OUR WHITE HOUSE:LOOKING IN, LOOKING OUT
in stores and libraries September 9!!!!
Rave reviews are already tumbling in for the NCBLA creative tour de force about American history and the presidency, just in time for our 2008 historic presidential election!
Kirkus Reviews writes:
"In this sumptuous pro bono volume, 108 children's authors and illustrators (with the occasional celebrity, president or other official chiming in) contribute original art, personal reminiscences, short stories, poems and historical vignettes about the White House and its residents. The generally chronological arrangement begins with a reproduction of the mansion's original 1792 RFP and closes with a nighttime view of an empty chair. In between, it offers comments on the early African-American connection by Walter Dean Myers and Milton Meltzer; Richard Peck's account of William Henry Harrison's search for a good milk cow; Steven Kellogg's envisioning of a Presidential Pet Show and much besides. The tone is positive overall, though occasional entries such as a fictive interview with picketing suffragist Alice Paul, and contradictory passages from the 9/11 Commission Report, supply a tincture of controversy. . . . even brief dips into this will leave readers with the clear sense that we do have a national history, and it's worth knowing too."
Richie Partington---librarian, former bookseller, and creator of Richie's Picks: Great Books for Children and Young Adults (a marvelous site for parents, teachers, and librarians) writes this about Our White House:
"OUR WHITE HOUSE is a rollicking literary and visual excursion through the history and mythology, the hijinks and tragedies, and the family moments that have accrued over the course of two centuries of presidential life at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. The National Children's Book and Literary Alliance has brought together the work of 108 well-known, children's book authors and illustrators. In addition to all of the stories and pictures, editors have interspersed some fascinating bits of primary source and historical material.
This is a collection of uber talent. Taking a look through the contributors list, I found sixteen authors who have been recognized by Newbery award committees, a dozen who have been recognized by Caldecott award committees, five National Book Award winners, and others who have won the Jane Addams, the Golden Kite, the CSK, and the Pulitzer Prize.
Now, some might wonder whether all of that award-winner talk means that this is a book akin to high fiber and low calories: it's good for you but not particularly tasty. But that's wrong! Above all, I had a great old time reading OUR WHITE HOUSE, and discovered some really neat stuff.
....From the little-known early-American history to be found in Walter Dean Myers' piece "Slaves Helped Build the White House!," to the amusing recollections from the era in which I grew up -- LBJ's daughter Lynda's "My Room," OUR WHITE HOUSE: LOOKING IN, LOOKING OUT is a lively collection of fact, story, and illustration that one can be page through and read like a magazine, or dive into and enjoy cover to cover."
To read Richie's complete review of Our White House, and to find other great book recommendations for young people go to: http://richiespicks.com/users/stories/picks/our_white_house.html
For a great informative article on Our White House written by Sally Lodge of Publisher's Weekly in PW's terrific Children's Bookshelf newsletter, go to:
http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6587034.html?nid=2788
