A Life of Service: The Story of Senator Tammy Duckworth

PreS-Gr 3–Double Newbery Honor–winning author Soontornvat highlights the remarkable life of fellow Thai American, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth. Seasoned narrator Kay reads with a resolute, soft calm that affectingly underscores Duckworth’s phenomenal accomplishments despite challenges throughout her life. Born in Bangkok to an American father and Thai Chinese mother, “Even before she ever touched American soil, Ladda Tammy Duckworth knew that she would someday serve her country.” Her peripatetic childhood exposed her to bombs, refugee camps, near homelessness, yet she continuously excelled. She lost both legs during a helicopter mission in Iraq; recovery left her further determined to serve the American people. “She racked up a long string of firsts”—although only the printed book reveals the headlines, including “First Thai American Woman to Serve in Congress,” “First Woman with a Disability to Serve in Congress.”