Friday, February 15, 2013

President's Day Picture Books

Ok, I have a confession.  I profiled these books last year, and I hate not having new selections for my readers.  But I must tell you that looking at the new offerings, these are still my favorites.  Sometimes new does not mean better, and in the case of presidential picture books, these are still the ones that kick some tushie (I know, not a technical term but there are kids reading this blog!)

So for the second year in a row (don't judge me,) here are my favorite picture books for President's Day.


Title:          Looking at Lincoln
Author:     Maira Kalman
Target:       Kindergarten and up
What this book is about:
A young girl goes on a journey to find out more about Abraham Lincoln.  Along the way she discovers he likes vanilla cake and tall hats where he can put his notes.  She also learns about his beliefs in freedom, his encounters with Sojourner Truth and Frederick Douglas, and the terrible cost of war.  Finally she learns that “a great man is never really gone.”
Why I love it:
Ok, the end of this picture book made me cry, but in a wonderful way, and if you have ever been to the Lincoln Memorial and been awed by that statue, yo
u too will tear up  I am afraid.  If you have ever read my blog you will know that I am a devotee of Maira Kalman and this book is another beautiful work by her.  It interweaves whimsy with history and poignancy in a way that no other book on the subject has done.
Who this book is for:
All children will find something to like in this book, and it doesn’t feel like a history lesson, although it is.
Final thoughts:
There is a reason that there are 16,000 books written about Lincoln.  He is a man worth knowing about.

To purchase this book, visit your local bookstore or click here: Looking at LincolnA portion of each purchase goes back to support this blog.






Title:          John, Paul, George & Ben
Author:     Lane Smith

Target:       Grade 1-4
What this book is about:
Lane Smith takes well known facts about our founding fathers and shows us how they manifested themselves when these men were boys.  John Hancock's large handwriting in school, Paul Revere’s booming voice as he repeats a customer’s order “Here they are.  Great big extra-large underwear!”  In the back of the book there is also a nice little review of each founding father along with a true or false section that was a blast for my kids.
Why I love this book:
Hilarious!  Not only did my kids learn some fun facts about some very important men in our history, they did it with smiles on their faces.  This is not a history lesson per say, but it will acquaint them with these historical figures and the roles they played.
Who this book is for:
Kids who want a fun introduction to the founding fathers
Final thoughts:
What parent wont enjoy the clever Beatle references throughout!

To purchase this book, visit you local bookstore or click here: John, Paul, George & BenA portion of each purchase goes back to support this blog.

No comments:

Post a Comment