Smithsonian Presidents and First Ladies

Barber, James; Pastan, Amy

ISBN 10: 0789484544 ISBN 13: 9780789484543

Publisher: Dk Pub, 2002

A fascinating look at the president and first lady for children 8 and older. Meet the extraordinary men and women who inspire, amaze, and enthrall us. The people who have lived in the White House -- and those who were presidents and first ladies before the great home was built -- are a chain of personalities who embody the peaceful succession of power which defines the United States system of government. Did you know... James Buchanan was a bachelor, so Harriet Lane, his niece, served as the nation's official hostess? John Tyler had two first ladies? Eleanor and Franklin D. Roosevelt were distant cousins? Both Barbara Bush and Laura Bush chose literacy as a focus of their work as first ladies? A concise history. The clearly presented Key Events section on every page of Smithsonian Presidents and First Ladies shows what happened and when during the time of each president's administration. Biography boxes report data on important dates, places, and people in the lives of our leaders. Finding out about the complex, colorful story of the powerful couples in American history has never been simpler -- or more fun -- with this fact-packed instant reference.

"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.

Review:

From George and Martha Washington to George W. and Laura Bush, America's leading couples have intrigued, pleased, and angered the people of the nation for more than two centuries. In this easy-to-use, concise guide to presidents and first ladies, readers discover all sorts of essential information and little-known facts about some of the most powerful people in the world. Did you know that Andrew Johnson received no formal education? His wife, Eliza, taught him to read and write. And John Adams--by his own admission, "puffy, vain, conceited"--was called "His Rotundity" by his enemies!

A brief overview of each featured personage is accompanied by trivia boxes and biographical sidebars with such details as the dates of birth, death, and marriage, party affiliation, and years as president and first lady. A bar with key events during each presidency runs along the bottom of the page. Young readers will find this a valuable tool packed with nitty-gritty particulars about the many fascinating residents of the White House. (Ages 8 and older) --Emilie Coulter

From School Library Journal:

Grade 4-6-This breezy, entertaining survey provides basic information. Most presidential pairs are covered on double-page spreads; a few, notably George and Martha Washington, Thomas and Martha Jefferson, Abraham and Mary Lincoln, and Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, are given four pages. Each entry has a brief biographical chart for both the president and the first lady, a paragraph about each of them, key events in a chronological table, a portrait of each individual, and often an interesting sidebar. Religious affiliations, a map showing birthplaces by state, and election statistics are provided in the appendix. Illustrations, mainly in color and including photographs, portraits, and reproductions largely from the Smithsonian's collection, are attractive and interesting. Youngsters will enjoy browsing through this book but would need to turn to Elaine Pascoe's First Facts about the Presidents (Blackbirch, 1996), Pastan's First Ladies (2001), or Barber's Presidents (2000, both DK) to find enough information for a simple report. S. A. Kramer's The Look-It-Up Book of First Ladies and Wyatt Blassingame's The Look-It-Up Book of Presidents (both Random, 2000) provide even more in-depth coverage. Some text from Pastan's First Ladies is repeated verbatim in Presidents and First Ladies. A supplemental choice.
Peg Glisson, Mendon Center Elementary School, Pittsford, NY
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.