Now, with The Buck Stops Here , Provensen provides children with 41 delicious slices of history and a jumping-off point for their own political awakenings--and she does it in glorious style. Square, oversized pages feature portraits of each president, rendered in the artist's familiar, folksy paintings.

The portraits are surrounded by lively depictions of the issues, achievements (and, in some cases, missteps and misconducts) that marked each chief executive's years in office, stirring bits of presidential speeches, as well as significant nonpolitical events from those years. Rhyming couplets incorporate each name and number with easy-to-remember phrases about each presidency: "Teddy Roosevelt, Twenty-six / Whisper softly, wave big sticks."

All of these details manage to convey the larger-than-life qualities that helped carry these men to the White House and, at the same time, remind us that presidents are only human. This shining example of children's nonfiction clearly illustrates why this important category is gaining a foothold in bookstores. Like all the best nonfiction, Provensen's work should tempt readers to further research. Yet the book is also a treasure in itself; no matter how often one mines its informational gems, its riches are not depleted. The Buck Stops Here has all the feel of an immediate classic. All ages. Oversize, softcover with wear around edges, previuous owner's name on front cover.

Children will be pleased to make the acquaintance of the 41 U. S. presidents in this large format book in which so much delights the eye and intellect that each page encourages encore perusals. Strikingly illustrated in predominantly earth-toned watercolors, this pictorial compendium shares anecdotal and notable events connected with each president's term. Individual vignettes offer numerous incidental and momentous points of interest displayed with artistic ingenuity and brevity of text. Arrays of campaign memorabilia, mini scenes, and portraits appear in energetic arrangements with facts and slogans. Two-line rhymes offer a whimsical way to remember presidential sequences: "Teddy Roosevelt, Twenty-six,/ Whisper softly, wave big sticks." Other relevant information appears in the back.

Omitted from statistics are wives, children, and vice presidents; only seven First Ladies receive any attention. Eleanor Roosevelt is captioned as "First Lady of the World," but no details are provided. The depiction of the articulate and influential Abigail Adams hanging wash in the East Room or the out-of-context quotation of Martha Washington's ("I am more like a state prisoner . . . ") makes this minimal coverage questionable and lacking in substance. But, as an informal invitation to meet the country's leaders, this engaging book offers readers a unique visual adventure.

 Harpercollins Childrens Books 0-06-446132-7 / 9780064461320
Paperback AS NEW CONDITION 

Price: 26.95 USD