If I Were President

By Catherine Stier and Diane DiSalvo-Ryan

2000 SSLI Honor Book-Social Studies (Grades K-6)
IRA Los Angeles' 100 Best Books

A multicultural cast of children imagines what it would be like to be president.

Imagine living in the White House, a mansion where you wouldn't have to leave home to go bowling or see a movie! Imagine a chef to cook anything you like. "Two desserts, Madam President? No problem!"

If you were president, there would be a lot of work to do too. You would be in charge of the armed forces, give important speeches, and work with Congress to create laws for the whole country!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company
• Release date: Jan 1, 1999
• ISBN: 9780807592854

Catherine Stier

Catherine Stier is the author of more than 20 children's books including the Science Makes it Work picture book series and the Kirkus star-reviewed A Dog's Day chapter book series. She holds a master’s degree in reading and literacy and has served as a magazine writer, newspaper columnist, and writing instructor. Stier resides in San Antonio, Texas.

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Reviews for If I Were President

[epark6 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The purpose of this book is to inform readers about the president. At a young age, children think that being president would mean that they could do whatever they want and be in charge of everyone. However, through this book, the readers see that this is not the case. They learn that there are a lot of responsibilities that come with being president.I liked this book for two reasons. First, I liked how the author had the book written in the point of view of children. There is one boy and one girl who explains what they would do if they were president. Having the first person point of view helps the reader see the two characters as equals. It's like the characters are explaining everything to a friend. The book is casual, yet explains a lot of information. Another reason why I like this book is because of the illustrations. The pictures are whimsical. Since the target age is for the younger readers, they make all the information fun to read about. This topic can easily bore readers, but the reader used pictures to make it entertaining.

[yyoon4 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I liked this book for a couple reasons. First, I appreciated the point of view of “If I Were President.” The first person point of view of children telling this story makes it easy for readers to get immersed into the book. Not only does it tell the story in first person, but the content of the story includes information in a fun, personal way. For example, “If I were president, my words and picture would appear in newspapers and magazines all over the world. Even my dog would make headlines!” The story also provides informational facts about the president, such as, “Then I'd move to a mansion called the White House, with more than one hundred rooms.” Young children often dream about what they want to be when they are older. I liked how this book picked a well-known and big job, so that readers can essentially “dream bigger.” I also loved how this book made sure to include the responsibilities that came with a career. An example is, “If I were president, the people would be my boss, and I'd have to find out what they wanted. It wouldn't be easy – different people would want different things.” I think this book does an incredible job in sharing the joys, responsibilities, and realities of careers. The big idea of this “If I Were President.” is that it informs readers the responsibilities of being the president of the United States, and inspires the audience to have big dreams as well.

[alarso2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is an informational book about he presidents job and many responsibilities. It begins on the premise of what this little girl would do if she were the president of the United States.

[arodri13-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

If I Were President is a historical fiction picture book where a child dreams of becoming president. This unique presentation of being president is entertaining and enjoyable to all readers. The main idea of this picture book is that one can dream, no matter how big or small. The illustrations and depiction of the desires of the main character makes this book a fun read.

[mingra2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed reading this book. It was very informative about what the life of the president is like, but it's from a child's perspective. I think this allows the reader to relate to the book, and also adds to the topics discussed. For example, it talks about the lighting of the Christmas tree, kissing babies, and the president's pets. These are all fun things, but also true things of how the president's life is broadcasted. I also enjoyed the illustrations of this text. My favorite part about it is on each page there is a different child with diverse genders and ethnicities. I think this adds to the big message of the book that anyone can be president, regardless of gender or race.

[kjacob9 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed reading this informational book. One aspect that I liked about this book was that it was told from a child’s perspective. I liked how the narrator emphasized things that kids would be excited about or find interesting. This book did not focus on the mundane details of the presidency but instead discussed the fun and exciting parts of the job. Another aspect that I enjoyed about this book was the illustrations. I liked how the illustrations were realistic and looked just like the iconic monuments they were made to represent. For example, the illustrations of the Oval Office, White House, and Mount Rushmore looked as though they had been drawn from pictures. The main message of this story is to inform the reader about the office of the President of the United States.

[baileyr-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really liked this book. It was cute to see a child's point of view of the presidency and maybe becoming president one day himself. The illustrations were bright and colorful and drew me in. This book gave a lot of background information on being the president all while making it fun and interesting!

[lpicke2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book. I really liked the illustrations because it showed examples of what the White House and the Oval Office looks like. I also enjoyed the text because it was all about what it is like to become president. There are facts about the security guards that follow the president, how people vote on bills, and how the president works with the Cabinet members to make decisions. The big idea of this book is to put in simple terms of what it is like to be the President of the United States.