Picture Book 13: So You Want to Be President

Author: Judith St. George

Illustrator: David Small

Genre: Nonfiction

Themes: U.S. government, history, leadership

Characters:

~the first 42 presidents of the United States

Awards: 
~Caldecott Medal

Date of Publication: 2004

Publishing Company: Philomel

Summary: Presidential history may seem boring to some, but this book makes it interesting.  Filled with facts about the presidents, some quirkier than others, this book is certain to keep students entertained.  In addition to telling about each individual president, this book also instills a sense of respect for the office of president and imparts some of the difficulties that presidents face in their terms in office.

Recommendation: This would be a good book to read in U.S. History.  I remember most of the presidents by an interesting fact.  For example, it is easy to remember that President Tyler follow President William Henry Harrison because of Harrison's campaign slogan, "Tippecanoe and Tyler, too!"  Or that Taft is the largest man to be president, making him easy to identify, because he had to install a custom bathtub in the White House.  These are the kind of facts that students remember.