Read-alikes: Hail to the Chief.

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 12:56:01 GMT

Cooper, Ilene (author).
Grades 6-10.
FEATURE. First published August, 2008 (Booklist).

The children of presidents, presidential candidates, even one character who wants to be president himself—this election year offers books for young people that come at the presidency in different ways. Find election books for younger readers in the July 2008 issue of Booklist.

All American Girl. By Meg Cabot. 2003. HarperCollins, paper, $6.99 (9780064472777).

When not-too-cool Samantha inadvertently saves the president from an attempted assassination, her life drastically alters: she not only becomes a national hero and the “it” girl at her high school, but she also ends up dating the president’s cute son. Far-fetched and plenty of fun.

As If Being 12 3/4 Isn’t Bad Enough, My Mother Is Running for President. By Donna Gephart. 2008. Delacorte, $15.99 (9780385734813) Gr. 5–7.

Vanessa’s mother has decided to run for president, which means that a normal life is a thing of the past. And that’s before the anonymous notes in Vanessa’s locker take an ominous turn from puzzling to threatening. A kid’s-eye view of a presidential campaign.

Barack Obama: The Politics of Hope. By William Michael Davis. 2007. OTTN, $25.95 (9781595560247); paper, $16.99 (9781595560322). Gr. 6–9.

Obama seems to have a natural constituency among young people, and this attractive biography gives readers a real feel for the man and the forces that shaped him. Besides Obama’s own writings, Davis also draws from a wide variety of sources to tell the Democratic candidate’s story.

John McCain. By Catherine Wells. 2008. Morgan Reynolds, $27.95 (9781599350462). Gr. 5–8.

In a brisk, readable style, Wells takes readers through the life of presidential candidate McCain. Although much of this story is well known, Wells adds interesting details, especially about the early years, when McCain, a boy with a temper, continually challenged authority. Illustrated with well-chosen photos.

The President’s Daughter. By Ellen Emerson White. 2008. Feiwel and Friends, paper, $8.99 (9780312374884). Gr. 7–10.

Being a politician’s kid is no big deal for 16-year-old Meg Powers, but when her mom takes over the Oval Office, life as she knew it ends. In this revised version of her 1984 book, White vividly captures what it’s like to live under a microscope, especially for subjects who didn’t want the attention in the first place.

Vote for Larry. By Janet Tashjian. 2004. Holt, $16.95 (0-8050-7201-2). Gr. 7–10.

Josh Swenson, the anti-consumerism guru from The Gospel according to Larry (2001), returns to run for president. In this mix of allegory and political thriller, Josh’s plans to protect the planet and to involve young people in the care and feeding of democracy go awry once again.

White House Rules. By Mitali Perkins 2008. Dutton, $16.99 (9780525479512). Gr. 7–10.

The new president’s daughter, 16-year-old Sameera, who was adopted from Pakistan, finds plus and minuses in being First Daughter. John McCain has a daughter about the same age, who was adopted from Bangladesh.

Booklist Online - Read-alikes

Read-alikes: Hail to the Chief.