Election Day 2012 - Peachtree Books for the Kids

Ages 4-8

When the president of the United States has a frustrating day, he decides to go back to the place where he learned the most important lessons of all.

Everyone has bad days. Even the president.

So when his day starts off badly, Mr. President decides he is in need of a time-out from running the country. Disguising himself, he sneaks out of the White House, hurries down the street to the local school, and enrolls in Mrs. Appletree’s class.

There Mr. President slides his fingers through globs of finger paint. He spins himself silly on the merry-go-round at recess. He practices saying “please,” raising his hand, and taking turns. And he doesn’t miss a single beat when everyone does the hokey-pokey.

But when he returns to the White House, he is greeted by a panicked secretary of state and two angry world leaders on the brink of war. Fortunately, Mr. President recalls what he learned in Mrs. Appletree’s class, and he comes up with just the right approach to avoid an international crisis.

Children will delight in Rick Walton’s laugh-out-loud story and its over-the-top take on conflict resolution. Brad Sneed’s watercolor illustrations capture the humor of the story with their exaggerated, outsized characters and playfully distorted compositions.

About Author & Illustrator

Rick Walton is the author of over sixty books for children, including a collection of poetry, joke books, picture books, activity books, mini-mysteries, and educational software. He loves to read, travel, play the guitar, study foreign languages, and write. He lives in Utah.

You can visit Rick Walton’s website here.

Brad Sneed has illustrated almost twenty picture books, some of which he has also written. His titles include The Boy Who Was Raised by Librarians, Mr. President Goes to School, and When Wishes Were Horses. He lives in Kansas.

You can visit Brad Sneed’s website here.

Ages 4-8

Meet the Scottish terrier who won the heart of a U.S. president and the hearts of the American people.

In 1940, Fala came to live with President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the White House. On sunny days, the little dog played in the grass outside the Oval Office. He attended important meetings with the president’s advisors. At night, the president and Fala often dined together.

But as the world slipped further into war and America was drawn into the conflict, life at the White House changed. Fala stayed up late into the night with President Roosevelt. He accompanied the president on journeys across the country and around the world and waited with him for the return of American servicemen and the end to a terrible war.

Author Elizabeth Van Steenwyk offers young readers a glimpse into American history and the life of a U.S. president through the story of a loyal dog. Michael G. Montgomery’s full-color illustrations capture the indomitable spirit of Fala and the nation and president who loved him.

About Author & Illustrator

Elizabeth Van Steenwyk is the award-winning author of more than 70 published books for young people. After graduating from Knox College, she went on to spend ten years writing for radio and television with a concentration on children's programming. She lives in California.

Michael G. Montgomery has illustrated numerous children's books. He attended Georgia Southern University and the University of Georgia. Montgomery lives in Georgia.

You can visit Michael G. Montgomery’s website here.

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