Rouke's Complete History of Our Presidents Encyclopedia, Volume 8

August 1, 2009
Gr 4-7-In this chronologically arranged set, each volume includes three or four presidents, begins with a discussion of the dominant issues during their incumbency, and ends with an examination of the presidents' legacies. One chapter is devoted to the life and career of each man and includes a handsome, full-color portrait and an informative vignette about the First Lady or, in the case of Buchanan, White House hostess. The chapters are of varying lengths; Martin Van Buren is covered in 6 pages while George W. Bush gets 34, some of which is filler. The latter chapter begins with a fictionalized narrative asking readers to imagine a conversation about Elvis and baseball with a nine-year-old George. The Obama coverage is limited and inaccuratemany of the cabinet members listed never accepted positions. Although no documentation is provided, the other articles are accurate, informative, and engaging. The format and photographs in this set are more appealing than those in The Child's World's "Presidents of the U.S.A." series, but that set is more comprehensive and treats Clinton's sexual misconduct with more discretion. Each of the first 13 volumes in "Rourke's" includes the same four-page visual time line and a chart listing each man's party, term, and vital information. Volume 14 includes Electoral College maps for each election and a cumulative index. This is an eye-catching and informative work, but libraries would be wise to wait for more substantive and accurate information about Obama."Patricia N. McClune, Conestoga Valley High School, Lancaster, PA"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2009
Grades 3-8 Fourteen slim volumes cover all of the U.S. Presidents and their administrations, including background on President Obama. Each individually paged volume begins with a description of the time, especially political and economic concerns. This is followed by profiles of three or four presidents in chronological order, along with Words to Know (a glossary), a time line from 1770 to 2009, and a list of all the presidents and their vital statistics, terms, and parties. Each entry begins with a photograph or painting and describes the individuals early career, First Lady and family, election, important events during and after his administration, and death. A unique feature is the discussion of the impact of each. Maps, photos, cabinet members, suggestions for further reading, and Web sites are included in each article. Articles run about 30 pages in length, with two articlesfor Grover Cleveland (although the sidebars on Mrs. Cleveland in each article are almost identical). Intended for grades 38, the set is informative and contains many comparisons that make the articles relevant to life today. It would be nice to have in a school collection if there is a lot of research on the topic. Otherswise, stick with several copies of the newest Our Countrys Presidents (National Geographic, 2009).(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)