School Library Journal Review

Gr 3-8-The titles in this series offer highly entertaining vignettes of U.S. leaders grouped by historical periods. This volume will grab viewer attention from the first strains of "Hail to the Chief." Covering our presidents from Theodore Roosevelt to Franklin D. Roosevelt, students get a clear picture of the cause and effect of important events on each presidency and on world history. More importantly, the hard questions are debated, not glossed over. Among the questions discussed are "Why do we keep getting into wars?" and "How much power should a wartime president have?" Students are encouraged to weigh issues of individual freedoms vs. using presidential powers, thinking for themselves after observing many sides of complicated issues. Colorful, clever graphics help illuminate difficult concepts. Most impressive are the diverse viewpoints articulated by a stellar group of voices, including professors, politicians, presidential scholars, military generals, Pulitzer prize-winners, and eminent political commentators and journalists. Each era is summarized by a timeline. The term of each president is depicted with newsreel footage, stirring sound bytes, and humorous imagery that makes history come to life. Teddy Roosevelt's bully pulpit, William Howard Taft's dollar diplomacy, Woodrow Wilson's Nobel Prize, Warren Harding's scandals, "Silent Cal" Coolidge's pro-business stance, Herbert Hoover's odious "Hoovervilles," and Franklin Delano Roosevelt's fireside chats are highlighted. Period music lends background flavor. Bullet points review main ideas succinctly, and there's an interactive whiteboard game to test students' understanding. This extremely valuable resource is rich in facts and offers diverse viewpoints.-Lonna Pierce, MacArthur Elementary School, Binghamton, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.