Chatting About Books:
Recommendations for Young Readers

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Episode 7—All About Elections

Book Chat

• Lives of the Presidents: Fame, Shame (and What the Neighbors Thought) written by Kathleen Krull; illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt (Harcourt, 1998)

Get in the spirit of this year’s presidential elections by learning fascinating facts about our country’s past presidents. This collective biography about the first 42 U.S. presidents (George Washington through Bill Clinton) answers the question, “What were the presidents like as human beings?” Krull, in a respectful but definitely nosy manner, gives us the scoop on our ambitious yet quirky presidents. For instance, did you know that John Quincy Adams kept an alligator as a pet? Or that Harry S. Truman’s closets were notoriously messy? More fun facts and anecdotes await young readers who’d like to show off their presidential knowledge this election season.
Best for ages 8 to 14.


• A Woman for President: The Story of Victoria Woodhull written by Kathleen Krull; illustrated by Jane Dyer (Walker and Company, 2004)

While researching Ulysses S. Grant for the Lives of the Presidents book, Kathleen Krull came across a little known name — Victoria Woodhull. Krull became so interested in Victoria’s story that she decided to write a biography about her. Who is Victoria Woodhull? She is the first woman to run for president in the United States, way back in 1872. This biography tells the life story of Victoria Woodhull, an amazing woman who was determined to make a way for women in politics despite living in a time when women had very few rights.
Best for ages 7 to 12.


• See How They Run: Campaign Dreams, Election Schemes, and the Race to the White House written by Susan E. Goodman; illustrated by Elwood H. Smith (Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 2008)

Have you ever wondered exactly how the election process works or how someone becomes the president? If so, this is the perfect book for you and just in time for the 2008 presidential elections! Goodman and Smith take a topic that is often difficult to explain to adults, let alone kids, and turn it into something interesting and humorous. Goodman’s writing about the election process is kid-friendly and Elwood Smith’s illustrations are just downright funny. This book is great for kids who are interested in learning how it all works or for kids who need an interesting approach to a difficult subject matter.
Best for ages 8 to 14.

Cookies and Milk
Emily and hopeful president Gerod discuss the book A Woman for President by Kathleen Krull. Gerod describes Victoria Woodhull as brave and wild, giving examples from the book to prove his point. He even helps Emily get her facts straight by taking her back to the book to review the other women who fought for their rights in Woodhull’s time.

About the Host

Emily Manning started teaching first grade in 1999 and is now a reading intervention teacher for third- through fifth-graders. Emily’s passion is reading; she enjoys the challenge each year of finding books that will spark the love of reading in her students. Emily’s favorite books are the ones kids ask to read over and over — the ones that are worn out from so many readings, complete with wrinkled pages and loose bindings.

These include

• Bubba the Cowboy Prince by Helen Ketteman (Scholastic, 1997)
• Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh (Yearling, 2001)
• The Jazz Fly by Matthew Gollub (Tortuga, 2000)
• The Magical, Marvelous, Mystical Coat by Catherine Ann Cullen (Little, Brown, 2001)
• The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin (Puffin, 2004)