Kid Presidents: True Tales of Childhood from America’s Presidents

When one sees the President of the United States, one sees a person who is confident, educated, and tidy. But he didn’t start out life that way. He was a kid once and life was probably not nearly so tidy then. Some came from very privileged backgrounds, but probably as many came from quite ordinary circumstances. In any case, many had difficulties to overcome or unusual interests. Would it surprise you to know that Gerald Ford was nicknamed Junie growing up and had a bad temper along with a terrible stutter? He did. He wasn’t the only one with a terrible temper. Dwight Eisenhower also had a temper he had to overcome, and in so doing, he taught himself some good leadership skills. Teddy Roosevelt started a museum in his home with the skull of a harbor seal as his first exhibit.

David Stabler has gathered a nice collection of stories about the childhoods of quite a few presidents that will fascinate young people and start them on the road to being historians without them realizing they are learning. The cute illustrations by Doogie Horner nicely enhance the stories and make this a perfect book for middle-graders.