5.25.2020

Hard Work, But It's Worth It

The Life of Jimmy Carter

Balzer + Bray


(HarperCollins)
(pub. 1.28.2020) 
40 pages

A True Tale with
A Cherry On Top   

A uthor: Bethany Hegedus
       and illustrator:  Kyung Eun Han
 
C haracter: Jimmy Carter

O
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     "Even before Jimmy Carter became president, he knew the value of hard work. Living on his family's peanut farm, Jimmy saw how hard work yielded strong results. At least it did for some people. But growing up in the segregated South, Jimmy also saw firsthand how white people and black people were not treated equally. None of it was right. None of it was fair.

     So Jimmy created a list of Good Mental Habits to help him navigate life's challenges. The list guided his thoughts and actions and helped him fight for change, whether working with civil rights leaders to end racial discrimination in his home state of Georgia, helping to negotiate peace in the Middle East,or building homes for the poor through Habitat for Humanity. 

     From the statehouse to the White House and beyond, Jimmy has worked to make change for all people, devoting decades to public service and becoming one of the most respected humanitarians of our time. It's hard work, but it's worth it." 

T antalizing taste: 
     "During the Great Depression, times were tough. But farm life had always been tough. There was work from sunup to sunset, no matter the time of year. From the very start, James Earl Carter Jr. - Jimmy - and hard work were fast friends."

And something more: 
Betheny Hegedus explains her inspiration for writing this book in her Author's Note: "Now in his nineties [95 on October 1, 2019], Carter continues to heed the words he wrote in the eighth grade, in a list of Good Mental Habits he took down in a  notebook: to "give up worry and anger; hatred and envy" and to "neither fear nor be ashamed of anything that is honest and purposeful."

     Jimmy Carter is a hero of mine. I hope he is now one of yours, too."

3 comments:

2Shaye ♪♫ said...

I have this one on the way, right now. So thanks for sharing a little more about it before I can get a copy in my hands! Have a wonderful reading week, Jeanne!

Linda B said...

I'm sure this book is a lovely read about President Carter and I'm glad it's out now so he can read it, too!

Cheriee Weichel said...

I don't always want to read books about American politicians, but Jimmy Carter is an inspiration to people across the globe. Thanks for the heads up about this one Jeanne.