alongside achievement, and finds hope in the next generation’s capacity to continue unfinished work. The father’s voice models love that is both unconditional and aspirational, urging children to be fully themselves and to use their gifts for others.

Illustrations and Tone
Loren Long’s artwork amplifies the text’s warmth. Painted scenes pair historical portraits with contemporary children in open skies, neighborhoods, and symbolic settings, creating a visual bridge between past and present. The two daughters reappear quietly across pages, joined by children of many backgrounds, until the closing images gather a wide circle of kids, a gentle signal that the letter’s embrace extends to all. The palette and compositions are calm and luminous, matching a tone that is patriotic without chest‑thumping, intimate without being private.

Audience and Impact
Designed for shared reading, the book introduces young readers to American history through values they can grasp and practice. It invites families and classrooms to talk about what makes a hero, how character is built, and how every child’s gifts can serve a common good. Its comfort and clarity make it a bedtime reassurance; its scope and sincerity make it a civic primer.