I’m Gonna Push Through!, inspirational and divisive

How can something be inspirational and divisive?  Before we dive into that, I’m Gonna Push Through! is not meant as a threat. It’s meant as a way for kids to become empowered. This is something that they can think or say to themselves when things get challenging. You can do it! I’m gonna push through, who doesn’t want their child-or themselves to have that can-do attitude?

The book starts out with a young black girl letting readers know that people will naysay them, they’ll doubt their abilities, but that it’s up to them to push through. The next two pages features about a dozen people mainly in entertainment or sports who have ‘pushed through’. If they pushed through and became successful then you can too. For the record, we totally believe that and often tell our kids whether they think they can or they think they can, they’re right. So choose the former, study hard and knock that task out of the park.

The problem with I’m Gonna Push Through! is that roughly half of American parents will immediately see political bias. The other half of Americans won’t see bias at all and will encourage their children’s friends to read the book also.

I’m Gonna Push Through! has a great message and once the two pages of adults who have overcome some adversity the book gets to where kids will relate to it the most. We see a child struggling with math, a girl who can’t spin on ice and other instances where kids are trying to overcome something. The book is loaded with positive examples self-esteem that will certainly be embraced by ethnic groups or those kids who can use a pep talk.

As a book though, it falls flat and forced, more like a calling card for the groups 501c3, located at (www.wepushthrough.org) than an entertaining children’s illustrated book. Maybe that’s the best way to look at this, it’s a book with a great message, but casts a larger shadow that’s full of agenda. Kids won’t realize that fact, but it’s also not a book that kids will want to read on their own.

There are affiliate links in the post, because, I can’t push those whom I own money…..