Bill Clinton

Children's Literature - Susan Fournier

Did you know that Bill Clinton could read the newspaper when he was only in first grade? He once spoke so much that he got a "D" in conduct for not giving others the chance to talk. A history of Bill Clinton and his family, this book documents his life from boyhood through school and eventually into politics. Included are several photographs of our president on different occasions throughout his life, as well as a timeline of the major political and personal events that have taken place in his life.

School Library Journal

Gr 4-8A brief, straightforward, chronological account of the president's life. This update of Cwiklik's 1993 biography is current through Clinton's reelection in 1996. In eight pages, the author summarizes Clinton's first four years in office, including mention of Whitewater and public criticism of Hillary Clinton's role on the medical care task force. The author attempts to be nonjudgmental about suspicions and/or criticisms about Clinton by using phrases such as "Many people did not think it was proper," "There was also a lot of criticism," or "No clear evidence in any of these cases." Students will get less factual information here than they would in a good encyclopedia article, and they may be put off by the fact that the text isn't broken down into chapters. However, with its full-page photos, both in color and black-and-white, and its large print and wide margins, it is an attractive alternative to consider where individual or additional volumes on the president are needed.Rosie Peasley, Empire Union School District, Modesto, CA