ALA Booklist (Wed Sep 01 00:00:00 CDT 2004)

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.

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Also encouraging political awareness this election year is Smart About the Presidents by Jon Buller, Susan Schade and others. This companion to Smart About the 50 States now focuses on each of the presidents, as if a student were delivering a report in school, with cartoon illustrations and childlike handwriting. Facts about the White House, the vice-presidents and first ladies, and impeachment round out this educational and inviting paperback. .

School Library Journal

Gr 3-5-Both of these basic books begin with the same letter from a teacher to her class about doing a group report. What follows are cartoon illustrations with dialogue bubbles and brief texts about each figure. In First Ladies, for example, Mary Todd Lincoln explains that "Abraham scolded me for shopping too much"; Rachel Jackson informs readers that, "There was a scandal over my divorce to my first husband and it caused me great shame." In Presidents, readers learn that Clinton loved golf, peanut butter and banana, and fast food, and that Bush banned broccoli from the White House. Both books are far better for browsing than for gleaning much information. Amy Pastan's First Ladies (DK, 2001), Sydelle A. Kramer's The Look-It-Up Book of First Ladies (Random, 2001), Kenneth C. Davis's Don't Know Much about the Presidents (HarperCollins, 2002), and Judith St. Georges's So You Want to Be President? (Philomel, 2000) are better choices.-Rebecca Luhman, Greece Central School District, Rochester, NY Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.