All young students know the names George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Franklin D. Roosevelt, but how much do they know about what really happened during each president’s time in the Oval Office? With her new book The Presidents Decoded, author Katie Kennedy presents the 45* people who have held the role of President of the United States, from George Washington to Joe Biden. With a fact-forward approach, Kennedy paints a fascinating and comprehensive picture of each president’s policies while encouraging the next generation of kids to become civically minded.
Unlike most books about presidents, The Presidents Decoded is more than a collective biography—it’s a book that teaches young readers about the job of a president, arguably the most influential role in our government. Relying on primary sources, it unveils the what, how, and why of each leader’s thoughts, policies, and decisions. Familiar documents like the preamble of the Declaration of Independence, The Emancipation Proclamation, and The Fugitive Slave Act are included. But so are less-cited documents, such as George Washington’s letter to Martha after learning he’d been chosen to be the General of the Continental Army, letters FDR received from desperate families during the Great Depression, a letter from baseball legend Jackie Robinson urging JFK to do more for civil rights, and more. Each chapter delves into one president, bringing to life their career-defining moments and the major issues facing the country at the time.
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End Date: December 31, 2023