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Overview
From the duo who created the classroom called "a charmed place" comes a patriotic primer for picture-book readers.
Today at school we celebrated Presidents' Day by putting on a play. Mrs. Madoff said I could be George Washington because his birthday is the same as mine. Charlie was Abraham Lincoln because he's the tallest kid in our class. Everyone else had very important parts to play, too. At the end of the day we voted for class president, and you'll never guess who won!
Synopsis
From the duo who created the classroom called "a charmed place" comes a patriotic primer for picture-book readers.
Today at school we celebrated Presidents' Day by putting on a play. Mrs. Madoff said I could be George Washington because his birthday is the same as mine. Charlie was Abraham Lincoln because he's the tallest kid in our class. Everyone else had very important parts to play, too. At the end of the day we voted for class president, and you'll never guess who won!
Children's Literature
AGERANGE: Ages 5 to 9.
The impressive collaboration of the Rockwell team, once again delivers a book perfect for use in the primary grades. This time the subject is U.S. presidents, specifically Washington and Lincoln whose birthdays are celebrated in February. The narrator is a young girl who has the same birthday as Washington, February 22, thus the reason she is chosen to portray him in the class assembly program. Having learned that adults vote for a new president every four years, and about the President's Day holiday, the class (cleverly guided by their teacher) decides to use Mount Rushmore's carvings to serve as the base of their presentation. The papier-mâché mountainside "speaks" during the performance (the four children who are carrying the gigantic piece), introducing other students in the guise of each of the four presidents featured in the stonework. The text is readily accessible to early readers and has enough touches of humor to keep things moving along at a lively pace. The colorful, direct illustrations show a multitude of ethnicities and are excellent adjuncts to the text. The illustrations also serve as a guide for teachers and students to do a similar production themselves, since they are complete with costume and prop ideas that could actually be reproduced in most schools--simple but effective. I particularly loved the blocks of ice (boxes wrapped in white paper and labeled "ice.") that "floated" in the Delaware River as George and his men rowed their cardboard boat. Historical facts are seamlessly woven into the procession of presidents, and the depiction of the map of the USA "torn" by the Civil War is a strong image for all. " United' means many sticktogether like one.'" After the presentation, the class has its own election and we learn that the narrator herself was elected by popular vote. The last double spread is devoted to portraits of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Roosevelt with dates of service as president, political party, birthplace, and birth and death dates. This is a first choice for school and personal collections; parents and educators will find this an excellent resource and students will enjoy it while painlessly learning a great deal. Reviewer: Sheilah Egan
Editorials
Children's Literature
AGERANGE: Ages 5 to 9.The impressive collaboration of the Rockwell team, once again delivers a book perfect for use in the primary grades. This time the subject is U.S. presidents, specifically Washington and Lincoln whose birthdays are celebrated in February. The narrator is a young girl who has the same birthday as Washington, February 22, thus the reason she is chosen to portray him in the class assembly program. Having learned that adults vote for a new president every four years, and about the President's Day holiday, the class (cleverly guided by their teacher) decides to use Mount Rushmore's carvings to serve as the base of their presentation. The papier-mâché mountainside "speaks" during the performance (the four children who are carrying the gigantic piece), introducing other students in the guise of each of the four presidents featured in the stonework. The text is readily accessible to early readers and has enough touches of humor to keep things moving along at a lively pace. The colorful, direct illustrations show a multitude of ethnicities and are excellent adjuncts to the text. The illustrations also serve as a guide for teachers and students to do a similar production themselves, since they are complete with costume and prop ideas that could actually be reproduced in most schools--simple but effective. I particularly loved the blocks of ice (boxes wrapped in white paper and labeled "ice.") that "floated" in the Delaware River as George and his men rowed their cardboard boat. Historical facts are seamlessly woven into the procession of presidents, and the depiction of the map of the USA "torn" by the Civil War is a strong image for all. "‘United' means ‘many sticktogether like one.'" After the presentation, the class has its own election and we learn that the narrator herself was elected by popular vote. The last double spread is devoted to portraits of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Roosevelt with dates of service as president, political party, birthplace, and birth and death dates. This is a first choice for school and personal collections; parents and educators will find this an excellent resource and students will enjoy it while painlessly learning a great deal. Reviewer: Sheilah Egan
School Library Journal
K-Gr 2
Another successful title by this prolific mother/daughter team. This time the children in Mrs. Madoff's class are going to celebrate President's Day by putting on an assembly program. Some of the students construct a papier-mâché model of Mount Rushmore while others dress as various presidents and deliver brief but informative speeches about them. The text is engaging and includes flashes of humor. At the conclusion of the play, the children hold a mock election and the qualities of a good leader are neatly summed up: "I wrote Pablo's name because he's smart and never mean." Back matter includes a few facts about each of the Rushmore presidents. Rockwell's clean, uncluttered illustrations are bright and bold and depict children engaged in the learning process and thoroughly enjoying it. An excellent introduction to the holiday for younger grades and a first purchase for most collections.
—Grace OliffCopyright 2006 Reed Business Information.