Sci-Fi & Scary

Honestly, I think the first few pages of TIME for Kids: Presidents of the United States need to be distributed out to adults. They contain a nice, easy to understand, refresher course on the Checks and Balances and the three branches of our government. There’s a few pages on each individual president. Each one contains a general story about their life and presidency. The information is laid out in a straightforward fashion with no embellishments.

On the left side of the pages you find quick reference information on them. This information is simple: Birth, Death, Political Party, Vice President, Wife, and Children.Even that can contain some interesting information! For example: We get bombarded with Democratic and Republican propaganda so much that it’s easy to forget that they weren’t always the all-powerful that they are now. Our first President was a member of the Federalist Party! Beyond that, how many of you remember that the Democrats and Republicans were originally one party? The Democrat-Republicans. Or that John Adams actually signed a bill to limit their power. (Wise man, that.) The right pages sometimes contain “Did You Know?” interesting tidbits.

The authors also helpfully include “Key Dates” with each presidency. These give readers a sense of other important events to ground the times certain presidents served in. There’s also a few key quotes from the presidents listed to. This one is particularly apt, given who the wee orange one who is the president-elect is.

“Nothing brings out the lower traits of human nature like Office Seeking.” Rutherford B. Hayes, 19th POTUS

Its simply written, yet it’s engrossing. There were lots of things I either did not know, or knew and had since forgotten. The best type of history book is the one that makes things interesting, and Time succeeds with this book. It contains everything from the layout of our branches of government, to past presidents and their first ladies. TIME for Kids: Presidents of the United States lets young readers know more about the figurehead position of their country. It even contains an easy to read overview of the process of becoming president.