Becoming

• Genre: Nonfiction; autobiographical memoir
• Originally Published: 2018
• Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 1170L; college/adult
• Structure/Length: 3 parts, 24 chapters, preface and epilogue; approximately 448 pages; approximately 19 hours, 3 minutes on audio
• Central Concern: Becoming chronicles the life of Michelle Obama from her childhood in the South Side of Chicago to her years as First Lady of the United States. The memoir is a deeply personal account, shedding light on her experiences with issues such as race, motherhood, and public service. She also discusses her professional life, her relationship with Barack Obama, their family's time in the White House, and her endeavors after leaving the role of First Lady.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Topics of racial discrimination; challenges of being in the public eye; pressures and criticisms faced while in the White House

Michelle Obama, Author

• Bio: Born 1964; former First Lady of the United States (2009-2017); a graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law School; known for her advocacy on education, military families, nutrition, and poverty awareness; among many other accomplishments, established the Let's Move! initiative to combat childhood obesity
• Other Works: American Grown (2012); The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times (2022)
• Awards: NAACP Image Award (Outstanding Literary Work—Biography/Autobiography, 2019)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Guide:

• The Importance of One’s Own Story
• Race, Privilege, and Access to Opportunities
• Becoming