A quick scan of the recently elected chief executive's family, background, and campaign.Between tacked-on mentions of her subject's win (sans numbers or electoral maps) at the open and close, Sherman retraces the rise of the Trump fortune. She begins with the immigration of his grandfather Friedrich Drumpf to the U.S. in 1885, then continues to his transition from casinos and other real estate ventures (and reality TV celebrity) into politics, and concludes with his campaign. Though frank enough to mention Marla Maples and his multiple marriages, the author passes in silence over Trump's many bankruptcies and slicker financial dealings. She even manages to put positive spins on his M.O. ("Donald understood that this hard work and ability to make deals were the keys to his success") and his "bold and controversial" campaign statements: "He thought it was important to state his views honestly." Those views are presented only in summary form, without comparison or analysis, and his formal debates with rival Hillary Clinton are confined to a reference to Benghazi. The account is interspersed with staid news photos, and it ends on election night with a generic comment that the world is watching to "see what President Trump will do next." A prefab profile that will be outdated long before it becomes available. (source notes, timeline, further reading, index) (Biography. 10-12)

This early entry into what will no doubt be a long line of Trump biographies shows the complications inherent in writing for young people about the forty-fifth president. Sherman begins with Trump's ride down the escalator at Trump Tower in June 2015. The book then moves back in time, introducing Trump's grandfather and father, Trump's family life, and his school days, including his move to a military school after his temper got him into trouble. Most of the book centers on Trump's business career. His marriages and children, including their roles in his campaign, are also discussed. But the election season gets short shrift, fewer than five pages, including photographs (which, throughout, are plentiful and interesting). There's no mention in the book about Mexicans, Muslims (immigration is mentioned), scandals (except for Clinton's e-mail server), or hacking. Knowing a president's past is important, and this is an honest account, but it will be interesting to see how far future publications are willing to go when covering this unconventional president.

Gr 4-7Born into a family of successful businessmen, Donald Trump built an international business empire, became a reality TV star, and was elected president of the United States. Sherman, who has written on subjects ranging from the Hindenburg disaster to the American identity, takes on the challenging task of summarizing Trump's life for middle grade students. In a sanitized sketch of his lucrative business career, Sherman includes few negative episodes and also describes his marriages, divorces, and children and his rise to celebrity through hosting the TV show The Apprentice. Concluding with Trump's presidential campaign, Sherman writes that he believes "immigrants can bring problems to the United States." There is no mention of incidents of violence during rallies or his call for a ban on Muslims and for jailing his opponent. Sherman glosses over the name-calling and fabrications that characterized Trump's campaign, saying, "He thought it was important to state his views honestly." VERDICT The straightforward format, clean design, and helpful back matter are characteristic of the series, but this title, which ends with Trump's election, was outdated by the time of its publication.Kathleen Isaacs, Children's Literature Specialist, Pasadena, MD