Our Favorite Books About Presidents

Mr. B has been intrigued by the presidents (Specifically, the cool presidents: Abraham Lincoln and George Washington) since before he turned two. He loves reading books about the presidents but it has been a challenge finding books that are age appropriate and don't overemphasize themes that I am not comfortable discussing with him at this time (i.e. death and slavery) .

I first tried checking books out at our library but the ones available there were far too advanced (we don't have a great selection). Luckily, I ran into some great books about presidents at thrift stores and we have built up quite a collection. We have read the following:

Our Abe Lincoln by Jim Aylesworth: This book is so perfect for the innocent preschooler. It is a sing-a-long book with a CD. The song is sung to the tune of "The Old Grey Mare" (which was popular during Lincoln's presidential campaigns).The pictures in the book are of children putting on a school play about Abe Lincoln's life and presidency. We loved singing this one when Mr. B was about 18 months. Although slavery and Abe Lincoln's death are mentioned briefly, these concepts are presented vaguely (no photos of dead or enslaved people). This is a great introduction to Abe Lincoln for the very young.


Abe Lincoln: The Boy Who Loved Books by Jay Winters: This book is an amazing biography with an emphasis on Lincoln's interest in books. This book is beautifully written and illustrated. I skipped over the part when Abe Lincoln's mother died (and I don't think Mr. B noticed).

Abe Lincoln's Hat by Martha Brenner: This is our favorite Abe Lincoln book! We all fell in love with it from the first read. The best part? No mature concepts (even though murder is mentioned briefly)! This book is all about Abe Lincoln's life as a lawyer and his campaign for the presidency. We must have read this book ten times the first week we got it! Mr. B loved the last pages of the book which show the real life photographs of the characters from the story.

Just Like Abraham Lincoln by Bernard Waber: I love Bernard Waber so it's no surprise that I absolutely LOVED this book. This book is about a little boy who lives next door to Mr. Potts, an Abraham Lincoln look-like and enthusiast. The book has a great story and lots of great information about Lincoln. We have read this books several times with Mr. B and it's becoming one of his favorites.
George Washington's Teeth by Deborah Chandra: This is a fun rhyming book about Washington's issues with his teeth. Unfortunately, this book is a little gross (I am extremely sensitive so graphic descriptions of George Washington's teeth falling out made me a little ill). Mr. B, on the other hand, didn't seem concerned by this at all and enjoyed the book and pictures.

George Washington and the General's Dog: This is an excellent book! No one dies during the American Revolution (even though the colonists get a bit cold and hungry) and there are lots of pictures of George Washington playing with animals (whom he loved)! This book is perfect for the preschooler.


Woodrow, The White House Mouse by Peter Barnes: I LOVE this book! This book is about a lovable mouse who is elected president of the "United Mice of America". This book teaches kids about the President's duties and the White House (history and architecture). This is such a cute and informative book! We highly recommend this one!

We also have the President TOOB to make learning about presidents extra fun!