Parker Looks Up: An Extraordinary Moment (A Parker Curry Book)
A visit to Washington, DC’s National Portrait Gallery forever alters Parker Curry’s young life when she views First Lady Michelle Obama’s portrait.
When Parker Curry came face-to-face with Amy Sherald’s transcendent portrait of First Lady Michelle Obama at the National Portrait Gallery, she didn’t just see the First Lady of the United States. She saw a queen—one with dynamic self-assurance, regality, beauty, and truth who captured this young girl’s imagination. When a nearby museum-goer snapped a photo of a mesmerized Parker, it became an internet sensation. Inspired by this visit, Parker, and her mother, Jessica Curry, tell the story of a young girl and her family, whose trip to a museum becomes an extraordinary moment, in a moving picture book.
Parker Looks Up follows Parker, along with her baby sister and her mother, and her best friend Gia and Gia’s mother, as they walk the halls of a museum, seeing paintings of everyone and everything from George Washington Carver to Frida Kahlo, exotic flowers to graceful ballerinas. Then, Parker walks by Sherald’s portrait of Michelle Obama…and almost passes it. But she stops...and looks up!
Parker saw the possibility and promise, the hopes and dreams of herself in this powerful painting of Michelle Obama. An everyday moment became an extraordinary one…that continues to resonate its power, inspiration, and indelible impact. Because, as Jessica Curry said, “anything is possible regardless of race, class, or gender.”
**FOREWORD BY ARTIST AMY SHERALD**
Reviews (179)
Touching, moving, inspiring.
Simply written, but moving. What a wonderful children’s book. My 8yo started asking questions about Michelle Obama. My 5yo wanted to read it again. We aren’t African American but I think it’s important to see main characters of all varieties in our reading. This definitely fits the bill while sending the message to young girls that your vision of yourself is not limited to what other people think you should or can be.
Made me Smile
A beautiful but simple story of a little's girl's adventure at the museum. I purchased a copy for myself but ended up purchasing two more copies as gifts for friends who have daughters.
A great picture book
The illustrations in this book are lovely. I'm very happy I bought this book.
Excellent and Accessible for Kindergarten
Gave this as a gift to one of my former students named Parker and it was my favorite thing to see her face light up! I recommend this book for anyone, but I especially love reading it to my kinder scholars and connecting it to art that they can make in the classroom. This week we made portraits inspired by Kehinde Wiley (who was commissioned for President Obama’s portrait) but I also want to see how I can make Amy Sherald’s Michelle portrait into something that my students can re-create, too! I’m thinking a special app filter or something. Anyway, this book is a great opener for an artist study or for Black History Month or before a trip to an art gallery or whenever! I loved it!
Amazing!
Loved the art, Brittany is an amazing illustrator, the story is inspiring and great for young girls as well.
Lovely Book
This is one of my 3 year old's favorite books. Naturally, she had no real understanding of who Michelle Obama is, but she loves the message of having a future filled with beautiful possibilities. I was amazed at how she connected with Parker and appreciate the massage of the charter qualities needed to realize the possibilities.
Great book, Sloppy packaging
This book is beautiful, & I can use it in Sunday School. But with this damage to the paper jacket AND gouge in the book itself, it can never be gifted. I have kept the box, but no time to return it.
Sweet story
I bought this book to donate to a friend’s classroom. It’s a perfect read aloud/picture book! Very sweet story!
Great /Fantastic buy
The book is better than I thought. I purchased for my sisters granddaughter. The book is cute and to me fits what Parker(with help of her mother )would do.
The message and storyline of this book, my childcare children could really identify with.
I own and operate a Family Childcare facility and the message from book was wonderful. We read different books on a daily bases so this was one we were glad to add to our collection. The storyline was something my children could identify with and the illustrations/pictures were very tasteful.
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