Smart About the Presidents (Smart About History) [Paperback]

Jon Buller (Author), Susan Schade (Author), Jill Weber (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up | Series: Smart About History

Kids will love discovering the floor plan of the White House, a list of presidential perks, and lots of interesting info about all the presidents, from George Washington to Barack Obama. (Did you know he is the only president born in Hawaii?) Each page is jam-packed with trivia, fun facts, and information on the historical events of each presidency.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Gr. 4-7. From the Smart about History series, this book is similar to other recent titles that quickly delineate the presidents with cartoon-style illustrations and a few fast, fun facts. However, this also presents a paragraph or so of solid information along with the fluff. Students will learn, for example, that Jimmy Carter was humble, honest, and down-to-earth--just what the country needed after Watergate. They will also find out about the taking of the hostages in Iran and that Carter negotiated a treaty between the Egyptians and the Israelis. Each president also gets a few lines about his life before the presidency. All in all, there's a surprising amount of information offered in a kid-friendly style. The artwork is better than average, and although it's played for fun, it's not disrespectful. Different fonts and a peppy layout add appeal. A bibliography, a map showing where the presidents were born, and spreads on White House kids, First Ladies, and more are appended. An easy way to interest kids in the presidency. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Paperback: 64 pages
• Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap (July 8, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0448433729
• ISBN-13: 978-0448433721
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #44,552 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #12 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > History & Historical Fiction > United States > General
  • #64 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > People & Places > Biographies > General
  • #81 in Books > Children's Books > History > United States

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great elementary intro to presidents, February 20, 2006

By 

reader mother (TN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Smart About the Presidents (Smart About History) (Paperback)

My 7 yr old daughter is in 1st grade. She got this book after she had already learned the names of the presidents in order, along w/several facts (some trivial) about each. Still she poured over it to compare what she had studied w/what the book said. The small size, paperback nature, reading level, & casual drawings (like an elementary class project) make it VERY KID FRIENDLY. I understand that some adults might disagree w/which key details of each presidency were included or excluded, & that some info might be too simplified. I think the point is to understand the target audience for this book is elementary school children who will have a chance to study/grasp more in depth material later. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND it for the right audience.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Intro to the Presidents, October 31, 2005

By 

Maureen Shafer (Del Mar, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Smart About the Presidents (Smart About History) (Paperback)

This book is not meant to provide "balance" on each president, rather it is a wonderful introduction to each president and meant to appeal to a very, very young audience. I don't think the Watergate scandal would interest most preschoolers. My daughter (age 4) has been able to memorize all of the presidents thanks to this wonderful and very nicely illustrated book. It is a fabulous book and would highly recommend it to parents with young children.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Created a wiz kid, January 7, 2006

By 

Duck, Duck, QUACK (New Englander) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Smart About the Presidents (Smart About History) (Paperback)

This book is excellent! I recommend it very highly. It turned my 6 year old cousin into a presidential wiz kid. You can ask him anything from the book and he knows it. It's presented perfectly for a young child. I am a teacher and use this book in my classroom as well.