Martin Van Buren (Profiles of the Presidents)
Grade 4-7-Succinct and clear writing makes this an accessible portrait of a lesser-known president. Concepts are explained well. The writing is objective and balances the president's accomplishments with his faults and failures. Almost every page includes a color or black-and-white photograph, drawing, or illustration of Van Buren, his contemporaries, or a scene depicting life at the time, such as the interior of a general store. Steven Ferry's Martin Van Buren (The Child's World, 2001) is similar in scope and design, but Doak's work gives more detail and explores issues a little more deeply. The content of Susan Jankowski's Martin Van Buren (Enslow, 2002) is similar, but the pages are designed to look like Web sites.Kristen Oravec, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Strongsville, OHCopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.