Buddy for President: Hans Wilhelm
October 25, 2016
Book: Buddy for President
Author: Hans Wilhelm
Pages: 32
Age Range: 4-8
Just in time for Election Day, Harper Children's brings us Buddy for President by Hans Wilhelm, in which a boy lobbies hard for his dog to become the next President. Buddy's qualifications including appreciating the great outdoors (like President Theodore Roosevelt) and a (slobbery) ability to kiss babies right and left. Here's a high point of the book:
"Buddy will be our top dog! He will put his presidential paw print only on good laws, like bedtime just for grown-ups and more playtime for kids."
The very next passage felt a bit overly sentimental to me:
"Everybody will cheer when Buddy introduces a law so that all kids must have a safe lace to live with grown-ups and dogs who love them with all their hearts."
But mostly, Wilhelm sticks to fun characteristics of dogs that translate well into leadership, like being good listeners, and being good at playing. The new National Anthem, all in woofs to the tune of Take Me Out to the Ball Game is a lot of fun, as are the campaign posts for dog leaders of other countries (a poodle for France, of course). Wilhelm's bright, cheerful illustrations, with Buddy always a smiling figure, help to keep Buddy for President on the humorous side. I think that kids will find this one entertaining.
Buddy for President would make a light-hearted classroom or library read-aloud (for kids five and up) on or before Election Day. There are a few facts thrown in that could form a basis for discussion (what is a summit, etc.), as well as a nice plug for reading aloud.
Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books (@HarperChildrens)
Publication Date: July 12, 2016
Source of Book: Review copy from the publisher
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