Presidential Reads: Favorite Books about U.S. Presidents

Inauguration Day was not even a week ago. A new president now heads the country. Let the new presidential book publishing begin!

Now, whatever your personal politics may be, I've learned that, as a librarian, those personal biases have to be left at home. All sorts of people from all wakes of life will be looking for information about something and hoping that your library has the books they need.

So...a book about our newest president? Whether that's a painful thought or a celebratory one, here's a new book that I'm excited to recommend. Plus, I have all sorts of other classic presidential books that can be pulled out for display (Presidents' Day is coming up!) or as a reminder for recommendations.

Our Country's Presidents

Ann Bausum

978-1426326851

National Geographic

January 10, 2017

(format: ARC from publisher)

This is a wonderful home or library reference book to have on the country's presidents. It does get a bit complicated, so stick with me: it's not just biographies. Yes, each president has a full page White House portrait and an essay describing major life events and presidential actions. But there's also helpful asides about goings-on in the country, famous quotes, and even a fact box topped with each president's nickname. It's comprehensive without being overwhelming or too textbook-ish. My favorite part, though, were the interspersed essays that stepped away from the individual presidents to address overarching themes or country-wide trends. For instance, "First Ladies" or "The Two-Party System" or "Battles for the Ballot." This book doesn't forget the rest of the country. In fact, the whole book is organized by a timeline of major American historical periods (e.g. "From Sea to Shining Sea" or "The Atomic Age").

See, it's not just a president book. It's an awesome American presidential history book. Yes, there is a very helpful introduction that describes all of this organization and layout that prevents confusion. Also, there is an index for people looking up specific topics. Really, it works as something to be read from front to back, or as a reference for one or two presidents. I recommend it for the middle grades and up. Yes, even adults would seriously benefit from this. Try it out!

Find it at your library or on Amazon

Other books featuring President Trump 

(that I haven't read but trust to be well-written)

    

Other favorite presidential reads

Picture Books

Chapter Books and Middle Grade

What's your favorite presidential read? Any new books caught your eye? Share in the comments below!