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So You Want to Be President?

by Judith St. George, David Small (Illustrations)

3.9 of 5 stars 3.90 · rating details · 3,117 ratings · 297 reviews

Rosie is just a scrawny alley kitten, but she's braver than she looks -- and that's a good thing, because when a little girl brings her home, Rosie will meet the family dog, confront wild animals, be fooled by her reflection and find herself out on a limb. It will take some time for Rosie to get used to her new surroundings, but she eagerly laps it up, and her new family c...more

Hardcover, 56 pages

Published August 21st 2000 by Philomel

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Sep 30, 2011 Amber Delauri rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: children-s-literature

Genre: Picture Book- Historical
Summary: This book is full of kid-friendly facts about previous Presidents of the United States of America. It talks about their hobbies, pets, and favorite foods. It gives children an interesting view on life in the White House.
Critique- I loved this book because it made such a boring and over-studied subject really relatable to children of all ages. The ability for students to connect with the lives of past presidents was an amazing quality in this picture book....more Genre: Picture Book- Historical
Summary: This book is full of kid-friendly facts about previous Presidents of the United States of America. It talks about their hobbies, pets, and favorite foods. It gives children an interesting view on life in the White House.
Critique- I loved this book because it made such a boring and over-studied subject really relatable to children of all ages. The ability for students to connect with the lives of past presidents was an amazing quality in this picture book.
Many times children, and even adults, cannot think of presidents and historical figures as average people. Many people think of presidents as God-like figures. I think it is important to show the relatable qualities of these people, so children can realize that they are not always perfect. If these children are brought up thinking about presidents in this God-like manner, they will be less likely to accept their imperfections. Everything in this book is relatable to children. St.George explains how George Bush did not like broccoli but that “Presidents do not have to eat yucky vegetables.” She does a good job demonstrating the perks of being president while also making it clear that it is a lot of pressure. She even says at one point that presidents have a lot of “homework.” Allowing the kids to relate to the past presidents gives them a chance to see that the president can be anyone. Presidents are just normal people like you and me.
Curriculum Connection: I actually wrote an entire literature unit focused around this book. The illustrations of the book were discussed, along with what caricatures are, and students drew their own caricatures. Students created their own political campaign as to why they should be president, and wrote speeches to accompany this. Students participated in literature circles where they read books on three different presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Barack Obama. Each group was to argue why their president was the most important president by either creating a stamp, a museum exhibit, or a public service announcement. Students would compare and contrast their lives with that of the president, and imagine what their lives would be like if their father became president. Students also learned about leaders, why we have leaders, and what makes a good leader.
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Nov 10, 2009 (NS) Brea M rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: informational-books-biographies

Judith St. George writes this lighthearted informational book about U.S. presidents George Washington through Bill Clinton. Readers encounter random details about presidents that might give them a closer look into what kind of men have taken the important office in the past. To an adult, these details may seem entertaining but unimportant to the role of a president. To a child, these random facts portray the president as real people with a job they could aspire to have someday. Some of the humor...more

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Apr 08, 2013 Kristin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This would be a great book to use in the classroom with students. Social studies (history/geography) and literacy instruction could easily be tied together with this book. The book is presented in a way that shows the pros and cons of being president. This would allow for students to gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be president and what these people's lives really are like. It could also be used as a model if students are going to be asked to write a paragraph or paper where they...more

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Nov 26, 2012 Gabrielle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I loved the way George presented his facts about being president in this book. He really found the most interesting facts about our past presidents. Compared to historical texts that students might read in class, this is a good example of a way to involve the reader with the text. So You Want to Be President? is goofy and fun for the reader because of the way George writes and the charactures of the presidents.

I would incorporate this book into my future library because it's the type of book you...more

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Nov 25, 2012 Yvette rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

So You Want to be President? is illustrated beautifully with bright and vibrant colors in fun drawings. The book provided many facts about presidents that children could use to learn about history throughout the different presidencies, such as Theodore Roosevelt being the youngest president. The book is also filled with fascinating facts that could be connected with what they know about wars and events. However, the funnest part was knowing how we relate to the U.S. presidents in our hobbies, pe...more

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Nov 24, 2012 Katie Spencer rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book explodes with fun and interesting facts about the past presidents and the current president. A perfect read around election time, or president’s day. Although children do not have the right to vote yet, I still think that it is very important they are education about politics and how important exercising their own right to vote, when legal, is essential. This book would be appropriate for all children who are studying presidents because it presents information in an educational yet enj...more

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Nov 17, 2012 Bianca added it · review of another edition

So You want to be President?” by Judith St. George
Grade/Interest Level: 3rd-5th grade
Guided Reading Level: S
Genre: Informational Book

Main characters: all the United States presidents.
Setting:

That's a big job, and getting bigger. But why not? Presidents have come in just about every variety. They've been generals like George Washington and actors like Ronald Reagan; big like William Howard Taft and small like James Madison; handsome like Franklin Pierce and homely like Abraham Lincoln. They've be...more

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Mar 25, 2012 Brandon Mueller rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Judith St. George does a wonderful job in writing this terrific children's book that takes the reader on a fun little journey to show them our past U.S. presidents. This book allows young readers to see what it possibly takes to become President of the United States by displaying kid-friendly facts that are both interesting and comical. From Washington to Bush, the reader is shown and told about the men who made this country great, and kids who read this book get a more exciting way to see what...more

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Mar 22, 2012 Tracey Demario rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: children-s-literature

Like many books, So You Want to be President? presents facts about the 42 men who have held the Office of President of the United States. Unlike many books, however, it does so with humor and creativity. Judith St. George includes the usual information about each person, such as military record, education and age. However, she also informs readers about the men’s physical stature, personality traits, musical ability and pets. Interspersed with the general facts are amusing stories that reveal a...more

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Mar 08, 2012 Madison rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: picture-books, books-to-purchase

So You Want to Be President is a wonderful book that, without its clever illustrations, I most likely would not have read. The illustrator’s style is extremely captivating, with bold lines and bright colors that make the words come to life. The cartoon style illustrations are highly appealing to young readers. The expressions and movement depicted on each page makes what could be a dry-book fun. The book goes through all of the different presidents and explains what makes each of them unique. S...more

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Mar 11, 2010 Josiah rated it 3 of 5 stars

"If you want to be President—a good President—pattern yourself after the best. Our best have asked more of themselves than they thought they could give. They have had the courage, spirit, and will to do what they knew was right. Most of all, their first priority has always been the people and the country they served."

—So You Want to Be President?, P. 47

This book is a surprising, effervescent combination of sharp wit and honest wisdom that I believe does perfect justice to the ideal of what th...more "If you want to be President—a good President—pattern yourself after the best. Our best have asked more of themselves than they thought they could give. They have had the courage, spirit, and will to do what they knew was right. Most of all, their first priority has always been the people and the country they served."

—So You Want to Be President?, P. 47

This book is a surprising, effervescent combination of sharp wit and honest wisdom that I believe does perfect justice to the ideal of what the office of President of the United States can be, and has so often been throughout our history.

Judith St. George, well-respected author of many non-fiction books for young readers, leads this tour de force look into the lives of all the United States Presidents, from George Washington to Bill Clinton (who was the current President when this book was released in 2000). This is the kind of book that I would have loved to read in grade school: the lesser-known Presidents aren't at all treated with diminished regard in comparison to their more famous colleagues, and the facts related about the Presidents are widely varied; most were things that I've heard about before, but some of the information was completely new to me.

So You Want to Be President? is much more than a trip through a field of fascinating facts about the U.S. Presidents, however. Judith St. George gives full perspective on the responsibilities and ramifications of our nation's highest office, presenting the presidency not as just containing the most powerful person in the world, but for all that it means, warts and all. She does a great job of writing all of this with vibrant humor stitched throughout, providing a good number of real laughs as we read. Who knew that learning about the Presidents of the United States could be educational and so much fun? The superb illustrations by David Small provide a master touch that is appropriately comical at times, yet can with equal effect evoke the sobering moments in the history of the presidency when the text calls for it.

The final exhortations about what it takes to be a truly great President, to be mentioned in the same breath with titans of our country's past like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Franklin D. Roosevelt is probably the book's finest moment. The advice given by Judith St. George is so simple, and so clear, but it is also intensely germane and effective. A President has to give all that he has and much, much more, has to genuinely care about people more than the promotion of petty politics, and above all else must act with grass-roots honesty to ever become a Great President, with a capital "G". This is the kind of book that would do a world of good for so many people to read. It is as distinguished a contribution to the genre of non-fiction for young readers as any that I know. So You Want To Be President? is one of the best picture books that I have ever read, a worthy recipient of the Caldecott Medal awarded it. (less)

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Mar 09, 2010 Jaclyn Giordano rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: informational-books-and-biographies

So You Want to be President? by Judith St. George and David Small is a picture book intended for readers in grades three through five. I gave it four stars. “If you want to be President—a good President—pattern yourself after the best. Our best have asked more of themselves than they thought they could give. They have had the courage, spirit, and will to do what they knew was right. Most of all, their first priority has always been the people and the country they served.” St. George’s and Small...more So You Want to be President? by Judith St. George and David Small is a picture book intended for readers in grades three through five. I gave it four stars. “If you want to be President—a good President—pattern yourself after the best. Our best have asked more of themselves than they thought they could give. They have had the courage, spirit, and will to do what they knew was right. Most of all, their first priority has always been the people and the country they served.” St. George’s and Small's factual book about presidents allows the reader to playfully see and understand all about our past presidents—from what they ate, where they went to school, and how they dance to what pets they have had, their military backgrounds, and what sports they played. This book, in a fun and interesting way, chronicles what has made our Presidents so unique. The additional notes about each President at the back of the book allows the readers to see a chronology of past Presidents, their years in office, their birthplace, and their major accomplishments—truly a great, fact-filled endnote! The illustrations are child-like, portraying the Presidents in almost a caricature sort of way, making them more human, more fun to learn about, and more just like us. This helps the reader see and connect to the idea that Presidents are just ordinary men who did great things. It can fill readers with high hopes and dreams for themselves, that they can achieve whatever they want!
I was able to “watch” this book on BookFlix, a Scholastic website that pairs fiction and nonfiction books in a variety of categories and allows the reader to watch the books and read along with them as the words are highlighted. The action and movement of the Presidents as they performed heroic acts and daily routines, as well as the patriotic music in the background, allowed me to really get into the factual information in a fun, imaginative, and creative way. Truly a great way, I believe, to spice up history and keep readers engaged!
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Oct 03, 2009 (NS) Lisa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: picture-books

Did you know that six of our presidents were named James and four were named William? Or that James Madison was our smallest president at only five feet four inches, Abe Lincoln our tallest at six feet four inches and William Howard Taft weighed more than three hundred pounds? Did you know that most presidents went to college, but nine didn't and they included George Washington and Harry Truman. Presidents have come from all walks of life, had lots of different interests and hobbies and have fou...more

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Nov 20, 2012 Irene Perez added it · review of another edition

So You want to be President?” by Judith St. George
Grade/Interest Level: 3rd-5th grade
Guided Reading Level: S
Genre: Informational Book

Main characters: all the United States presidents.
Setting:

Author introduces our nations presidents in a very fun way. She mentions the differences between all of these important leaders. They've been generals like George Washington and actors like Ronald Reagan; big like William Howard Taft and small like James Madison; handsome like Franklin Pierce and homely like...more

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Nov 19, 2012 Conor Jorgensen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 307-books

This book is a simplified version of presidential history written in a unique and witty form and full of interesting information. This is an easy to read and enjoyable text. Together the text and the illustrations take the some of the mystery out of the presidency and let future aspirants know that anyone can grow up to be president. The illustrations in this book are very cartoon-like to me. You can definitely tell who every person is in the illustrations but the presidents still look like cart...more

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Nov 11, 2012 Karen Peters rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: children-s-literature

So You Want to Be President? written by Judith St. George and illustrated by David Small is a picture book for an advanced Primary(P) reader and/or early Intermediate(I)reader. So You Want to Be President? is a Caldecott Medal award winner.

So You Want to Be President? is a book filled with facts about past presidents told in a slightly humorous manner. The theme of this book is that ANYONE can be president. Tales of misadventure and humorous quotes make these esteemed characters human and tangib...more

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Oct 16, 2011 Lisa Mason rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

1.Historical Picture Book

2.This Caldecott medal winner gives children and adults alike a unique and interesting summary of Presidential politics through a diverse collection of presidential facts and caricatured drawings.

3.a. Content/Illustrations b. At first glance, this picture book seems to trivialize the Office of the Presidency. The over-sized caricatures and silly illustrations poke fun at many of the Presidents and their backgrounds. Topics that hook the interest of children are highlight...more

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Nov 19, 2012 Viridiana rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Title: “So You want to be President?” by Judith St. George
Grade/Interest Level: 3rd-5th grade
Guided Reading Level: S
Genre: Informational Book
POV: first person from the author
Setting: informational text
Main characters: all the United States presidents.

Award: Caldecott Award

Summary: This is an informational humorous book that touches upon many of United States presidents. Such as George Washington, Ronald Reagan,William Howard Taft, James Madison, Franklin Pierce,Abraham Lincoln, John Quincy Adams...more

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Dec 05, 2011 Nicole Perez rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: award-for-illus, children-ages-4-8, wide-reading-project, adolescent-lit, children-ages-9-12, children-lit, historical-nonfiction, humorous, young-adult

A very awesome book about presidents that is NOT boring! So informative and interesting -- its talks about all the presidents, what they looked like, how they were with others, their interests and hobbies, their pets, their preferences, the way money was spent, etc.... it gives children, adolescents and even adults perspective about life in the white house. The comical language paired with the usual brilliance and humor of David Smalls' illustrations makes this book a very engaging informational...more

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Sep 06, 2011 Melissa Fordonski rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The illustrations in this Caldecott winner bring the text to life. This non-fiction book rattles off 47 pages worth of facts about all of the presidents that have been in office. It gives readers a lot of information, and they can start to make connections to the similarities among the heads of state that our country has had. The use of president caricature collages, along with watercolor backgrounds, give life to the various facts that are told about the presidents. The caricatures of each pres...more

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Apr 15, 2013 Deanna Colburn rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The book So You Want to Be President? is a very fun way to go over the history of all the presidents. When you look at the statistics it seems as though every president is very similar but this book shows all the random quirky details of presidents lives and lifestyles showing how each of them are unique. While reading the book you learn history without even knowing. To end the book, the author wraps up saying that each president had their good choices and bad choices but in the end they did the...more

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Sep 20, 2011 Ashton Livsey rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Genre: Children's Book, Nonfiction
Summary: This book is a factual book that helps to teach children about our Presidents. To do so the author uses creative facts and fun cartoons to interest kids.
Critique: A. The illustrations, while they are cartoon-like, greatly coincide with the fun facts provided.
B. I really enjoyed reading this book because I even learned things about our past presidents that I did not know. The facts were varying and intriguing, and depicted certain parts of the words on...more

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Nov 20, 2012 Jamie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Grade Level: 3rd-5th grade
POV: author
Setting: informational text various settings
Main characters: past U.S. presidents

Summary:
While this book is labeled as informational it is also very funny. The books gives many fun facts about the past presidents of the United States including George Washington, Ronald Reagan,William Howard Taft, James Madison, Franklin Pierce,Abraham Lincoln, John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, William Harrison, John Kennedy, and George W. Bush. It introduces not only the fac...more

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Dec 15, 2011 Katelynn Callahan added it

This book is great for kids in grades 3-5. It is a kid friendly book that gives facts about previous United States Presidents. It does not just list boring history class facts, but it talks about their hobbies, pets, favorite books, foods ect. It gives students an interesting view and allows them to see the Presidents as real people.

The images in this book bring it to life. It shows the positives as well as the negatives of becoming president. One problem with this book is that the facts seem...more

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Nov 29, 2011 Ramanda Flannery rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: informational, picture-book

This book is about all of our Presidents. It describes how they look, what kind of personalities they had, how they spent money, what kind of pets they had, their musical habits, if they liked to dance, etc. It is very informational and has many bright illustrations that helps keep the kids interested. It also talks about the White House and the responsibilities that the president has.
I would use this book with a lesson on Presidents or on Presidents Day. After reading this book I would have the...more

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Apr 15, 2013 Jordan Lee rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is a sort of fun way of looking at being President. The caricatures that the author portrays the Presidents with makes them seem almost like cartoon characters. I think this is a great way to keep a child entertained while still feeding them information about the Presidents of the past. The inside flap of the book is covered with past Presidents and their trademark facial expressions. My favorite is Theodore Roosevelt’s large grin that is unmistakable. I think the illustrator does a fa...more

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Mar 25, 2013 Meghan Newton rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, young-children, picture-books

Just by looking at the cover of the book you know this is going to have good illustrations that keep you in the patriotic feel of the plot. The big use of blue and red to represent democratic and republican are a great tool that the artist used. Choosing water color gave the story the feeling of light humor and easy going style. The details provided help zero the readers eye on what is important of the page. I like how the layout of the story is pictures are priority and then woven into them are...more

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Nov 12, 2009 NS-Lisa Skrzypczynski rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: informational-biographies

Judith St. George & David Small have created a wonderful children’s book about being the president. In So You Want to Be President?, children will learn all about what it means to be the president, what their job is, why people want to be the president, and about the rules and guidelines for running and being president. Children will also learn facts about many of the presidents. Some facts are fun like how Theodore Roosevelt had cats, dogs, guinea pigs, snakes, mice, rats, badgers, raccoons...more

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Nov 21, 2009 (NS) Maria rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: informational-books-and-biographies

This a great book for students learning about presidents. I wish they had this book when I was growing up! The books I have reads about presidents have been very boring! This book gives you all kinds of interesting and odd facts about all the past presidents which make it interesting to read. As I began reading this book I laughed at the part that stated “Lots of people want to be President. If you want to be President, it might help if your name is James. Six presidents were names James. Four J...more

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Jun 20, 2011 Tracey Melcher added it · review of another edition

Did you ever wonder what it takes to become president of the United States? According to Judith St. George, you may want to move to a log cabin or change your name to “James.” So You Want to Be President introduces us to the first 43 presidents using interesting historical facts and lesser known tidbits about their hobbies, careers, families, and more. Amusing anecdotes and remarkably accurate caricatures combine to create a fun and interesting read. This 2001 Caldecott Medal winner is a great w...more

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