Review by Booklist Review
This middle-grade edition of Goodwin's Leadership in Turbulent Times (2018), adapted by Shamir, profiles four presidents--Lincoln, both Roosevelts, and Lyndon Johnson--with an eye to personal qualities that defined them as "leaders." The author displays a deep understanding of their characters and how their individual upbringings and youthful experiences of triumph and tragedy prepared them for the challenges they faced in office. Readers who just want the gist of the original book's insights and inspirational message will find tidy summaries in the original introduction and epilogue, but those willing to stay the course will be rewarded by four dramatic, well-told stories of men driven as much by the ideals of service to their country and its citizens as by personal ambition. And if the role modeling sometimes becomes insistent, the book does readily acknowledge that these men didn't always do the right thing when, for example, it came to equal rights. Frequent sidebar notes expand on historical contexts and introduce other significant figures; to a select set of period images, Bates adds views of the four in characteristic poses at various ages and watershed moments.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Goodwin (An Unfinished Love Story) chronicles the childhoods of former presidents Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Lyndon B. Johnson and the events leading to their presidencies in this expansive children's debut. Though the included stories aren't a "full accounting of the historical moment," they still pack a punch and include a wealth of information, some of which is adapted from the author's works for adults. Starting with Lincoln's youth, which the subject describes as "the short and simple annals of the poor," Goodwin showcases his early leadership qualities, as well as his empathy and love for reading, attributes that put him at odds with his father. This blueprint is repeated throughout as each successive figure is shown overcoming childhood adversity. Alongside positive behaviors, Goodwin addresses fraught historical periods brought about by each leader's political decision-making, such as Japanese Americans' imprisonment during FDR's administration. In a preface, the author addresses how "these leaders set a standard and a bar for all of us, but they were far from perfect," establishing the tone for this quartet of biographies in which Goodwin hopes "that today's young people can see how much they have in common." Abundant back matter concludes. Ages 8--12. (Sept.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 8 Up--This adaptation of Pulitzer-winner Goodwin's title for adults struggles to meet the needs of a general tween audience. The original book, Leadership in Turbulent Times, inspired a documentary on the History Channel and has now been adapted into this compiled biography for young readers. Some of Goodwin's other titles were also adapted for inclusion, but it appears Leadership was the main source of material. It covers the early lives and careers of Presidents Lincoln, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Theodore and Franklin Roosevelt before they were elected to the presidency and is supplemented by various drawings in Bates's cartoon style. Although the title and illustrations are meant to attract young readers, it is hard to imagine this title capturing their interest or inspiring their leadership development. Despite the title, the subjects' childhoods are only briefly discussed. The text only compares the presidents and presents overarching themes about their leadership methods in the epilogue. Without these scaffolds, the information included may seem irrelevant or boring to readers who are waiting for coverage of their presidencies. For young people doing research on these presidents' early lives, however, this book is essential. VERDICT Recommended only for research or where presidential biographies are in demand or need updating.--Maria Bohan
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A young readers' version of Goodwin'sLeadership (2018), adapted by Shamir, that also incorporates material from no fewer than six of Goodwin's previous works. This volume looks at the lives of Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Lyndon Johnson and tries to explain how they grew up to become president. Each subject has one chapter devoted to his childhood, one to his presidency, and four to the time in between. Goodwin shows the traits each shared--primarily, persistence and a remarkable ability to communicate their ideas to their fellow humans--and the obstacles--poverty, illness, death of loved ones--that each overcame. Along the way, sidebars offer additional information on topics such as the political parties in Lincoln's day, the definition of a filibuster, and the contributions of gay civil rights activist Bayard Rustin. While never muckraking, Goodwin nevertheless carefully explains each man's limitations, noting Lincoln's desire to send newly emancipated Black Americans overseas and Roosevelt's internment of Japanese Americans and failure to allow Jewish refugees to enter the U.S. This is a composed, readable, and detailed account that offers some insight into the qualities leaders are born with and the qualities they develop through sheer hard work. Final art not seen. A solid exploration of the path from childhood to presidency. (selected bibliography, URL link to citations)(Nonfiction. 10-16) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
