Jimmy for the City

By Derek Rhodes

This book tells the story of a small boy with big ideas. Jimmy likes being helpful but more importantly, he wants to make a difference. He is smart, well mannered, generous and practical - all the key skills needed for becoming a council member.

Jimmy is destined for greatness, but sadly no one can see that a fourteen year old boy would make the most remarkable politician. They laugh and they doubt, but Jimmy stays committed to proving them wrong. It’s not long before Jimmy has the entire city on the edge of their seats.

This story teaches children that they can fulfill their dreams and achieve their potential simply through a little hard work and determination. It promotes positive character traits and emphasizes the importance of putting in the effort.

In the first of the series, this fun and friendly book breaks down politics to a child friendly level and encourages little readers to try their hardest in everything they do.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Derek Rhodes
• Release date: Apr 24, 2016
• ISBN: 9781311127167

Derek Rhodes

A deeply empathetic individual, Derek Rhodes is someone who understands just how powerful people are and how untapped their potential to change world might be. As a White House intern under President Obama, Derek learned how to unleash his inner power and how to use storytelling to encourage others to do the same.Featured in Business Insider for his commitment to community and development work in his hometown of Durham, North Carolina, he is highly sought after as a motivational speaker, respected for his emphasis on the importance of civic engagement at the local level.His 2016 children’s book, Jimmy for the City, not only strives to teach children about local politics, but also amplifies Derek’s motivational messages: believe in your dreams, rise above often self-imposed obstacles, create opportunities for others, and most of all, communicate your feelings to the world.

Book preview

About the Author

Derek Rhodes graduated from Duke University in 2015 with a degree in Public Policy Studies. He works full-time and lives in New York City. This is his first book.

Copyright © Derek Rhodes 2016

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the author, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the purchaser.

Cover Design: Hari Abriyoko

Dedication

This book is for every kid who has a dream, but especially for those who need the courage to find one.

CHAPTER 1

JIMMY AND JIM

When people in Clarksville talk about Jimmy Morris, the phrase you hear at lot is: an amazing young man. Parents in town would even say, I wish my kids were more like him.

Jimmy wasn’t born amazing, but it was well before he reached the first stage of adolescence that Jimmy began to dream of doing big things with his life.

Jimmy Morris was named after his grandfather, Jim Madison Morris, known by most people simply as Big Jim. His grandfather was probably one of the most respected people in Clarksville. In addition to his name, Jimmy had inherited his goodness from his grandfather.

Jimmy was kind-hearted and loving just like his grandfather. Grandpa Jim (this is what Jimmy called him) owned a successful plumbing company, but he never accumulated much wealth because he often gave his money to those who came to him in need.

Although Jim could never build a big house, he used to claim, in a