Grover Cleveland, Again!: A Treasury of American Presidents

by Ken Burns, Gerald Kelley (Illustrator)

Overview

The instant New York Times bestseller that's perfect for President's Day!

A gorgeous collection of American presidents filled with fun facts and sparkling with personality, from nonfiction master Ken Burns.
 
This special treasury from America's beloved documentarian Ken Burns brings the presidents to life for our nation's children. Each president is given a lushly illustrated spread with curated stories and information to give readers of all ages a comprehensive view of the varied and fascinating characters who have led our nation (with the exception of Grover Cleveland—the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms—who gets two spreads!). A must-have for Ken's many fans, classrooms, and anyone who wishes to gain a greater understanding and appreciation for our country.
 
"A buoyant gallery, up to date, handsomely framed, and, in this particular election year, timely too."—Kirkus Reviews

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780385392099
Publisher:	Random House Children's Books
Publication date:	07/12/2016
Pages:	96
Sales rank:	277,850
Product dimensions:	10.10(w) x 12.10(h) x 0.70(d)
Lexile:	NC1140L (what's this?)
Age Range:	10 - 14 Years

About the Author

Since the Academy Award–nominated Brooklyn Bridge aired in 1981, Ken Burns has gone on to direct and produce some of the most acclaimed historical documentaries ever made. These include The Roosevelts: An Intimate History, The Civil War, The National Parks: America’s Best Idea, and Baseball, among many others.
A father of four, Ken was inspired to write this book by his daughters, who, when they were young, enjoyed reciting the names of the presidents and would gleefully shout out “Grover Cleveland, again!” when they got to his second, nonconsecutive term.
Ken lives with his family in New Hampshire. Find out more about Ken and his films at kenburns.com or @KenBurns.

Gerald Kelley has illustrated several books for children, including My Name Is Bob by James Bowen and Garry Jenkins (a picture book prequel to the New York Times bestseller A Street Cat Named Bob) and M Is for Monster: A Fantastic Creatures Alphabet, by former U.S. Children’s Poet Laureate J. Patrick Lewis. Gerald lives in Colorado. You can see more of his work at geraldkelley.com.

Editorial Reviews

Grover Cleveland, Again!…offers Burns's trademarked accessible, conversational style of history…with Kelley's sweeping art setting a scene for each president and sidebars offering biographical facts along with a couple of telling or simply amusing anecdotes…the effect of the whole is stirring enough to stoke and satisfy curiosity.

The New York Times Book Review - Maria Russo

2016-06-22
Humanizing portraits of the 43 men who have served as president of the United States. Burns stresses that even though all but one president has been both white and male, the diversity of their backgrounds, occupations, experiences, and characters amply proves that anyone (born in the U.S. and 35 or older) can rise to the office—despite even physical disabilities (FDR) or learning differences (Wilson, possibly the second Bush). Each president through Barack Obama gets a double-page spread (Grover Cleveland gets two: thus the title) illustrated with both a small official portrait and a looser, much larger view by Kelley of the incumbent at some pivotal or intimate moment. Other than a few significant omissions (Sally Hemings, most notably) or spins (Ford "never lost the respect of the American people"), the accompanying overviews and selected anecdotes present sunny but not entirely disingenuous views of each office holder. Often some balance is at least attempted even for egregious faults, by acknowledging Jackson's racism but also his adoption of a Creek orphan, for instance, or countering scandal-plagued Harding's habit of giving his "worst friends" government jobs by also mentioning his anti-lynching efforts. Side ribbons with dates, family members and histories, nicknames, and pets serve as continuing reminders that all had personal as well as public lives. A buoyant gallery, up to date, handsomely framed, and, in this particular election year, timely too. (glossary, list of historic sites) (Collective biography. 10-13)

Kirkus Reviews

09/01/2016
Gr 4–8—Almost 30 years ago, documentary filmmaker Burns told his daughters that he would one day write a book on the U.S. presidents for children: this volume fulfills that promise. Each of the 44 presidents receives a spread covering his time in office, including information on significant historical events and legislation, biographical data, a famous quote, and the president's official portrait. Soft, muted colors are used in the exquisite illustrations that highlight major events associated with each figure. Although there are no references or bibliography there are a glossary and listing of presidential birthplaces, libraries, and historical sites. Burns acknowledges troubling aspects of U.S. history, and while straightforward, the tone is upbeat. Burns emphasizes the personal abilities of each president and how he used those qualities to serve the nation. VERDICT Consider this superbly illustrated volume for U.S. history and biography collections.—Patricia Ann Owens, formerly at Illinois Eastern Community Colleges, Mt. Carmel

School Library Journal