National Children's Book and Literacy AllianceBesprekingen

As with any collection you will want to pre-read these. It’s interesting to see additional material from an author if you are doing an author study.

I was excited about the concept, but the resulting story is just too strange for my taste.

White House, Washington D.C., poetry, art, history, John Adams, Abigail Adams, Padraig Tomas O'Deorain, 1800s, slaves, Thomas Jefferson, kitchen gardens, War of 1812, Dolley Madison, dresses, first ladies, Mary Todd Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln, Civil War, Frances Cleveland, Grover Cleveland, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt, William Taft, Woodrow Wilson, Herbert Hoover, Dwight Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, pets, Robert Kennedy, Watergate, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Jimmy Carter, secret service, Dick Cheney, 9-11, Laura Bush, fossils, Easter Egg roll, William Clark, Meriwether Lewis, Lewis and Clark, James Madison, fire, James Monroe, portraits, Native Americans, John Quincy Adams, Adams Field, Davy Crocket, cows, annexation, Charles Dickens, Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, James A. Garfield, Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley, Warren G. Harding, press, suffragists, national parks, Jane Rogers, Alice Paul, depression, drought, rain, speeches, freedom of speech, freedom, Harry Truman, 1940s, 1930s, ghosts, space race, doctors, Jackie Bouvier Kennedy, Cold War, Cuban Missile Crisis, dogs, Martin Luther King, Christmas, Bill Clinton, baseball,

It starts out very promising, and I greatly enjoyed the first few chapters, but quickly devolves into rather boring episodic nonsense as a new author enters with every chapter. Some of the later chapters do, however, make an admirable effort at bringing it all together. By the end, it's been a mostly bland reading experience, but the occasional funny moment helps, as does the fact that it is all tied up neatly at the end.½

1. Summary - This book is composed of short stories and small tributes from 108 Authors and Illustrators. This book includes facts such as how the White House was built, the different types of presidents and their backgrounds as well as stories of events while they lived in the house. This book also contains some of the struggles the White House went through such as it catching fire in 1813 during Madison's term. And so much more fun little facts that are included that there are to many to describe in such short frame of time.

2. Personal Reaction - I thought this book was great! I loved all the fun facts I leaned and relearned! I thought that this was well put together considering all the authors in such a short book. Basically each author had 2-3 pages. It flowed through the eras and the presidents and happy times and struggles.

3. Extension Ideas -
1. I could use this book to tie into a history lesson and give fun facts about presidents when I go over them.
2. I could use this book to expand vocabulary and knowledge on White House terminology such as the Oval Office.

Narrated by Phil Gigante. Sixteen children’s authors contribute episodes in this progressive story about circus kids Nancy and Joe Sloppy who receive a card on their 11th birthday directing them to save the parents they believed were dead by piecing together a robot. They must run a gamut of motley villains and friends to accomplish their mission before time runs out! Gigante’s vocal work is skillfully dextrous, with an amazing ability to stretch, push and pull as each character demands. An entertaining job, but with so many wacky developments and characters involved in the progressive story format it does take some effort to track the storyline.

A completely bizarre and somewhat disjointed account of the adventures of Nancy and Joe, twins left at the circus as babies when their parents open a portal into another dimension, as they search for the pieces of the exquisite corpse robot that will help them to rescue their parents. A modern-day take on the Victorian parlor game, the Exquisite Corpse is written by some of the best-known children's authors writing today. Not my favorite book, but an entertaining read.

This is a goofy, delightful, careening tale. The joy at cobbling together the tale, one author/illustrator at a time, is evident. This story is the kind of wild romp that will make kids snort when it's read aloud in a classroom. Save literary analysis for another project and just enjoy in the giddy fun of the creators. (152)

This is a collection of several stories, both real and imagined of the white house. Some are held within its walls, some are biographies, and some are short blurbs like the dresses the "First ladies of the white house" wore. There were "eye witness" accounts of events, some were funny or strange accounts like that of Mrs. Cleavland who married a president who stepped in as her father figure once her own father had passed. There were even some cartoons, like the one of President Hoover. There are so many stories and events all written by different authors. It is an amazing and interesting collection that keeps you interested until the last page.

Personal Response:

The e-book format, with one chapter release at a time, is what it must have felt like to wait for, say, a Charles Dickens piece in the past. The changes in style and tone are to be expected, with all the different authors. I could not help but compare one to the next, with Lemony Snicket standing out from the bunch (particularly with his meta-narrative highlighting the disjointed nature of the story).

Programming or curricular connections:

Analysis of style

Kids could write their own exquisite corpse story, either adding a chapter to the Exquisite Corpse Adventure, or working together on a wholly new story.

Having never read an online book before I wasn’t sure what my reaction would be. While I did miss the physical aspect of a “real book” I enjoyed the “turning” of the pages, and the format was very clear and simple. I especially liked the optional audio version; I think many readers (especially beginners) will enjoy listening and reading along with it. As this book is written by several different authors, I wasn’t sure the tone and language would flow well, and that it may seem like a disjointed narrative. However, the author changes for the most part are not offensively noticeable. There are subtle callbacks to previous chapters, and continuity is apparent in words and phrases. The major complaint is that the story can get rather repetitive (ie. numerous episodes end with a threatening, mysterious, disembodied voice), and the plot often seems patched together. The downside to different authors is that they don’t know the trajectory of the plot, and often have to write situations in ways to make it easy for the next author to follow. Overall an interesting experimental story.

Reviewed by Allison Fraclose for TeensReadToo.com

On March 14, 1792, building commissioners in charge of the newly planned capitol city of the infant United States government issued a call for designs on a presidential mansion. The person who submitted the winning design would win five hundred dollars or a medal of the same value for their plans.

Over the next few years, with the combined efforts of world renowned builders, immigrant workers, and even slaves, the most famous house in the country rose from the ground, and admitted its first official residents--John and Abigail Adams--in the year 1800.

Today, that same house serves as much more than just the living quarters of the presidential family. Historic events that have shaped the course of the United States have taken place within its walls. On the flipside, some of the most insignificant things that have happened there have kept not only the nation, but the entire world, intrigued for generations.

From devastating fires to the antics of the president's children, from whacky pets to the ghosts of former residents, from the press corps to the secret service, and from weddings to some really tough decisions...these are only a few small slices of what this house has seen.

To the hundreds of beings who stay, visit, and work in this house every day, and to the millions of people affected by what happens in it, the White House serves as a symbol of hope, peace, and togetherness, making it not just a presidential house, but a house that belongs to all.

This impressive collection of stories, anecdotes, essays, and illustrations has been assembled by the National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance to offer a wide range of insight into how this historic house has shaped and changed so many lives. They've also put together a comprehensive website at www.ourwhitehouse.org which expands on the information and stories featured in the book. You can even download a Barack Obama sticker to add to the line of presidents found in the book's timetable.

You can help nurture political junkies with this terrific book!

I have shared this book with several groups from pre-schoolers to adults and all have found aspects to gravitate to. The book is broken down into units that cluster similar themes together as well as providing chronological sections. I loved the variety of authors included and vivid artwork.

I heard quite a bit of buzz about Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out last fall, but forgot about it until I was offered a sneak peak. And although I was only given a tiny taste, it was enough to know that the entree must be a fantastic feast.

Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out is a compilation of stories, poems, essays, illustrations, cartoons and historical tidbits that are engaging and informative (at least those I've previewed). With 108 children's literature authors and illustrators, the book forms a who’s-who for Kiddie Lit. 101 and additionally includes writings from various historical statesmen.

Compiled by the National Children's Book and Literary Alliance, and eight years in the making, Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out is a must for libraries and social studies classrooms. I’ve not seen anything quite so captivating in a long time.



Review continued on Reading Rumpus ½

Created by 108 renowned authors and illustrators with distinctive styles and voices, and expressing different genres and opinions, this beautiful volume from the National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance is a must have for every school and public library collection. The book tells the story of the White House, broken into short sections which each have a distinct author and illustrator. Sections are arranged by historical periods, and themes, and include a bounty of information about people (including Presidents and First Ladies, as well as others) who have lived in the white house. There are a variety of artistic and literary styles represented, which keeps it interesting, but is still incredibly informative. Contents are laid out clearly in the Table of Contents, and the book also contains an index. HIGHLY recommended for grades 5 and up, could be used as an alternative or supplementary civics or US History textbook, and would also be great for a classroom collection.