Local author, Shelley Sommer, is the author of the biography, John F. Kennedy: His Life and Legacy
. In this child-friendly biography, illuminated by many historical sources and remarkable photos from the Kennedy family collection, you learn of JFK's challenging political life as President of the U.S., his interesting childhood including his relationship with his siblings and his health issues as an adolescent, and his first-family life in the White House.
Signed copies available in store.
There has been little written specifically for children about JFK - but Shelley Sommer, the author of John F. Kennedy: His Life and Legacy, (HarperCollins, $16.99, Ages 8-12) is one of the most qualified people to tell his story for young readers.
Having worked at the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation in Boston, Mass., for 15 years, Shelley Sommer is a uniquely placed author. Her service to the Library not only made her an expert on JFK but also earned her the respect and trust of the Kennedy family.
As a result, John F. Kennedy: His Life and Legacy has secured the valuable endorsement of Caroline Kennedy. An author in her own right, JFK's daughter has written a fascinating and stirring introduction to the biography. Sommer avoids dry historical narrative, and all of the information in John F. Kennedy: His Life and Legacy is presented in a child-friendly way. Still, this biography is illuminated by many historical sources. Anecdotes from White House staff are presented alongside remarkable photos from the Kennedy family collection - many of which have never before been published.
In addition to the foreign and domestic politics of the Presidential years, other fascinating areas of JFK's life covered in this book include his childhood relationship with his siblings, his sickly health as an adolescent and life for the first family in the White House.
Shelley Sommer worked for the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation for 15 years, first as the director of public relations and then as the director of the Profile in Courage Award. Sommer is currently a graduate student at the Center for the Study of Children's Literature at Simmons College. She lives with her husband and son on the South Shore of Massachusetts.
