Scarbrough, Mary Hertz. Presidential Politics by the Numbers.

Scarbrough, Mary Hertz.  Presidential Politics by the Numbers.  Capstone Publishers 2016  48p   $21.49  ISBN 978-1-4914-8238-4  Series: Presidential Politics  ms/hs    Nonfiction  E-BNS

This is a collection of political numbers about everything from soup to nuts: the number of presidents born in hospitals, the number of presidents who were lawyers, the amount of the fine charged to Susan B. Anthony for voting in 1872, and many more. What could have been an organizational nightmare to create instead became a perfectly enumerated collection of facts about presidents, vice presidents, amendments, the Electoral College, the right to vote for both women and African- Americans, and more!  This book has something for all fans of numerical facts and figures about all things political.  Author Mary Scarbrough chose thirteen topics, laid them out clearly and perfectly, placed photographs in the background and made a book that will win over today’s children, who have been weaned at a young age to like action, fantasy and mystery.  Social-studies teachers who need to teach analysis, statistics, compare/contrast and other nonfictional text structures will find accurate numbers, educational content and relevant photographs that will be valuable in supporting a wide variety of lessons in U. S. history.  The three discussion questions at the end of the book are tied to the Common Core; an example of higher-level thinking is to compare and contrast the struggle for women’s right to vote to the struggle of African-Americans for the right to vote.  Extension lessons abound.  The glossary is thorough, and sidebars and introductions within each chapter further add to the book’s purpose, which is to encourage teen readers to think about interesting statistics that are part of our history.  A bit of prior knowledge is helpful, but anyone can dive right in! 

Summary: Presidential Politics by the Numbers is a collection of political numbers about everything from soup to nuts: the number of presidents born in hospitals, the number of presidents who were lawyers, the amount of the fine charged to Susan B. Anthony for voting in 1872, and many more.  

Statistics, Presidents                          --Martha Squaresky