Reviewed with Rick Burke's George W. Bush.
Gr. 2-4. From the new American Lives series come presidential biographies, simple enough for young report writers and colorful enough to keep their attention. The introductions are very basic. The Bush biography covers the president's growing-up years, career, and successful run for the presidency, with the emphasis on 9/11. But there are banal statements and broad generalizations along the way: "Bush also wanted to be a good president like his father was. It wouldn't be easy." Or "George's courage gave the country the strength to face its enemies." Jefferson hits the high points, avoiding controversy; it barely mentions the incongruity of Jefferson's holding slaves. Still, considering the books' brevity, Burke includes a lot of information, especially in the Jefferson profile, where he has hindsight to help him. The interesting mix of paintings, historical artifacts, and contemporary photos make for an attractive design. A glossary, a brief bibliography, and a short list of Web sites are appended. Ilene Cooper
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