Presidential Elections: And Other Cool Facts

Much that we all thought we knew about U.S. presidential elections went out the window with the historic Bush-Gore campaign of 2000. But that wasn't the only unusual election in United States history—merely the most recent and most surprising. The previous edition of Syl Sobel's Presidential Elections was a great introduction to past presidential campaigns for kids. The updated new edition is even better! Young readers will find all kinds of interesting facts for their history and social studies classes as they learn—Who can run for president? ... Who can vote? ... What is the Electoral College? ... What is a third-party candidate? ... What if something happens to the president? Some of the unusual facts they'll discover include—Which Republican president had a Democrat for his vice president? ... How many candidates have won the popular vote but lost the election? ... Why was President Truman so happy in 1948, when he read the Chicago Tribune headline that declared: "Dewey Defeats Truman"? Most interesting of all, and with Syl Sobel's guidance, boys and girls will explore the dramatic presidential election of 2000, a marathon contest that wasn't decided until five weeks after Election Day.

Which three pairs of relatives have been U.S. presidents? What is the electoral college? What's a caucus? How often has the vice president become president? The answers to these and many other questions about the presidential elections are revealed in this quick, friendly read by the author of How the U.S. Government Works. Guiding young readers through the complicated process of determining the leader of the country, the book includes chapters on the rules for electing the president, the electoral college, the presidential campaign, and the procedure and order of succession if something happens to the president. A glossary and selected bibliography provide useful fodder for future student research. Sprinkled throughout are fascinating tidbits on past presidents and their wives. In the 1948 election, for example, the Chicago Tribune was so sure Thomas Dewey had won the close race against Harry S. Truman, they printed a front-page story with the headline, "Dewey Defeats Truman." Imagine their chagrin when all the votes were counted and Truman had won!

Sobel does a fine job of extracting the relevant information from the elaborate electoral process, and making it manageable for elementary school-aged children (but watch out for typos!). Jill Wood's blue line drawings add interest to the well-balanced text. (Ages 8 to 11) --Emilie Coulter