Module 3: So You Want to Be President?

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

Summary

So You Want to Be President? is a humorous and informative look at our nation's first 42 presidents. David Small won the Caldecott Medal in 2001 for his awesome illustrations that add much to the story. The story combines descriptions of the presidency with trivia about the men who have held its office. For example, it lists the number of presidents with certain names (six James, four Johns, etc.) and recounts the military service of so many of our presidents. St. George includes interesting stories about individual presidents. For example, William Harrison "walked to market every morning with a basket over his arm." She adds facts that children would find appealing, such as which presidents had what types of pets. Historical information is included as well as the oath that each president takes upon inauguration. The overall message is that there are a lot of similarities among our presidents and some differences too, but each one tried to do his best to serve our country well.

Worth Another Cup of Tea?

Yes, this is a very entertaining book that includes a lot of interesting historical information. As a former social studies teacher, I found myself saying "huh, I didn't know that" several times throughout the book. It gives a very good overview of the presidency and even though George W. Bush and Barack Obama aren't included, it is timely and relevant. I really enjoyed the illustrations by Small and chuckled at several of them. This is a great book that I highly recommend!

Reviews

Caldecott Medal, 2001

Gr 4-8-Curious tidbits of personal information and national history combine with humorously drawn caricatures to give this tongue-in-cheek picture book a quirky appeal. "There are good things about being President and there are bad things about being President." So begins a walk through a brief history of facts, successes, oddities, and mishaps. For example, most readers won't know that William Howard Taft weighed over 300 pounds and ordered a specially made bathtub. Small's drawing of a naked Taft being lowered into a water-filled tub by means of a crane should help them remember. Another spread depicts a men's shop where Andrew Johnson (a tailor) fits Ronald Reagan (an actor) for a suit while Harry Truman (a haberdasher) stands behind the counter. While the text exposes the human side of the individuals, the office of the presidency is ultimately treated with respect and dignity. A list of presidents with terms of office, birthplace, date of birth and death, and a one-sentence summary of their accomplishments is provided. This title will add spark to any study of this popular subject.-Alicia Eames, New York City Public Schools Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.--School Library Journal, August, 2000

This lighthearted, often humorous roundup of anecdotes and trivia is cast as a handbook of helpful hints to aspiring presidential candidates. St. George (Sacagawea; Crazy Horse) points out that it might boost your odds of being elected if your name is James (the moniker of six former presidents) or if your place of birth was a humble dwelling ("You probably weren't born in a log cabin. That's too bad. People are crazy about log-cabin Presidents. They elected eight"). She serves up diverse, occasionally tongue-in-cheek tidbits and spices the narrative with colorful quotes from her subjects. For instance, she notes that "Warren Harding was a handsome man, but he was one of our worst Presidents" due to his corrupt administration, and backs it up with one of his own quotes, "I am not fit for this office and never should have been here." Meanwhile, Small (The Gardener) shows Harding crowned king of a "Presidential Beauty Contest"; all the other presidents applaud him (except for a grimacing Nixon). The comical, caricatured artwork emphasizes some of the presidents' best known qualities and amplifies the playful tone of the text. For an illustration of family histories, Small depicts eight diminutive siblings crawling over a patient young George Washington; for another featuring pre-presidential occupations, Harry Truman stands at the cash register of his men's shop while Andrew Johnson (a former tailor) makes alterations on movie star Ronald Reagan's suit. The many clever, quirky asides may well send readers off on a presidential fact-finding missionDand spark many a discussion of additional anecdotes. A clever and engrossing approach to the men who have led America. Ages 7-up. (Aug.) Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.--Publisher's Weekly, July, 2000

In The Library

This is an excellent book for early elementary classes studying the presidency. An activity would be to describe our current president by researching some of the items found in the book. For example: What pet does he have? How tall is he? What is his religion? etc.

It would also be great for library displays that spotlight President's Day, an electoral season, or an inaugural season.