The Buck Stops Here: The Presidents of the United States by Alice Provensen

This non-partisan primer to the presidents is essential reading for any historically-minded child. Alice Provensen, a long-time author and illustrator of children's books, dedicates a page (or two) to each of the forty-four presidents. In addition to a drawing of the president, each page is filled with images drawn from the historical events of each man's presidency, and at the bottom is a couplet that describes the man and his times (i.e. Teddy Roosevelt, Twenty six/Whisper softly, wave big sticks.).

This book is a gem because it works on different levels for readers of different ages, and is a particularly good book for reading with a parent. The well-crafted images and simple text are easily accessible to younger readers and the mentions of historical events will entrance older readers. In the back of the book, Provensen provides more detailed, written accounts of each of the presidents where she expands upon what is shown within the book. This 20th anniversary edition adds pages for Bill Clinton (42), George W. Bush (43), and Barack Obama (44).