Nonfiction picture books work best when the information topic is appropriately delivered to the intended audience. In Hanging off Jefferson’s Nose: Growing up on Mount Rushmore by Tina Nichols Coury and The House that George Built by Suzanne Slade, the authors explore topics in American history with different results.
Hanging off Jefferson’s Nose is the story of Lincoln Borglum, the son of Gutzon Borglum, the designer and original sculptor of the presidential figures on Mount Rushmore. Lincoln finished the project after his father’s untimely death. The book follows Lincoln from a young boy to his successful completion of the national monument. Coury explores the close relationship of father and son as she develops the story of the arduous years-long task of sculpting a mountain. The colorful often full-spread illustrations by Sally Wern Comport complement the text and help deliver a compelling story. The book is geared well to an audience of middle grade readers who would enjoy this as either a read aloud or an independent reading. Small details help develop the character of Lincoln–his unspoken resentment as a boy at having to ride a pony rather than a horse, his efforts to keep his crew warm as they toiled in harsh weather conditions, and his laying of a wreath at the foot of Mount Rushmore in memory of his father. Coury conveys much information about the project and about Lincoln in clear, well-developed sentences that tell a story both inspiring and educational.
In The House that George Built, Suzanne Slade focuses on George Washington’s efforts to establish a presidential home. She offers interesting details about the project and casts George Washington as a careful steward willing to lend a hand in constructing the home that would one day be called the White House. Readers will learn some interesting facts about this construction, but I think Slade’s deliberate echoing of the Mother Goose rhyme “This is the House that Jack Built” compromises the book’s value. The repetitive refrain of the “house that George built” with its incremental lines appeals to a very young audience, while the subject matter seems more appropriate to middle elementary-aged readers. It is definitely meant to be read aloud, but I wonder if young listeners will fully appreciate the story. In addition, the repetition on every other page leaves no room for more information. For example, the author omits the fact that Thomas Jefferson submitted a design for the “president’s house” under a false name, although she includes this information in her Author’s Note at the end. I think more information and less nursery rhyme format would have made a better book. Still, Rebecca Bond’s illustrations work well to capture the time period and convey the activity of the project, so the book will hold interest for some readers.
Both authors provide either sources or a bibliography, and Slade offers additional information about the history of the White House. Check them out.
The first NH librarian to leave a comment in July on any blog entry will receive both of these books.