This book is fairly long so I would suggest using it for an intermediate-level classroom. This story is about the history of the White House garden and how it was used to feed lots of people at the White House. This book would be helpful for your students if you were having them read it as a step to learning how to write a book report since it had some great additional resources such as pictures, recipes, and other resources at the back of the book. This book was pretty extensive but it also has a lot of good information about the history of the White House Garden and had a great call to action at the end of the book. ( )

This lovely book provides a brief history of the White House and what has taken place throughout history on its lawns and in its gardens. For example, Jefferson grazed cattle on the South Lawn. Almost 200 years later, Amy Carter, daughter of Jimmy Carter, had slumber parties in her tree house on the South Lawn. In between, Woodrow Wilson grazed sheep on the lawn.

More than one first family has set up a garden on the White House grounds. This book focuses on the garden started by Michelle Obama in 2009. The author explains:

“As First Lady and as a mom, Mrs. Obama was concerned about the health of the American people. She believed we should think about what we eat and where our food comes from. And she wanted her family - all families - to become healthier by eating more vegetables and fruits and by eating meals together at the table.”

The author goes into detail about how Mrs. Obama set about putting in the garden with the help of fifth-grade students from a local elementary school. Some of the seeds came from plants first grown by Jefferson in his garden in Monticello. A beekeeper also installed a beehive nearby to provide a home for bees to pollinate the plants and make honey for the White House.

The author reports that it took only six weeks for the First Garden to start producing food ready to be harvested. Soon both salads and desserts were being made with fresh ingredients from the White House garden. Other produce from the garden went to Miriam’s Kitchen, a D.C. organization that helps to feed the homeless.

The author ends with a list of “Good Reasons to Garden” and a number of kid-friendly recipes that were distributed by the White House for dishes made from fresh fruits and vegetables. A list of further resources (including websites) is appended.

The author, who has written two cookbooks, is also the illustrator. She has created lovely watercolors that contrast the different green shades in the garden with the rich colors of vegetables.

Evaluation: Although a new presidential administration has replaced the Obamas in the White House, this book still has much to offer. It will educate young readers, who may be surprised that presidents and first ladies have grown their own food! As a latent benefit, it will teach children that bees are more than just insects to run away from. And it may also inspire them to start their own gardens. ( )

This books shows the gardens of the White House through history. The bulk of the book is about how Michelle Obama stated her own garden on the White House property. The book had a few recipes in the back which would make great cultivating activities after the book had been read. It is a little lengthy for younger students so reading in sections might be best for this story. The beginning of the book is about the history of the white house and the land around it. Then it talks about the changes Michelle Obama has made on the grounds in term of her healthy eating campaign.
The books also give many tips on caring for a garden and eating correctly. There are a lot of different lessons that could be taken from this book. The books also had online resources to share with children that help provide them with a visual reference outside of using the book. ( )

Great informational book about how Mrs. Obama turned the presidential garden into a garden with healthy, fresh food that can feed many. This book also has great facts about past presidents and how the garden was used in the past. Great for grades 1-4. ( )

This book would be great to read when you are talking to students about the First Family. The title is a little misleading, because there are only a few pages that discuss the history of the White House garden. The illustrations are beautiful. I would even use this in a class to introduce students to watercolor painting. ( )