24. So You Want To Be President

24. So You Want to be President

Judith St. George

David Small

Philomel Books 2000

52 pages

Non-fiction

            I chose this book because one of the students in my practicum is obsessed with the presidents and wanting to know everything about them. This book gives information about the presidents and little known facts for the reader. The author shows the similarities of each man and highlights their great moments as well as their moments of failure. The book gives facts that are now no longer applicable and in the back of the book each president is listed along with their term, birthplace, and a description of their term.

            The illustrations in this book are of each individual president. The pictures are done in a caricature style and the medium used is ink, watercolors, and pastels. The text throughout the book is done in formal and informal styles. This book does not have any awards or honors.

            The classroom connections for this book could be in language arts, social studies, and character development. In language arts the students could write an essay about a president or what they think should be required of a person who wants to be a president or in a position of leadership and power. In Social studies the students can learn about the presidents of the United States and how they changed history. In a character development lesson this book could teach students the importance of being a leader of character and integrity. Making the right decisions and taking power with responsibility. I would use this book in my classroom for a trivia game or as a resource for the students to learn more about presidents.