Zeiger, Jennifer. Queen Elizabeth II.

Zeiger, Jennifer.  Queen Elizabeth II.  Scholastic/Childrens Press      2015  48p   $27.00  ISBN 978-0-531-21599-9  elem  series: A True Book  Biography  E-BN     

Elizabeth was not born into the family line expected to rule Great Britain.   This title explains how she became queen at the age of 25.  When her father became king, her education changed to prepare her for her future.  Throughout the book, things she has been the first to do are stressed.  She is the first female monarch to have served in the military, the longest ruling monarch, the first since Queen Victoria to have a child while ruling as monarch, and the first to have her daily activities filmed for television.  She has welcomed a visit from a pope and has visited Ireland.  She is an influential leader.

The text is well supported by excellent photographs, a timeline, a glossary, an index and the link to the publisher-sponsored web site.  The text is simple and will be easily understood by young independent readers.  

Summary: This biography of Queen Elizabeth II introduces elementary readers to her childhood and how she became queen.  It stresses several “firsts” in her monarchy and the future of the monarchy through her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  Grades 3-5.

Queen Elizabeth II                                    --Joan Theal

Zeiger, Jennifer. Barack Obama.

Zeiger, Jennifer.       Barack Obama.     Scholastic/ Childrens Press   64p $30.00  978-0-531-23050-3       elem/ms      Series: Cornerstones of Freedom (Scholastic/Childrens)      Good       

This pictorial biography of Barack Obama gives a brief history of Obama’s life and has plenty of family photos of him as a child, with side bars showing what was happening in the United States of America with the Civil Rights Movement.  Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii.  His father was an African scholar from Kenya.  He had a close relationship with his mother’s parents.  He was a star player on his high-school basketball team, and he went to college in California, eventually transferring to Columbia University in New York City.  After college, Obama became a community organizer and gradually became involved in politics.  He attended Harvard Law School, where he became the editor of the Harvard Law Review.

This is a good introduction to the president for children.  It includes color and black-and-white pictures, fact boxes, a first-hand look box, the influential people in Obama's life, living history facts, a list of resources including web sites, a glossary and an index.      The series, Cornerstone of Freedom, includes 19 titles, and covers famous people in history and historical events.                          --Magna Diaz