Over the summer, a reporter e-mailed to ask about Hillary Clinton books aimed at kids for an article she was writing. I replied that almost all of the titles available were in series about first ladies or famous women, but that as election time grew closer, there should be more.The election may be a year away but, to say the least, the books have begun to arrive. Cynthia Levinson's Hillary Rodham Clinton: Do All the Good You Can (2016), aimed at a slightly younger crowd, covers much of the same territory, though the emphasis here, as the subtitle indicates, is how a predilection for service is the key to understanding Clinton. Levinson, who attended Wellesley at the same time as Clinton, includes some original research amid interviews with friends and advisers. Denser detail gives way to more bullet-point-style writing here, but readers will still come away with a sense of what makes Hillary run, even in the face of overwhelming odds.If the last election taught us anything, it's far too early to be fitting the Oval Office chair quite yet, but these four books make clear that, regardless of the outcome, Clinton's place in history is already secure.

Levinson offers young readers a chance to uncover Hillary Clinton's personal life in this easy-to-read biography. Organized chronologically, the book highlights Hillary's most important life events from childhood to the present. Hillary was born in 1946 and grew up in Illinois during a time when women did not dare dream of running for president. Although she was very influenced by her Republican father, Hillary also agreed with her soft-hearted Methodist mother, who thought people should do all the good they can for as many people as they can. She found herself drawn to wanting to help her poor, black neighbors. As the Republican Party grew more conservative, Hillary leaned away from her "Republican mind" and more toward her "liberal heart."Levinson includes helpful notes throughout the book to further explain some of the more confusing aspects of politics (like the electoral college), as well as interesting nuggets of information (Chelsea Clinton's code name was "Energy" during Bill Clinton's presidency). Although the various scandals that have plagued the Clintons are included, Levinson does not go into sordid details, instead giving the basic information a young reader needs to know. Levinson explores the mistakes that Hillary has made, but this is not a critical look at her political career. Young students interested in Hillary's life and motivations will get the most use out of this introduction to the presidential candidate.Jennifer McIntosh.