Tired of books about the presidency that present themselves as history books? Author Judith St. George--along with Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator David Small--has created a book about the presidency that's serious fun. The basic theme is that anyone can be president: a fat man (William Howard Taft) or a tiny man (James Madison), a relative youngster (Teddy Roosevelt at 42) or oldster (Ronald Reagan at 69). Presidential hobbies, sports, virtues, and vices all get a tongue-in-cheek airing, perfectly matched by Small's political-cartoon style of caricature painting. It's fun, but the underlying purpose is clearly serious: to remind kids that the American presidents have been a motley group of individuals, not a row of marble busts. Ironically, that message makes the presidency far more interesting (and appealing) than it seems in some of the more traditional books. There's a factual addendum at the back giving all the dates and names, with a one-line bio for each past-president. (Ages 8 and older) --Richard Farr


From Publishers Weekly
HThis lighthearted, often humorous roundup of anecdotes and trivia is cast as a handbook of helpful hints to aspiring presidential candidates. St. George (Sacagawea; Crazy Horse) points out that it might boost your odds of being elected if your name is James (the moniker of six former presidents) or if your place of birth was a humble dwelling ("You probably weren't born in a log cabin. That's too bad. People are crazy about log-cabin Presidents. They elected eight"). She serves up diverse, occasionally tongue-in-cheek tidbits and spices the narrative with colorful quotes from her subjects. For instance, she notes that "Warren Harding was a handsome man, but he was one of our worst Presidents" due to his corrupt administration, and backs it up with one of his own quotes, "I am not fit for this office and never should have been here." Meanwhile, Small (The Gardener) shows Harding crowned king of a "Presidential Beauty Contest"; all the other presidents applaud him (except for a grimacing Nixon). The comical, caricatured artwork emphasizes some of the presidents' best known qualities and amplifies the playful tone of the text. For an illustration of family histories, Small depicts eight diminutive siblings crawling over a patient young George Washington; for another featuring pre-presidential occupations, Harry Truman stands at the cash register of his men's shop while Andrew Johnson (a former tailor) makes alterations on movie star Ronald Reagan's suit. The many clever, quirky asides may well send readers off on a presidential fact-finding missionDand spark many a discussion of additional anecdotes. A clever and engrossing approach to the men who have led America. Ages 7-up. (Aug.) Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From School Library Journal
Grade 4-8-Curious tidbits of personal information and national history combine with humorously drawn caricatures to give this tongue-in-cheek picture book a quirky appeal. "There are good things about being President and there are bad things about being President." So begins a walk through a brief history of facts, successes, oddities, and mishaps. For example, most readers won't know that William Howard Taft weighed over 300 pounds and ordered a specially made bathtub. Small's drawing of a naked Taft being lowered into a water-filled tub by means of a crane should help them remember. Another spread depicts a men's shop where Andrew Johnson (a tailor) fits Ronald Reagan (an actor) for a suit while Harry Truman (a haberdasher) stands behind the counter. While the text exposes the human side of the individuals, the office of the presidency is ultimately treated with respect and dignity. A list of presidents with terms of office, birthplace, date of birth and death, and a one-sentence summary of their accomplishments is provided. This title will add spark to any study of this popular subject.Alicia Eames, New York City Public Schools Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
Gr. 3^-5, younger for reading aloud. Portraits of the presidents can be generally described as staid, stodgy, and dull. Throw these adjectives out the window when describing this book's group portrayal of American presidents. St. George leads her audience, ostensibly young presidential hopefuls, through the good points of the presidency (big house with its own bowling alley and movie theater) and bad points (lots of homework). Then she offers a spiffy presidential history with comparisions and contrasts: most popular names, log cabin origins, ages, looks, backgrounds, pets, musical abilities, favorite sports, and personalities ("William McKinley was so nice that he tried to stop a mob from attacking the man who had just shot him"). The book holds out the possibility that someday a woman, a person of color, or a person who is neither Protestant nor Roman Catholic might be elected president. The discussion ends with the oath of office and the thought that most presidents have tried to do their best to fulfill it. David Small's delightful illustrations, usually droll and sometimes hilarious, will draw children to the book and entertain them from page to page. Memorable images include the comical sight of the obese President Taft being lowered into a bathtub by a crane and a powerful scene showing two figures, Nixon (looking disgruntled) and Clinton (looking dejected), descending the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, under the shadow of impeachment. Thoughtful composition and layout both contribute to the lively visual presentation of this most original look at the presidency. The light tone of the book makes it possible for readers to absorb a great deal of information, some of it silly, but underlying the treatment is a sense of the significance and dignity of the office and the faith that children still aspire to be president. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Book Description
So you want to be President! Why not? Presidents have come in every variety. They've been generals like George Washington and actors like Ronald Reagan, big like William Howard Taft and small like James Madison, handsome like Franklin Pierce and homely like Abraham Lincoln.

From the embarrassment of skinny-dipping John Quincy Adams to the mischievous adventure of Theodore Roosevelt's pony, Judith St. George shares the backroom facts, the spitfire comments, and the comical anecdotes that have been part and parcel of America's White House.

Hilariously illustrated by Caldecott honor-winning artist David Small, this celebration shows us the foibles, quirks, and the humanity of forty-one men who have risen to one of the most powerful positions in the world.


Card catalog description
Presents an assortment of facts about the qualifications and characteristics of U.S. presidents, from George Washington to Bill Clinton.

FROM OUR EDITORS

On the heels of a history-making presidential election, it seems fitting that the winner of the 2001 Caldecott Medal is David Small, the illustrator for a delightfully mischievous picture book highlighting the historical triumphs and troubles of our first 41 presidents. So You Want to Be President? teams Small, a prior Caldecott Honor winner, with writer Judith St. George, the award-winning author of more than 25 children's books, including several histories. Together, they explore historical and anecdotal evidence in an effort to determine what it takes to be president. The result is an entertaining and educational book filled with comical anecdotes, comparative facts, and Small's humorous, noble, and occasionally irreverent illustrations.

St. George starts by noting some good things about being president (never having to take out the garbage or eat yucky vegetables), as well as some bad things (having to dress up all the time and be polite to everyone). She then compares and contrasts the backgrounds, qualifications, and characteristics of all 41 presidents, including such things as where they lived, how big their families were, their level of education, and the shape of their physiques. She talks about religion and rhetoric, personalities and philosophies, and tragedies and triumphs. Some of the facts are well known by most, but there are lots of lesser-known backroom tidbits, too.

Readers can learn about John Quincy Adams's skinny-dipping fiasco, Franklin Pierce's embarrassing first battle, and the specially made giant tub that was built for our portliest President, William Howard Taft. When it comes to presidential qualifications, St. George touches on some serious ones (honesty and integrity) as well as some frivolous ones (musical aptitude and dancing ability). At the end of the book is a listing of each president that includes biographical information and an insightful one-line commentary summarizing his time in office. Often it is the seemingly insignificant facts that give this book its down-to-earth appeal and make it an utter delight to read.

Adding to the fun are Small's cleverly rendered drawings -- colorful caricatures that highlight, skewer, and provide a political commentary all their own. Most of the humor will be obvious to young readers, but a few of Small's subtler details will require an older eye and a keen sense of satire, making this a fun book for readers of all ages.

--Beth Amos

ANNOTATION

Presents an assortment of facts about the qualifications and characteristics of U.S. presidents, from George Washington to Bill Clinton.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Presents an assortment of facts about the qualifications and characteristics of U.S. presidents, from George Washington to Bill Clinton.

SYNOPSIS

From the embarrassment of skinny-dipping John Quincy Adams to the mischievous adventure of Theodore Roosevelt's pony, Judith St. George shares the backroom facts, the spitfire comments, and the comical anecdotes that have been part and parcel of America's White House.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

This lighthearted, often humorous roundup of anecdotes and trivia is cast as a handbook of helpful hints to aspiring presidential candidates. St. George (Sacagawea; Crazy Horse) points out that it might boost your odds of being elected if your name is James (the moniker of six former presidents) or if your place of birth was a humble dwelling ("You probably weren't born in a log cabin. That's too bad. People are crazy about log-cabin Presidents. They elected eight"). She serves up diverse, occasionally tongue-in-cheek tidbits and spices the narrative with colorful quotes from her subjects. For instance, she notes that "Warren Harding was a handsome man, but he was one of our worst Presidents" due to his corrupt administration, and backs it up with one of his own quotes, "I am not fit for this office and never should have been here." Meanwhile, Small (The Gardener) shows Harding crowned king of a "Presidential Beauty Contest"; all the other presidents applaud him (except for a grimacing Nixon). The comical, caricatured artwork emphasizes some of the presidents' best known qualities and amplifies the playful tone of the text. For an illustration of family histories, Small depicts eight diminutive siblings crawling over a patient young George Washington; for another featuring pre-presidential occupations, Harry Truman stands at the cash register of his men's shop while Andrew Johnson (a former tailor) makes alterations on movie star Ronald Reagan's suit. The many clever, quirky asides may well send readers off on a presidential fact-finding mission--and spark many a discussion of additional anecdotes. A clever and engrossing approach to the men who have led America. Ages 7-up. (Aug.) Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.

Children's Literature

Today's children are future American voters and there is no better time to view government in action than around an election year. Here is a new book that earns my vote of confidence as discussion starters. The presidential office is the best place to start with younger children. It is currently getting the most attention and is most familiar to them. A playful, ebullient explanation of what the office really means is provided. St. George puts the presidency in the context of children, observing, for example, that there are both good and bad things about being President. One of the good things is that the President lives in a big white house called the White House. St. George goes on to share more good news (there is a bowling alley at the White House and you don't have to eat vegetables) and some bad news (you have to be polite and do lots of homework). She describes the office through the personalities and characteristics of past presidents with the kind of trivia children like. She discusses categories like size (and Taft's four man tub), age, personality (Andrew Jackson was a big brawler), siblings, and athletics (John Quincy Adams liked to skinny-dip). Her tone is light and Small's accompanying illustrations are rendered in a political cartoon style, showing presidents of different eras cavorting across the pages together. St. George and Small make history seem fun, the office attractive, and America's presidents human. Ages 4 to 8. Reviewer: Susie Wilde

Parent Council Reviews

This unique book discusses curious and interesting information about past presidents. The book is highly respectful of the presidential office, yet it is candid about the faults of many of the presidents. The language is accessible, interesting, and humorous. I loved it! It would make a really good gift. The cartoon-style style illustrations are a riot! 2000, Philomel Books, $17.99. Ages 5 to 12. Reviewer: A. Braga SOURCE: Parent Council Volume 8

The Five Owls

By happy coincidence, here in the wake of the recent controversial national election is an hilariously irreverent—but not, in the final analysis, disrespectful—collective portrait of our newest chief executive's forty-one predecessors. While suggesting to readers with that certain dream that being president might not be all fun and games ("The President can't go anywhere alone. The President has lots of homework. People get mad at the President."), Judith St. George shows the men who have held the office not as remote, Olympian figures, but as human beings: short, tall, plain, handsome, proud, humble, with favorite or despised foods, "pesky brothers and sisters," pets, personal foibles, and various levels of competence. Eight, as it turns out, were born in log houses, no fewer than ten were generals, one (Andrew Johnson) was trained as a tailor, one (you know who) was a professional actor. Some were the very image of dignity and reserve; others—well, a friend of Teddy Roosevelt once commented, "You must always remember that the President is about six." Combining well-honed skills as a caricaturist and a broad streak of mischief to such good effect that he earned this year's Caldecott Medal for these illustrations, David Small pays tribute to political cartoonists everywhere: outfitting squads of easily recognizable former presidents as cheerleaders in one scene; suspending William Howard Taft, our heftiest president, in a sling over his custom-built bathtub in another; depicting feisty Andrew Jackson decking an opponent, Richard Nixon flashing his "V for Victory" in the White House bowling alley, and again, slinking with Bill Clinton, like a pair of schoolboyscaught in the act, down the steps of the Lincoln Memorial beneath the sixteenth president's huge, frowning visage. In the end, below a somber view of Lincoln standing solitary and pensive in a darkened office, St. George quotes the simple, thirty-five-word oath each president has recited, and while noting that some fulfilled their charge less successfully than others, invites readers to pattern themselves after the best, who "asked more of themselves than they thought they could give," and "had the courage, spirit, and will to do what they knew was right." Children—including a handful who will be occupying the Oval Office one day—will come away from this not only with a heightened sense of how important, and demanding, the job of president is, but with a feeling of connection to the men who have held it, for better or worse, over the course of our nation's long history. 2000, Philomel, $17.99. Ages 8 up. Reviewer: John Peters — The Five Owls, March/April 2001 (Vol. 15 No. 4)

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