Woodrow Wilson Book

Author/illustrator Mike Venezia has been introducing children to great artists and composers for more than 15 years. In his newest series, he brings to life the greatest historical figures of the United States—the U.S. presidents. Once again, Mr. Venezia has combined humor with history to make learning fun. Each book is a delightful mix of full-color historical reproductions and photos, hilarious cartoon-style illustrations, and simple, factual text describing each president's path toward the nation's highest office.

• Fans of Mike Venezia's artists' biographies will welcome his newest series
• Great additions to materials about Presidents' Day
• Photo captions include where famous historical works of art can be viewed
• Humorous illustrations and "kid-friendly" prose draw readers in
• Series approved by scholars from the Miller Center of Public Affairs, an organization devoted to research on the American Presidency

Mike Venezia mixes facts with humor to introduce the presidents of the United States to students as he did in his previous series on artists and composers, Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists and Getting to Know the World's Greatest Composers (Children's Press (Scholastic Library Publishing). Each book highlights the life and times of one president, and books in the series will be written in chronological order. At the time of this review, titles covered George Washington through John Quincy Adams. Venezia uses funny and serious anecdotes to help students understand and realize that presidents are very real people. On each page is either a painting, an engraving, a map, a portrait, or a comical caricature that enhances the text. Students will especially enjoy the humorous caricatures. Captions are included with each that explains the historical paintings and portraits. Students will be able to use these books for reports and for pleasure reading.