Presidents Past, Present, Future

3/19/2020

The Next President: The Unexpected Beginnings and Unwritten Future of America's Presidents (Presidents Book for Kids; History of United States Presidents When They Were Young)

But no matter who holds the job right now, the presidents of tomorrow are always out there somewhere.

It's difficult to write informational picture books. It's doubly difficult to create picture books on contemporary political topics that have a timeless quality, transcending the current political climate. These books can easily become outdated.

Messner and Rex have brilliantly overcome this problem. How did they do it?
The Next President: The Unexpected Beginnings and Unwritten Future of America's Presidents is set in the present at a museum that closely resembles the Smithsonian Museum of American History.

Visitors explore the halls, looking back in time and then imagining what may take place in the future. Past, present, and future are combined to inspire youngsters to become actively involved in the political process. It's an elegant construct that really works. Lots of good things here. Word bubbles and short descriptive passages offer fascinating factoids.

Rex uses a mixed media approach. Black line drawings mix with realistic portraits as well as stylized color wash renderings. The variety of styles reinforce a sense of traveling through time. A limited color palette consisting of various shades of red and blue gives a unifying visual effect. The figures are active, suggesting vibrancy and activism. This is not staid, stuffy old history. This is real, active, forward-thinking civic engagement.

A clever numbering system, hidden within each presidential likeness creates its own game to engage readers: find each numeral and arrange the list of presidents in sequential order. One very tricky presidential image is depicted out of historical sequence. Youngster will enjoy the visual scavenger hunt to find the "hidden" president. Loads of fun!

A special touch precedes the title page. It's a play on the use of phrase "This book belongs to:" and a signature line for claiming the book as personal property. The Next President begins with this statement before the title page "This country belongs to:" and a line for writing one's name.

Back matter is a treasure trove of supplemental information including a United States Map that charts presidential birthplaces. It should be no surprise that Virginia leads the list with eight presidents. Additional resources consist of the requirements to be president of the United States as explained in the Constitution, a note on the changing face of the American Presidency, suggested books for young readers, and a more extensive bibliography for older readers.

An excellent pictorial review of American political history that is apolitical. A wonderful introduction to civic engagement. The timing of this book's publication makes it an excellent introduction to the upcoming presidential election. Using the past and the present, this book invites youngsters to think about a future for themselves and for their country. It's a consideration brimming with possibilities.