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The Next President: The Unexpected Beginnings and Unwritten Future of America’s Presidents
An inspiring and informative book for kids about the past and future of America's presidents.
Who will be the NEXT president? Could it be you? When George Washington became the first president of the United States, there were nine future presidents already alive in America, doing things like practicing law or studying medicine.
When JFK became the thirty-fifth president, there were 10 future presidents already alive in America, doing things like hosting TV shows and learning the saxophone.
And right now—today!—there are at least 10 future presidents alive in America. They could be playing basketball, like Barack Obama, or helping in the garden, like Dwight D. Eisenhower. They could be solving math problems or reading books. They could be making art—or already making change.
• A breezy, kid-friendly survey of American history and American presidents
• Great for teachers, librarians, and other educators
• Kate Messner's nonfiction picture books have been lauded by critics and received a variety of awards.
For young readers and students who loved The New Big Book of Presidents, Lincoln and Kennedy: A Pair to Compare, and Kid Presidents: True Tales of Childhood from America's Presidents.
A helpful addition to curriculums of 5th- to 8th-grade students studying U.S. History and civics and the federal government.
• For readers ages 8–12
• U.S. history for kids
• Students, librarians, teachers
• 5th–8th-grade kids
From award-winning author Kate Messner and New York Times bestselling artist Adam Rex comes a timely and compelling compendium about the U.S. presidents—before they were presidents.
Kate Messner is an award-winning author whose many books for kids have been selected as Best Books by the New York Times, Junior Library Guild, IndieBound, and Bank Street College of Education. She lives on Lake Champlain with her family.
Adam Rex is the author and illustrator of many beloved picture books and novels, including Nothing Rhymes with Orange and the New York Times bestseller Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich. He has worked with the likes of Jon Scieszka, Mac Barnett, Jeff Kinney, and Neil Gaiman. He lives in Tucson, Arizona.
Who will be the NEXT president? Could it be you? When George Washington became the first president of the United States, there were nine future presidents already alive in America, doing things like practicing law or studying medicine.
When JFK became the thirty-fifth president, there were 10 future presidents already alive in America, doing things like hosting TV shows and learning the saxophone.
And right now—today!—there are at least 10 future presidents alive in America. They could be playing basketball, like Barack Obama, or helping in the garden, like Dwight D. Eisenhower. They could be solving math problems or reading books. They could be making art—or already making change.
• A breezy, kid-friendly survey of American history and American presidents
• Great for teachers, librarians, and other educators
• Kate Messner's nonfiction picture books have been lauded by critics and received a variety of awards.
For young readers and students who loved The New Big Book of Presidents, Lincoln and Kennedy: A Pair to Compare, and Kid Presidents: True Tales of Childhood from America's Presidents.
A helpful addition to curriculums of 5th- to 8th-grade students studying U.S. History and civics and the federal government.
• For readers ages 8–12
• U.S. history for kids
• Students, librarians, teachers
• 5th–8th-grade kids
From award-winning author Kate Messner and New York Times bestselling artist Adam Rex comes a timely and compelling compendium about the U.S. presidents—before they were presidents.
Kate Messner is an award-winning author whose many books for kids have been selected as Best Books by the New York Times, Junior Library Guild, IndieBound, and Bank Street College of Education. She lives on Lake Champlain with her family.
Adam Rex is the author and illustrator of many beloved picture books and novels, including Nothing Rhymes with Orange and the New York Times bestseller Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich. He has worked with the likes of Jon Scieszka, Mac Barnett, Jeff Kinney, and Neil Gaiman. He lives in Tucson, Arizona.
48 pages, Hardcover
First published March 24, 2020
28 people are currently reading
440 people want to read
About the author
Kate Messner
124 books1,674 followersKate Messner is an award-winning author, TED 2012 speaker, and former middle school English teacher. Her books for kids include THE BRILLIANT FALL OF GIANNA Z.,SUGAR AND ICE, and EYE OF THE STORM (Walker/Bloomsbury Dec. 2010) the MARTY MCGUIRE series (Scholastic), SEA MONSTER'S FIRST DAY, and OVER AND UNDER THE SNOW (Chronicle, Books). Kate also wrote SPITFIRE and CHAMPLAIN AND THE SILENT ONE, both Lake Champlain historical novels published by North Country Books.
Kate lives with her family on Lake Champlain, where she loves to read, write, hike, swing on birch trees, and eat chocolate. She also hangs out in various places online.
Visit Kate's website: http://www.katemessner.com
Find Kate on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/KateMessner
...or follow her on Twitter - @katemessner
Kate lives with her family on Lake Champlain, where she loves to read, write, hike, swing on birch trees, and eat chocolate. She also hangs out in various places online.
Visit Kate's website: http://www.katemessner.com
Find Kate on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/KateMessner
...or follow her on Twitter - @katemessner
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 222 reviews
January 23, 2021
This is one of the more creative nonfiction picture books I've ever read. And what an important time to read it -- just as the US is gearing up for another presidential election. The Goodreads synopsis explains: "When George Washington became the first president of the United States, there were nine future presidents already alive in America, doing things like practicing law or studying medicine. When JFK became the thirty-fifth president, there were 10 future presidents already alive in America, doing things like hosting TV shows and learning the saxophone." This presentation format helps highlight the fact that each of our presidents were normal humans, just like each child reading the book. I really, really like how Messner presented the information by years and I think it will resonate with children. Back matter includes more Presidential information and includes an extensive Bibliography. A must have for any children's library! The illustrations in this book were rendered digitally.
ETA: I checked this book out again and President Trump is definitely in this book. I'm not sure why people are saying he's not represented because he is. President Biden is not, however. This book was published before he was elected.
For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!!
ETA: I checked this book out again and President Trump is definitely in this book. I'm not sure why people are saying he's not represented because he is. President Biden is not, however. This book was published before he was elected.
For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!!
March 31, 2020
Presidents weren't born as being presidents, and this book slides through all sorts of interesting facts about each president's life before they took office...and demonstrates that any American citizen has the possibility of being elected someday.
This book encourages young readers to dream, and that how it starts out. But right after that, the first president is introduced. Instead of concentrating on each president's accomplishments, this book gives one or two interesting tidbits, but then mentions how many presidents were born and growing up at the same time, and even hits at some of the things they were up to. And most of these were definitely not 'presidential'. It is interesting to see all of the normal and not so usual hobbies and jobs these future presidents were doing years before they were actually elected.
While the book is placed in chronological order, time flows a bit back and forth. This breaks up the usual mundane atmosphere and adds as much life as the interesting facts. The illustrations are nicely done and reinforce the point—presidents were not raised to be presidents, but rather had diverse lives like every other normal human being. Some moments are humorous, others inspirations, and a few simply surprising.
At the end of the book, there's a map, which displays where presidents were born, a summary of the requirements to become president, a few 'changing face' facts, and a list of possible reads to learn more about the presidents.
It's an entertaining way to learn about the presidents...and that with a new twist. It also does a lovely job at encouraging young readers to hold onto their own dreams, since even they might find themselves as president someday.
This book encourages young readers to dream, and that how it starts out. But right after that, the first president is introduced. Instead of concentrating on each president's accomplishments, this book gives one or two interesting tidbits, but then mentions how many presidents were born and growing up at the same time, and even hits at some of the things they were up to. And most of these were definitely not 'presidential'. It is interesting to see all of the normal and not so usual hobbies and jobs these future presidents were doing years before they were actually elected.
While the book is placed in chronological order, time flows a bit back and forth. This breaks up the usual mundane atmosphere and adds as much life as the interesting facts. The illustrations are nicely done and reinforce the point—presidents were not raised to be presidents, but rather had diverse lives like every other normal human being. Some moments are humorous, others inspirations, and a few simply surprising.
At the end of the book, there's a map, which displays where presidents were born, a summary of the requirements to become president, a few 'changing face' facts, and a list of possible reads to learn more about the presidents.
It's an entertaining way to learn about the presidents...and that with a new twist. It also does a lovely job at encouraging young readers to hold onto their own dreams, since even they might find themselves as president someday.
February 13, 2021
Even though the book is already out of date, I enjoyed its unique take on prsenting facts about our presidents. Including the years, 1789, 1841, 1897 and 1961, we learn what future presidents were already born at the time George Washington, William Henry Harrison, William McKinley and John F. Kennedy were inaugurated.
If you're like me and never tire of books about the presidents, you'll enjoy this one.
If you're like me and never tire of books about the presidents, you'll enjoy this one.
September 10, 2024
This is the kind of picture book that is perfect to use with all ages - adults included.
In 2020, the billion dollar question is: Who will be the next President? Messner doesn't mess around with trying to answer that question. In this timeless book, she stays above politics by surveying trends and coincidences from the past, comparing them so we can look to the future and do the same, because the next 10 Presidents are out there somewhere.
Readers will note that math and coincidence plays a strong role in the selection of interesting facts. On the title page, all the presidents shown were a number that was a multiple of 11 and were Democrats, while presidents numbered a multiple of 10 were Republicans (except #10 - John Tyler, who was a Whig - which preceded the Republican Party). In 1789, there were 9 future presidents alive; in 1841, there were 14; in 1897, there were 9; and in 1961, there were 10. Each future president is depicted at the age he was during that year. Separating each time period are starred "snapshots" with two full pages about presidents living in that time period. The first shows Andrew Jackson opposite Abraham Lincoln; both men were shot by a bullet. Jackson is shown walking away from a duel; Lincoln as a boy with his time to come. The second features an array of unusual pets in the White House. The third is about larger-than-life Theodore Roosevelt, the youngest president to take office. Messner closes the narrative with musings of what our future presidents might be doing today. As always, her choices of what to include about each president are insightful, thoughtful, intriguing, and always on target. The narrative is smooth and reads aloud well.
Visually, Adam Rex has delivered a real treat. From its front boards (a stunning nighttime view of the President's desk) to the endsheets (note the exceptional graphic depiction of the states in front) and through the book itself, a golden thread leads readers eyes from one box filled with interesting facts about a future president to the next box about another. Rex's brilliant digital illustrations range from rough sketches and line drawings to photo-real images. He is inclusive as he shows the populace inside the museum where the public is learning about our presidents displays a wide range of diversity - age, religion, race, sex, ability - and includes both families and individuals. There is a visual sense of hope for our future. There is also subtle commentary tucked in (such as the enslaved men lifting up the portrait of Washington and the White House behind several Founding Fathers). Rex makes great visual use of the colors red, white, and blue throughout (one fine example is on pp. 16-17 with a red line down the center of the street and the "smoky red and white lines" during the 1840s-1860s as our country was headed into and during Civil War.
Backmatter includes a map showing birthplaces of the presidents, requirements to be president, a bibliography of further reading for children and a list of sources used.
This is sure to be useful for introducing a unit on U.S. Presidents and browsing. Pair it with Kathleen Krull's Lives of the Presidents: Fame, Shame, (and What the Neighbors Thought) (HMH Books, c2011) and Caldecott Medal winner Judith St. George's So You Want to Be President? (Philomel Books, c2000).
Highly Recommended for grades 3-8.
In 2020, the billion dollar question is: Who will be the next President? Messner doesn't mess around with trying to answer that question. In this timeless book, she stays above politics by surveying trends and coincidences from the past, comparing them so we can look to the future and do the same, because the next 10 Presidents are out there somewhere.
Readers will note that math and coincidence plays a strong role in the selection of interesting facts. On the title page, all the presidents shown were a number that was a multiple of 11 and were Democrats, while presidents numbered a multiple of 10 were Republicans (except #10 - John Tyler, who was a Whig - which preceded the Republican Party). In 1789, there were 9 future presidents alive; in 1841, there were 14; in 1897, there were 9; and in 1961, there were 10. Each future president is depicted at the age he was during that year. Separating each time period are starred "snapshots" with two full pages about presidents living in that time period. The first shows Andrew Jackson opposite Abraham Lincoln; both men were shot by a bullet. Jackson is shown walking away from a duel; Lincoln as a boy with his time to come. The second features an array of unusual pets in the White House. The third is about larger-than-life Theodore Roosevelt, the youngest president to take office. Messner closes the narrative with musings of what our future presidents might be doing today. As always, her choices of what to include about each president are insightful, thoughtful, intriguing, and always on target. The narrative is smooth and reads aloud well.
Visually, Adam Rex has delivered a real treat. From its front boards (a stunning nighttime view of the President's desk) to the endsheets (note the exceptional graphic depiction of the states in front) and through the book itself, a golden thread leads readers eyes from one box filled with interesting facts about a future president to the next box about another. Rex's brilliant digital illustrations range from rough sketches and line drawings to photo-real images. He is inclusive as he shows the populace inside the museum where the public is learning about our presidents displays a wide range of diversity - age, religion, race, sex, ability - and includes both families and individuals. There is a visual sense of hope for our future. There is also subtle commentary tucked in (such as the enslaved men lifting up the portrait of Washington and the White House behind several Founding Fathers). Rex makes great visual use of the colors red, white, and blue throughout (one fine example is on pp. 16-17 with a red line down the center of the street and the "smoky red and white lines" during the 1840s-1860s as our country was headed into and during Civil War.
Backmatter includes a map showing birthplaces of the presidents, requirements to be president, a bibliography of further reading for children and a list of sources used.
This is sure to be useful for introducing a unit on U.S. Presidents and browsing. Pair it with Kathleen Krull's Lives of the Presidents: Fame, Shame, (and What the Neighbors Thought) (HMH Books, c2011) and Caldecott Medal winner Judith St. George's So You Want to Be President? (Philomel Books, c2000).
Highly Recommended for grades 3-8.
May 14, 2020
This remarkable book takes presidential history and makes it both an exploration throughout time as well as an invitation to see oneself as a potential president. The book begins with George Washington as president and points out that when he was president there were nine future presidents alive with four of them already working at the capital with Washington. Readers will see presidents as children, teens and adults. They will watch them progress to being president, seeing the similarities and differences among the men who have been president. Yet most important of all is that they themselves might just be the future president who is currently alive.
Messner’s text is marvelous. It appears in bubbles that swirl through the illustrations or short paragraphs, making it bite-sized and inviting for young readers. Moving from one to the next, moves readers to a new president. Each one has interesting facts shared about them as well as glimpses of several of them over the course of their lives before they became president.
Rex’s illustrations are great. He creates recognizable images of past and present presidents as well as younger versions of them that are clearly still them. It’s a wonderful way to view presidents as human and to invite all children to see their own potential to lead.
Inviting, interesting and invigorating. Appropriate for ages 6-9.
Messner’s text is marvelous. It appears in bubbles that swirl through the illustrations or short paragraphs, making it bite-sized and inviting for young readers. Moving from one to the next, moves readers to a new president. Each one has interesting facts shared about them as well as glimpses of several of them over the course of their lives before they became president.
Rex’s illustrations are great. He creates recognizable images of past and present presidents as well as younger versions of them that are clearly still them. It’s a wonderful way to view presidents as human and to invite all children to see their own potential to lead.
Inviting, interesting and invigorating. Appropriate for ages 6-9.
February 12, 2021
This was a very creative book and a good idea. It was also radical left for multiple reasons. The book explained how Jefferson had written the words “all men are created equal” “even though he enslaved hundreds of people on his Virginia plantation”. Wow. They didn’t mention at all that Jefferson also had children with one of his slaves and they were also treated like gold. At that time, it was not understood how evil slavery is. This is what is said about our previous president, Donald Trump: “Was a teenager then. He was attending New York Military Academy, where his father had hoped he’d learn some discipline.” Whoa. Hold on. Did you just say that? I will admit that Trump is very loud and often speaks before he thinks, but THE only thing said about him (which is, by the way, on the edge of the page in a little itty bitty box that I didn’t even notice the first time reading this.) is negative! They couldn’t say one good thing about him? Then, on the very last page, was the strangest picture I have ever seen. Pictured in what seemed to be a hall of fame for presidents was 1. Hillary Clinton 2. JFK 3. Barack Obama. Can someone please tell me why Hillary, who lost the 2016 election, is there??? Why is Trump not in the empty frame that appears empty because there is no president there yet? Finally, the third-to-last-box has this statement written in it: “Most [of America’s presidents] were wealthy, white, Protestant men who might have been surprised if they’d been around to see a Catholic or and African American man elected president...or a woman nominated by a major party for the highest office in land.”
This deserves another whoa. Wealthy, white, Protestant men...am I reading that right? Sure, it’s true...but if color doesn’t matter then why was that said? No, I highly doubt that any of them would be surprised if an African American or Catholic man was elected to be a president. The last statement in this box blew me away. SOMEONE TELL ME WHY HILLARY IS LISTED IN A BOOK ABOUT PRESIDENTS WHEN SHE WAS NEVER PRESIDENT!!!
Anyhow...the only other complaint I have about this book (besides it being totally partial and leftest-left...) is that is was a little hard to read. I leave you with this, kids are reading this? Oh my. Now I’m scared. Read this book, if only to see its madness.
This deserves another whoa. Wealthy, white, Protestant men...am I reading that right? Sure, it’s true...but if color doesn’t matter then why was that said? No, I highly doubt that any of them would be surprised if an African American or Catholic man was elected to be a president. The last statement in this box blew me away. SOMEONE TELL ME WHY HILLARY IS LISTED IN A BOOK ABOUT PRESIDENTS WHEN SHE WAS NEVER PRESIDENT!!!
Anyhow...the only other complaint I have about this book (besides it being totally partial and leftest-left...) is that is was a little hard to read. I leave you with this, kids are reading this? Oh my. Now I’m scared. Read this book, if only to see its madness.
March 25, 2020
A brief look into the lives of the presidents
before
they were President of the United States.
Last fall, when I heard about this book, my political-science-loving heart leapt for joy. A picture book that will introduce children to residents of the White House? I was all over it. Then, I saw that Adam Rex was illustrating and I pre-ordered so fast I left char marks on my computer!
My copy arrived today. I’m one of those folks who immediately look under the dust jacket to see if there are surprises. I wasn’t disappointed! I quickly paged through to get a feel for the layout and was thrilled to see the numbering system. Adam Rex got very creative with new ways to put the number near the illustration of each president; my favorite was the bird chirping the number seven. When I read the text, I was enchanted by the variety that Kate Messner chose to highlight. We know our presidents come from different backgrounds, different places but to look at how they started? This was unique in highlighting bits of who they were before they were elected president: shoe shiners, radio announcers, collectors, a wrestler, etc.
As an adult, I longed for more detail. But for its purpose and for children? This is a wonderful read plus a fantastic jumping-off point for more discussion and learning. And, it just may inspire a future leader!
** Book includes map of presidential birthplaces, a blurb on the presidential requirements, The Changing Face of America’s Presidency, further reading, and a bibliography.
Last fall, when I heard about this book, my political-science-loving heart leapt for joy. A picture book that will introduce children to residents of the White House? I was all over it. Then, I saw that Adam Rex was illustrating and I pre-ordered so fast I left char marks on my computer!
My copy arrived today. I’m one of those folks who immediately look under the dust jacket to see if there are surprises. I wasn’t disappointed! I quickly paged through to get a feel for the layout and was thrilled to see the numbering system. Adam Rex got very creative with new ways to put the number near the illustration of each president; my favorite was the bird chirping the number seven. When I read the text, I was enchanted by the variety that Kate Messner chose to highlight. We know our presidents come from different backgrounds, different places but to look at how they started? This was unique in highlighting bits of who they were before they were elected president: shoe shiners, radio announcers, collectors, a wrestler, etc.
As an adult, I longed for more detail. But for its purpose and for children? This is a wonderful read plus a fantastic jumping-off point for more discussion and learning. And, it just may inspire a future leader!
** Book includes map of presidential birthplaces, a blurb on the presidential requirements, The Changing Face of America’s Presidency, further reading, and a bibliography.
December 29, 2019
This book is great! Messner chose different years in history and showed where future presidents were at the time- whether it was as a child working on the family farm, serving in Congress or not yet born. The book also shares interesting facts about each president. This is a fun book for browsing but also for seeing connections among presidents.
August 15, 2020
Appreciate this unique angle on a book about United States Presidents that humanizes them and also shows kids the potential they have to reach for the highest office in this nation, should they choose to.
September 3, 2020
4 stars for the concept, illustrations, and overall layout of the book
1 star for author's irrelevant, out-of-context statements on the subject matter
Overall Rating: 2.5 stars
The illustrations are well-done and inviting to the casual observer. The cover caught my eye while I was processing it for the shelf, so I took a few minutes to read it. It's a neat concept; the author takes a certain year in history (i.e., 1789), tells the reader who held presidential office that year and then goes on to list future presidents who were living that same year and gives us blurbs of what they were doing at the time. This is a great way to show kids who the presidents were before holding office and some of the things they accomplished.
My criticism begins on page 9 where readers are introduced to the first 5 presidents. Part of Adams' blurb: "He was the only one of the first five presidents who didn't enslave people." Moving on to Jefferson: "In 1776, he had written the Declaration of Independence, which inlcudes, 'all men are created equal' - even though Jefferson enslaved hundreds of people on his Virginia plantation." These statements are thrown into the narrative without further context, which could lead a person ignorant of American history to deem Jefferson and the other presidents who owned slaves as bad people. Enslaving people is bad; that does not make Jefferson and the other presidents entirely bad people. While they were flawed people, they did much good. They made sacrifices and worked hard to make America the free country it is today, allowing me to freely and safely write this review and you to safely and freely read it (or choose to not read it).
My criticism lies mostly in the last two paragraphs on p. 38: "The truth is Amercia's earliest presidents weren't all that different from one another. Most were wealthy, white, Protestant men who might have been surprised if they'd been around to see a Catholic or an African American man elected president...or a woman nominated by a major party for the highest office of the land. But all those things have happened, because America is always changing. And it is changing now. When voters choose the next president, they won't look to the past, but to the future - and the ever-hopeful vision of what America could be."
Here is what I find wrong in the above quote:
* The truth is that the earlier presidents were individuals with unique stories. To lump them as white, wealthy, and Protestant is the very thing we teach kids not to do - stereotype.
*The author does not outrightly say it was bad that our earliest presidents were white, wealthy, and Protestant, but one could draw the conclusion she thinks that by her going on to say America is changing and voters will look to the future. Nothing is wrong with being wealthy as long as you obtained your wealth honestly and reasonably share it with others. Also, some of the earlier presidents were not born into wealth - again, ones with little historical knowledge may automatically think all the earlier presidents were born wealthy and therefore, are unrelatable to the poor or middle class citizen. The ones who reach this conclusion would lose the opportunity to learn from some of the presidents how hard work and determination can lead to success. My biracial, middle class, Christian 14 year old self read a biography on James Madison and I learned a whole lot of good from that white, wealthy, Protestant. Nothing is wrong with being the skin color you were born with, including white. As long as one declares their belief in God and acts according to His commandments, then it shouldn't matter if one is Catholic or Protestant.
*America is changing. I agree with that. Much of the changes have been for good. Slavery is a dark mark on American history that should never be repeated here or exist in any part of the world and many courageous men and women strove to abolish slavery in America. Women should have the right to vote, choose to pursue an education and occupation. Many courageous men and women strove to bring rights to American women. BUT some of the changes are bad, including the tendency for current American culture to teach history in an out-of-context, skewed fashion or to not teach history at all. We must look to the past, examine the horrors done, and firmly commit to never repeating the horrors. We must look to the past to see what worked well and benefited the country and commit to repeating similar decisions and actions to continue benefiting the country. In short, to look to a future that is good, we must look in the past to learn from the mistakes and successes.
All that being said, I round this book to 2.5 stars. If the author wants to tell readers how early presidents were slave owners and that they shared similar race, socioeconomic, and religious characteristics, then I think she should write a separate book focused on that, because throwing in those remarks will most likely breed confusion, not knowledge and inspiration into kids' minds. As I type this review, I am questioning the objective for writing this book: is it to offer a "breezy, kid-friendly survey of American history and presidents" or to have kids resent the earliest presidents and infer that wealthy, white Protestant men should not be president?
I recommend parents/guardians to read the book and assess for themselves whether I'm off-base with my review. I know there are people out there who share my abhorrence of the subtle indoctrination prevalent in modern children's literature; it is to them that I write this review. I'm sad to say I think this book falls into the indoctrination category.
1 star for author's irrelevant, out-of-context statements on the subject matter
Overall Rating: 2.5 stars
The illustrations are well-done and inviting to the casual observer. The cover caught my eye while I was processing it for the shelf, so I took a few minutes to read it. It's a neat concept; the author takes a certain year in history (i.e., 1789), tells the reader who held presidential office that year and then goes on to list future presidents who were living that same year and gives us blurbs of what they were doing at the time. This is a great way to show kids who the presidents were before holding office and some of the things they accomplished.
My criticism begins on page 9 where readers are introduced to the first 5 presidents. Part of Adams' blurb: "He was the only one of the first five presidents who didn't enslave people." Moving on to Jefferson: "In 1776, he had written the Declaration of Independence, which inlcudes, 'all men are created equal' - even though Jefferson enslaved hundreds of people on his Virginia plantation." These statements are thrown into the narrative without further context, which could lead a person ignorant of American history to deem Jefferson and the other presidents who owned slaves as bad people. Enslaving people is bad; that does not make Jefferson and the other presidents entirely bad people. While they were flawed people, they did much good. They made sacrifices and worked hard to make America the free country it is today, allowing me to freely and safely write this review and you to safely and freely read it (or choose to not read it).
My criticism lies mostly in the last two paragraphs on p. 38: "The truth is Amercia's earliest presidents weren't all that different from one another. Most were wealthy, white, Protestant men who might have been surprised if they'd been around to see a Catholic or an African American man elected president...or a woman nominated by a major party for the highest office of the land. But all those things have happened, because America is always changing. And it is changing now. When voters choose the next president, they won't look to the past, but to the future - and the ever-hopeful vision of what America could be."
Here is what I find wrong in the above quote:
* The truth is that the earlier presidents were individuals with unique stories. To lump them as white, wealthy, and Protestant is the very thing we teach kids not to do - stereotype.
*The author does not outrightly say it was bad that our earliest presidents were white, wealthy, and Protestant, but one could draw the conclusion she thinks that by her going on to say America is changing and voters will look to the future. Nothing is wrong with being wealthy as long as you obtained your wealth honestly and reasonably share it with others. Also, some of the earlier presidents were not born into wealth - again, ones with little historical knowledge may automatically think all the earlier presidents were born wealthy and therefore, are unrelatable to the poor or middle class citizen. The ones who reach this conclusion would lose the opportunity to learn from some of the presidents how hard work and determination can lead to success. My biracial, middle class, Christian 14 year old self read a biography on James Madison and I learned a whole lot of good from that white, wealthy, Protestant. Nothing is wrong with being the skin color you were born with, including white. As long as one declares their belief in God and acts according to His commandments, then it shouldn't matter if one is Catholic or Protestant.
*America is changing. I agree with that. Much of the changes have been for good. Slavery is a dark mark on American history that should never be repeated here or exist in any part of the world and many courageous men and women strove to abolish slavery in America. Women should have the right to vote, choose to pursue an education and occupation. Many courageous men and women strove to bring rights to American women. BUT some of the changes are bad, including the tendency for current American culture to teach history in an out-of-context, skewed fashion or to not teach history at all. We must look to the past, examine the horrors done, and firmly commit to never repeating the horrors. We must look to the past to see what worked well and benefited the country and commit to repeating similar decisions and actions to continue benefiting the country. In short, to look to a future that is good, we must look in the past to learn from the mistakes and successes.
All that being said, I round this book to 2.5 stars. If the author wants to tell readers how early presidents were slave owners and that they shared similar race, socioeconomic, and religious characteristics, then I think she should write a separate book focused on that, because throwing in those remarks will most likely breed confusion, not knowledge and inspiration into kids' minds. As I type this review, I am questioning the objective for writing this book: is it to offer a "breezy, kid-friendly survey of American history and presidents" or to have kids resent the earliest presidents and infer that wealthy, white Protestant men should not be president?
I recommend parents/guardians to read the book and assess for themselves whether I'm off-base with my review. I know there are people out there who share my abhorrence of the subtle indoctrination prevalent in modern children's literature; it is to them that I write this review. I'm sad to say I think this book falls into the indoctrination category.
Read
May 5, 2023I like the concept of this book but not the execution. I think it's really intriguing for kids to see what presidents did before they were presidents (be that other jobs in government, law, education, military... even jobs or roles they had as children such as attending school or helping on family farms or other businesses). The goal of the book is to inspire children to believe they could be a future president, and that their votes for future presidents can change the future for the better. I think this is great. However, the format is complicated for read-aloud and the layout feels a bit complex given the target audience. Given that it's an overview, most presidents get barely a line so I'm a bit perplexed at what the author chose to highlight for some of them. Several reviewers gave this a low rating because they feel is a level of bias in this book, and I see what they mean* While certainly the author is entitled to her opinion, I would have preferred a more objective presentation given the target audience and purpose of the book. Every president was human, every president had merits and flaws. In a book that is meant to inspire children to become a future president, with a broad overview of presidents where each gets barely a sentence or two, I think a more neutral approach would have been better. I felt particularly uncomfortable with the conclusion which says, "when voters choose the next president, they won't look to the past, but to the future--and to the ever hopeful vision of what America could be." While I agree that we should not stay rooted to the past, I firmly believe there are lessons to be learned from studying history, and that we need to look to the past (the good, the bad and the ugly) if we hope to move forward to change for the better. That said, many reviewers loved this book and I wouldn't dissuade anyone from reading it.
*However, many of the low ratings are from reviewers who think the author ignored President Trump. This is not the case. He appears as a frowning boy on the page next to Obama as a newborn baby. Trump is holding a model plane with the number 45 on it (to signify him as the 45th president) and the caption says, “And President 45, Donald Trump, was a teenager then [1961]. He was attending New York Military Academy, where his father had hoped he’d learn some discipline.” The blank picture frame the reviewers are referring to on the last page is labeled 46 so that is blank because, at the time of publication, we did not know who the 46th president would be.
*However, many of the low ratings are from reviewers who think the author ignored President Trump. This is not the case. He appears as a frowning boy on the page next to Obama as a newborn baby. Trump is holding a model plane with the number 45 on it (to signify him as the 45th president) and the caption says, “And President 45, Donald Trump, was a teenager then [1961]. He was attending New York Military Academy, where his father had hoped he’d learn some discipline.” The blank picture frame the reviewers are referring to on the last page is labeled 46 so that is blank because, at the time of publication, we did not know who the 46th president would be.
July 7, 2020
I enjoyed the overall message of the book. I wished for a timeline along the edges of the book to help show case the passage of time. It is my experience that kids can find it challenging to process the passage of time. They think that George Washington and Abraham Lincoln knew each other. The copy I read was an ebook and perhaps this contributed to the need for a timetable since I was turning virtual pages??? I will purchase the book as the overall qualities far outweigh the drawbacks.
July 5, 2020
I loved the construction of this presidential inventory. The way it reaches to hope in the future raises it above other books of its kind.
November 2, 2019
Thank you to the author, illustrator and Chronicle Books for sharing an early copy with our #bookexpedition group.
Did you know that right now, today, there could be 10 future presidents alive and doing things like playing basketball, reading a book, making art, writing code, and trying to make the world a better place?
This inspiring and informing picture book explores the roles our nation’s presidents had held before they were elected to the presidency. Readers see the former presidents as kids, journalists, farmers, adventurers, journalists, TV show hosts, lawyers, students, judges, and teachers...and hear the message that the next presidents could be anyone..even YOU!
Back matter includes information on presidential birthplaces, requirements, and a bookshelf list of further reading. Coming March 24, 2020. Will definitely preorder for my classroom!
Did you know that right now, today, there could be 10 future presidents alive and doing things like playing basketball, reading a book, making art, writing code, and trying to make the world a better place?
This inspiring and informing picture book explores the roles our nation’s presidents had held before they were elected to the presidency. Readers see the former presidents as kids, journalists, farmers, adventurers, journalists, TV show hosts, lawyers, students, judges, and teachers...and hear the message that the next presidents could be anyone..even YOU!
Back matter includes information on presidential birthplaces, requirements, and a bookshelf list of further reading. Coming March 24, 2020. Will definitely preorder for my classroom!
April 6, 2020
This was an interesting premise - a presidency by the numbers, if you will. The book took 4 different years in American history and told what all the presidents were doing during that time - if they were in school, or working, or infants. The hope for a brighter future was lovely in this book. Highly recommended.
Quarantine 2020 book
Quarantine 2020 book
November 9, 2020
The Next President is an inspiring and informative concept!
***Reread the updated version by listening to the author and illustrator's read aloud version on youtube today.
***Reread the updated version by listening to the author and illustrator's read aloud version on youtube today.
December 7, 2020
Love the context and the factual tidbits, the illustrations are amazing and give a great flow to the book.
March 3, 2021
Great concept. A very interesting way to look at the timeline of presidents and think about what they were doing at different stages of their lives. An odd collection of facts were selected. Some present negative pictures of people without enough context to understand more about the person. I could feel the underlying political slant of the book, and it's just a little wearying.
August 13, 2020
Ok before I get to all the feels I have about this book let's do some saluting about the sheer technical and artistic expertise demonstrated by Adam Rex in these pages. You know how some people are really good at portraiture and expression, while some are great at animals and others can do architecture and vehicles? Let me count this down:
a bucking bronco
a printing press
Lyndon Johnson aged down to about 12 years old and still looking like Lyndon Johnson but also like a 12 year old
wheelchairs and strollers
crowds of people all with individual expressions
a large variety of accurate skin tones and hair textures
the Matterhorn
a paddle steamer
a badger
birdies
and the madness that is Andrew Jackson
AMONG OTHER THINGS
In addition, this manuscript, consisting as it does of a whole lot of single sentences (essentially, 45), had to have been a BITCH to figure out visually. Not only does Adam Rex manage to gracefully compose page spreads with as many as 6 vignettes, but he created a literal through line so that readers can navigate from one president to the next.
And for the final cherry on top - one of the things that people who critique picture books think about a lot - in places his illustrations add or amplify information. In particular, when Kate Messner writes about our First Five (Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe), not neglecting to mention their troubling history as slave owners, Adam has painted enslaved men literally carrying the load of the elements of the illustration. They look right out of the page and out of history, reminding the reader that their stories may not have culminated in the Oval Office, but that their lives were no less important.
So, and, uh, the words are good too? Everybody knows this, Kate Messner will have written a thoughtful, entertaining piece of nonfiction that looks at a familiar subject from a new angle. Her choice to focus on the contemporaneity of presidents - when JFK was elected, which other presidents had been born and what were they doing? - lets readers push their thinking about the presidency out into the future, allowing Adam in turn to picture what HE thinks future presidents might look like. (Spoiler: a lot more girls, and a lot more skin colors.)
If you told me I was going to read a book about the presidency this year that was going to make me cry, I would have believed you. Absolutely. But I wasn't expecting tears of hope and joy.
"...America is always changing. When voters choose the next president, they won't look to the past, but to the future - and the ever-hopeful vision of what America could be."
a bucking bronco
a printing press
Lyndon Johnson aged down to about 12 years old and still looking like Lyndon Johnson but also like a 12 year old
wheelchairs and strollers
crowds of people all with individual expressions
a large variety of accurate skin tones and hair textures
the Matterhorn
a paddle steamer
a badger
birdies
and the madness that is Andrew Jackson
AMONG OTHER THINGS
In addition, this manuscript, consisting as it does of a whole lot of single sentences (essentially, 45), had to have been a BITCH to figure out visually. Not only does Adam Rex manage to gracefully compose page spreads with as many as 6 vignettes, but he created a literal through line so that readers can navigate from one president to the next.
And for the final cherry on top - one of the things that people who critique picture books think about a lot - in places his illustrations add or amplify information. In particular, when Kate Messner writes about our First Five (Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe), not neglecting to mention their troubling history as slave owners, Adam has painted enslaved men literally carrying the load of the elements of the illustration. They look right out of the page and out of history, reminding the reader that their stories may not have culminated in the Oval Office, but that their lives were no less important.
So, and, uh, the words are good too? Everybody knows this, Kate Messner will have written a thoughtful, entertaining piece of nonfiction that looks at a familiar subject from a new angle. Her choice to focus on the contemporaneity of presidents - when JFK was elected, which other presidents had been born and what were they doing? - lets readers push their thinking about the presidency out into the future, allowing Adam in turn to picture what HE thinks future presidents might look like. (Spoiler: a lot more girls, and a lot more skin colors.)
If you told me I was going to read a book about the presidency this year that was going to make me cry, I would have believed you. Absolutely. But I wasn't expecting tears of hope and joy.
"...America is always changing. When voters choose the next president, they won't look to the past, but to the future - and the ever-hopeful vision of what America could be."
July 8, 2020
I would have loved this book as a kid! Full of interesting presidential facts! But what makes it unique and different from other presidential history books is the exploration of presidents’ lives before they were actually presidents. For example: what future presidents were alive when JFK was president and what were they doing at the time. May be a little hard to follow for kids, but I thought it was very interesting.
April 10, 2020
In the past one hundred years, humanity has rarely been more humbled. In the midst of this global pandemic, the importance of qualified, focused and unwavering leadership is vitally apparent. Those who lead must succeed.
In the United States the Constitution determines how our government functions. Three branches, legislative, judicial and executive, provide for a separation of powers. Of these three, a new book release focuses on the leader of the executive branch. The Next President: The Unexpected Beginnings and Unwritten Future of America's Presidents (Chronicle Books, March 24, 2020) written by Kate Messner with illustrations by Adam Rex approaches this office by examining what those people were before they served. This blend of truth and extraordinary artwork takes readers down an enlightening and inspirational path.
My full recommendation: https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/...
In the United States the Constitution determines how our government functions. Three branches, legislative, judicial and executive, provide for a separation of powers. Of these three, a new book release focuses on the leader of the executive branch. The Next President: The Unexpected Beginnings and Unwritten Future of America's Presidents (Chronicle Books, March 24, 2020) written by Kate Messner with illustrations by Adam Rex approaches this office by examining what those people were before they served. This blend of truth and extraordinary artwork takes readers down an enlightening and inspirational path.
My full recommendation: https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/...
June 15, 2020
What an awesome and unique way to look at the presidents of the United States! By following a time line throughout, the author links each and every president to other presidents and gives tidbits of informational on their lives before presidency. While not too in-depth, the info given is sufficient to build a bit of character for each man. The coorelation between the different presidents is fascinating!
June 23, 2020
What I appreciated was how this book is NOT about each president. Rather it is about various presidents living at the same time. It is a bipartisan text (thank goodness!!). It's more about hope--and the future presidents living among us!
I feel the combination of Kate Messner and Adam Rex is a winning one. Kate's writing is thorough and top notch. Adam Rex adds a comedic touch to what could be a terribly dry topic.
I feel the combination of Kate Messner and Adam Rex is a winning one. Kate's writing is thorough and top notch. Adam Rex adds a comedic touch to what could be a terribly dry topic.
October 7, 2020
Interesting premise. Definitely has an agenda. Some of the typography is difficult to read.
November 10, 2020
The Next President: The Unexpected Beginnings and Unwritten Future of America's Presidents is a children's picture book written by Kate Messner and illustrated by Adam Rex. It explored what the future American President did before they took the highest office of the land.
The President of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces.
Messner's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. As there is always just one president at a time, Messner text explored what the presidents to come were doing in the meantime at the time the current president is sworn into office. Backmatter has a list of presidential birthplaces, presidential requirements, and bibliography. In his painterly art, Rex depicts a diverse group of people touring a gallery of presidential portraits.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. Ingeniously structured around inaugural years, the book's softly textured digital vignettes are montaged to give a sense of events unfolding in many places and lives at once. Throughout, this timeline treatment shows how some future presidents have clearly and intently waited in the wings, while others could not seem further from the Oval Office and wraps with a variously inclusive spread stating that at least ten of our future presidents are probably alive today.
There is one point of contention in an otherwise excellent and hopeful and inspiring book. In a tour of a gallery of Presidential portraits it presents the first forty-four Presidents from George Washington to Barrack Obama rather well. However, Donald Trump is purposely left blank and instead on an adjacent wall is one of Hillary Clinton, which is rather misleading without context. For the record, I am no Trumpist – far from it, but having his erasure in a list of Presidents of the United States is rather disingenuous.
All in all, The Next President: The Unexpected Beginnings and Unwritten Future of America's Presidents is a clear, engaging, and fun, albeit a tad iconoclastic.
The President of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces.
Messner's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. As there is always just one president at a time, Messner text explored what the presidents to come were doing in the meantime at the time the current president is sworn into office. Backmatter has a list of presidential birthplaces, presidential requirements, and bibliography. In his painterly art, Rex depicts a diverse group of people touring a gallery of presidential portraits.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. Ingeniously structured around inaugural years, the book's softly textured digital vignettes are montaged to give a sense of events unfolding in many places and lives at once. Throughout, this timeline treatment shows how some future presidents have clearly and intently waited in the wings, while others could not seem further from the Oval Office and wraps with a variously inclusive spread stating that at least ten of our future presidents are probably alive today.
There is one point of contention in an otherwise excellent and hopeful and inspiring book. In a tour of a gallery of Presidential portraits it presents the first forty-four Presidents from George Washington to Barrack Obama rather well. However, Donald Trump is purposely left blank and instead on an adjacent wall is one of Hillary Clinton, which is rather misleading without context. For the record, I am no Trumpist – far from it, but having his erasure in a list of Presidents of the United States is rather disingenuous.
All in all, The Next President: The Unexpected Beginnings and Unwritten Future of America's Presidents is a clear, engaging, and fun, albeit a tad iconoclastic.
May 31, 2021
This is part of my 365 Kids Books challenge. For an explanation see my review for 101 Amazing Facts about Australia You can see all the books on their own shelf.
Again, a book I might not have picked up except for this challenge. And an unexpected delight. The unusual set up of what were other future presidents doing when one was elected was interesting. Messner does several times mention the overwhelming whiteness, the exclusive maleness, the frequency of enslaver. As an antidote the specific criteria outlined in the constitution are included.
Interestingly I've never seen a children's book directly point out that while the ostensible goal of founding the United States was to no longer cede power to an aristocratic class who control the power and most of the wealth, that hasn't inhibited the creation of a ruling elite who control the power and most of the wealth. Democracy: we've always done it wrong.
The art was good, but didn't stand out in my mind from the text.
Library copy
Again, a book I might not have picked up except for this challenge. And an unexpected delight. The unusual set up of what were other future presidents doing when one was elected was interesting. Messner does several times mention the overwhelming whiteness, the exclusive maleness, the frequency of enslaver. As an antidote the specific criteria outlined in the constitution are included.
Interestingly I've never seen a children's book directly point out that while the ostensible goal of founding the United States was to no longer cede power to an aristocratic class who control the power and most of the wealth, that hasn't inhibited the creation of a ruling elite who control the power and most of the wealth. Democracy: we've always done it wrong.
The art was good, but didn't stand out in my mind from the text.
Library copy
June 23, 2021
Great new juvenile non-fiction aimed at inspiring youth to dream of becoming president.
A year is displayed followed by a few facts about the president at that time, and what future presidents were doing at the same time. For example, in 1789, the year of Washington's inauguration, 6 and 7, John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson, were both practicing law. Presidents 8, 9 and 12 were kids, and 10 and 11 hadn't been born yet.
The book ends with a drawing of three elementary-school age children involved in kid-like activities and tells us that "At least ten of our future presidents are probably alive today. If we go by the odds, three of them are likely serving in government somewhere already. One is in college or in the military. Three probably have other jobs - perhaps practicing law, building things, teaching, running a business. And at least three of our future presidents are kids. What are they doing right now? They might be solving math problems... or reading books... writing poetry or code... testing a hypothesis or learning to dance... making art... or making change. For now, they're busy growing up, growing into the job, listening, learning, and getting ready to lead."
Cool concept beautifully executed.
A year is displayed followed by a few facts about the president at that time, and what future presidents were doing at the same time. For example, in 1789, the year of Washington's inauguration, 6 and 7, John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson, were both practicing law. Presidents 8, 9 and 12 were kids, and 10 and 11 hadn't been born yet.
The book ends with a drawing of three elementary-school age children involved in kid-like activities and tells us that "At least ten of our future presidents are probably alive today. If we go by the odds, three of them are likely serving in government somewhere already. One is in college or in the military. Three probably have other jobs - perhaps practicing law, building things, teaching, running a business. And at least three of our future presidents are kids. What are they doing right now? They might be solving math problems... or reading books... writing poetry or code... testing a hypothesis or learning to dance... making art... or making change. For now, they're busy growing up, growing into the job, listening, learning, and getting ready to lead."
Cool concept beautifully executed.
August 22, 2020
I picked up this one in my feverish consumption of all kid-content on a recent Target trip. The illustrations are nice? There's a grammatical error really early on so perhaps this was rushed to print. I like the idea of highlighting what future presidents were doing at different points in history, because there are future presidents among us right now and I want amazing kids to take history into their own hands! But also some of the specific highlights were kind of unpleasant. There was a little spotlight story on Andrew Jackson, and the whole thing made me cringe so hard. Let's not gloss over or glorify anything about a racist slave-owner! I get this book, but I just don't really like it.
September 27, 2020
This was a FANTASTIC book. I read this with my 4 and 8 year old daughters, and we had so much fun reading snippets about the presidents and the fun facts about how at least 10 of the future presidents are alive and at different points in their lives while the current president is in office. We learned so much about each of our presidents, and not the normal facts you are usually given. Also done in such a fun way that even my 4 year old was not bored. I give this book 10 stars!!
October 4, 2020
4.5 stars
The next president is always in the wings. The intriguing concept of this book is that, had we the ability to see them, the people who will be elected as the next presidents are already in play. I was intrigued to see how the lives of presidents intermingled with those who would succeed them.
The next president is always in the wings. The intriguing concept of this book is that, had we the ability to see them, the people who will be elected as the next presidents are already in play. I was intrigued to see how the lives of presidents intermingled with those who would succeed them.
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