What If You Could

From the former prime minister of New Zealand comes a guide for young readers on chasing your dreams and embracing the unexpected qualities that truly make a person strong. When Jacinda Ardern became prime minister of New Zealand, she was one of the youngest people and, at the time, the youngest woman leading a country. Many people thought she would never succeed—herself included. Wouldn’t her insecurity, overthinking, worrying, and kindness stop her from being able to achieve her goals? As she soon learned, though, it was exactly those attributes—as well as caring and wanting to listen to and serve others—that made her into the empathetic, adaptable, and effective leader that she was. While sharing her own experiences and challenges as a young person, and then as prime minister, Jacinda Ardern asks readers to realize that true strength, success, and power come from embracing ourselves just as we are—imposter syndrome and all.

Jacinda Ardern; adapted by Ruby Shamir