James Madison

Children's Literature

The purchaser of this book (and his or her library of choice) gets easy access to many select Web sites chosen for their relevance to the topic of James Madison, fourth in the "Presidents" series. As a youth, Madison attended what was to become Princeton, where he received a classical education that prepared him to help lay the foundation for the U.S. government. His papers, later collected by his wife Dolley, chronicled the discussions that led to the Articles of Confederation, gave his interpretation of the Constitution, and included the Bill of Rights. Although he became a statesman and a two-term president, who was responsible for the Louisiana Purchase and got the U.S. through the War of 1812, he is best known as the Father of the Constitution. Children will learn about the beginning of the party system, how Dolley saved George Washington's portrait from the White House fire, and Madison's last words as he died in his home in Montpelier. The layout of the book mimics the look of the Internet and includes copies of photos, maps, and texts pulled directly from computer windows, along with a five-page description of the book's Web site links. This format is distinctive and will either appeal to prospective buyers because of its usefulness and trendiness or will be off-putting because of the difficulty in seeing the illustrations or in getting lost in the story. Chapter notes and a reading list give the student non-computer alternatives to further study. 2003, MyReportLinks.com Books/Enslow Publishers, Ages 10 up.
— Carol Raker Collins, Ph.D.