Aaww: Barack Obama to publish book dedicated to his daughters

As a real Daddy's girl myself, I do love this news. And the book has the cutest cover:

(Sourced from the Guardian website, original article here, written by Alison Flood)

He has conquered the world of adult books with his two bestselling titles Dreams From My Father and The Audacity of Hope. Now, Barack Obama is moving into writing for children with an introduction to some inspirational Americans.

The US president's picture book, Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters, is billed as a tribute to 13 "groundbreaking Americans and the ideals that have shaped [the] nation". It will be on bookshelves from 16 November, according to an announcement today from its publisher.

From the "patriotism" of America's first president George Washington to the "artistry" of Georgia O'Keeffe and the "courage" of baseball player Jackie Robinson, the 40-page book is "an inspiring marriage of words and images, history and story", said Chip Gibson, president and publisher of Random House Children's Books, whose imprint Alfred A Knopf Books for Young Readers will release the title later this autumn.

Illustrated by Loren Long, who has previsouly provided the artwork for bestselling books including The Little Engine That Could, the picture book's cover shows Obama's daughters Sasha and Malia walking their dog, Bo, through a sunny, grassy field. Of Thee I Sing will have a first print run of half-a-million copies, and all author proceeds will be donated to "a scholarship fund for the children of fallen and disabled soldiers", according to Random House.

"It is an honour to publish this extraordinary book," said Gibson. "Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters celebrates the characteristics that unite all Americans – the potential to pursue our dreams and forge our own paths."

Obama completed Of Thee I Sing before taking office in January last year, said Random House, which also acquired the book from his lawyer, Robert Barnett – the man who negotiated a multi-million book deal for Tony Blair's recently released memoirs – before he became president.

As well as finding the time to publish a children's book, Obama is also contributing a foreword to Nelson Mandela's private diaries, Conversations with Myself, which are due out in October. His memoir,  Dreams From My Father, and personal manifesto, The Audacity of Hope, have both sold millions of copies for their US publisher Crown, part of Random House.