Overview
Born the son and grandson of military men, Senator John McCain from Arizona was destined for a life serving his country in the armed forces. Like many great men, he occasionally struggled with authority, but once he found his true calling — flying naval aircraft — his ideals and commitment to his country took him far.
From the low point of five years as a prisoner of war to the high points of raising a large, happy family and being chosen as the Republican nominee in the 2008 presidential election, Senator McCain has lived an incredible life driven by a love of his country and a desire to serve it to the best of his ability.
This picture book biography, written with great love and insight by his oldest daughter, writer Meghan McCain, shows us the public John McCain and the personal John McCain in a way we've never seen before — making this American hero come to life before young eyes.
Synopsis
Born the son and grandson of military men, Senator John McCain from Arizona was destined for a life serving his country in the armed forces. Like many great men, he occasionally struggled with authority, but once he found his true calling — flying naval aircraft — his ideals and commitment to his country took him far.
From the low point of five years as a prisoner of war to the high points of raising a large, happy family and being chosen as the Republican nominee in the 2008 presidential election, Senator McCain has lived an incredible life driven by a love of his country and a desire to serve it to the best of his ability.
This picture book biography, written with great love and insight by his oldest daughter, writer Meghan McCain, shows us the public John McCain and the personal John McCain in a way we've never seen before — making this American hero come to life before young eyes.
Publishers Weekly
No one would expect John and Cindy McCain's oldest daughter to be objective-on the other hand, some personal touch would have been nice. She does talk a lot about family, that is, about the wartime services of McCain ancestors, all the way back to the Revolutionary War; McCain's pedigree as the son and grandson of admirals; the military duty of two McCain sons. Given this emphasis, it's odd to have omitted any mention of McCain's first family; it's not as if the concepts of ex-wives and half-sisters are unfamiliar to the target audience. The one truly moving section details McCain's heroism under captivity in North Vietnam; the rest succumbs to an apple-pie variety of blandness. Meghan McCain discloses that her father loves his country and also that he "never gives up," whether he's playing on the boarding school football team or "fighting for what he believes in." Andreasen (Pilot Pups) steeps his accomplished, mostly realistic pictures in nostalgia: cross-hatching suggests old-time engraving, while burnished tones hint at antiqued colors. A number of spreads represent photos and newspapers-the effect is oddly distancing, as if Meghan McCain were flipping through someone else's scrapbook. Ages 5-10. (Sept.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Editorials
From Barnes & Noble
In this biography, Meghan McCain offers an affectionate portrait of her father, U.S. Senator John McCain, the Republican candidate for president in 2008. A very personal view of a war hero, prisoner of war, and public servant. Artist Dan Andreasen has illustrated numerous popular children's books, including River Boy and Pioneer Girl.Publishers Weekly
No one would expect John and Cindy McCain's oldest daughter to be objective-on the other hand, some personal touch would have been nice. She does talk a lot about family, that is, about the wartime services of McCain ancestors, all the way back to the Revolutionary War; McCain's pedigree as the son and grandson of admirals; the military duty of two McCain sons. Given this emphasis, it's odd to have omitted any mention of McCain's first family; it's not as if the concepts of ex-wives and half-sisters are unfamiliar to the target audience. The one truly moving section details McCain's heroism under captivity in North Vietnam; the rest succumbs to an apple-pie variety of blandness. Meghan McCain discloses that her father loves his country and also that he "never gives up," whether he's playing on the boarding school football team or "fighting for what he believes in." Andreasen (Pilot Pups) steeps his accomplished, mostly realistic pictures in nostalgia: cross-hatching suggests old-time engraving, while burnished tones hint at antiqued colors. A number of spreads represent photos and newspapers-the effect is oddly distancing, as if Meghan McCain were flipping through someone else's scrapbook. Ages 5-10. (Sept.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.