Module 3: So You Want to Be President

Book Summary

This book describes the president's job and gives a brief, humorous synopsis about each president.  It identifies the oldest and youngest presidents to take office, as well as the tallest and shortest.  It also provides information such as the pets, family, and religious backgrounds of each president.

APA Reference

St. George, J. (2000).  So you want to be president.  New York, NY:  Philomel Books.

 

Impressions

This is a great book!  The author presents quirky, fun facts about each president which makes it fun for kids to read.  For example, the fact that John Quincy Adams once went skinny-dipping!  The humorous caricature type illustrations of the presidents also make the book appealing to kids.

 

Professional Review

Portraits of the presidents can be generally described as staid, stodgy, and dull. Throw these adjectives out the window when describing this book's group portrayal of American presidents. St. George leads her audience, ostensibly young presidential hopefuls, through the good points of the presidency (big house with its own bowling alley and movie theater) and bad points (lots of homework). Then she offers a spiffy presidential history with comparisons and contrasts: most popular names, log cabin origins, ages, looks, backgrounds, pets, musical abilities, favorite sports, and personalities ("William McKinley was so nice that he tried to stop a mob from attacking the man who had just shot him"). The book holds out the possibility that someday a woman, a person of color, or a person who is neither Protestant nor Roman Catholic might be elected president. The discussion ends with the oath of office and the thought that most presidents have tried to do their best to fulfill it. David Small's delightful illustrations, usually droll and sometimes hilarious, will draw children to the book and entertain them from page to page. Memorable images include the comical sight of the obese President Taft being lowered into a bathtub by a crane and a powerful scene showing two figures, Nixon (looking disgruntled) and Clinton (looking dejected), descending the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, under the shadow of impeachment. Thoughtful composition and layout both contribute to the lively visual presentation of this most original look at the presidency. The light tone of the book makes it possible for readers to absorb a great deal of information, some of it silly, but underlying the treatment is a sense of the significance and dignity of the office and the faith that children still aspire to be president.

Phelan, C. (July 2000).  [Review of the book So you want to be president by Judith St. George].  Booklist, 96(21), 2034.

 

Library Uses

Read the book and then have each student choose a president and create a trading card with a drawing of the president on one side and facts about him on the other.
This would also make a great display book for specific times of the year (Election Day, President's Day).

Book cover image from:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:CM_be_president.jpg