The real value of this book is in the informative illustrations. The rhymes are so short they explain nothing and only raise more questions. but the informational section in the back helps give clarity. Unfortunately, my copy is rather out-of-date: it ends with Clinton entering his second term. ( )

This was one of my favorite books to take out of the library when I was in elementary school. Even reading it in college, I still enjoyed it. There isn't a plot to this book. It just has a couplet to summarize each president. The big idea, if there is one, is that all the presidents have served a purpose in U.S. history. I like the illustrations in this book the most. There is a drawing of the president and he is surrounded by things that were prominent or important during or about his presidency. It makes historical facts visual and easy to follow, making it accessible to lots of people, like me, when I read this as a seven-year-old. I also like how the author used couplets for each president because it gives the book a rhythm and flow to it. My favorite couplet is the one about Thomas Jefferson: "Thomas Jefferson, number Three, / Rigged the Sale of the Century." ( )

While this book does a good job of presenting the first 41 presidents of the United States, the poetry seems to sacrifice content for rhyme. However, there are great details on each president's page that could be used to teach the highlights of a president's term(s). ( )

The Buck Stops Here: The Presidents of the United States
Alice Provensen
Viking, 54p.
Hardcover nonfiction picture book, history
2010
8-12 years
A richly detailed page depicts each U.S. president's terms, including symbols and personal and political facts. The style of each illustration reflects the time period of the presidency. A brief rhyme at the bottom of the page summarizes each president. Each page of this book is informative and it's fun to pore over the details. A text section at the back of the book provides more descriptive biographies of each president. The 20th anniversary edition of Provensen's book is updated with 44th president Obama. This would be a great resource for elementary school classrooms working on reports on the presidents.

This book covers all the presidents from Washington to Bush Sr. in a short rhyming story. Each president's page is illustrated and loaded with facts about different things that happened during his presidency (some of which are things like inventions that the president isn't really responsible for). We get a general idea of the nature of each presidency. ( )