Childrens Books about Presidents (Unit Study)
President’s Day isn’t too far off! But honestly (Honest Abe, that is) we enjoy reading about the presidents any time of the year with these childrens books about presidents!
Through engaging stories, colorful illustrations, and fascinating facts, children’s books about presidents provide a fun and accessible way for children to learn about the history and government of the United States.
They offer a glimpse into the lives and legacies of some of the country’s most remarkable leaders, and inspire children to think critically about the role of government and the importance of civic engagement.
For more reading ideas, visit our extensive list of childrens books for kids!
In addition to recommending books about presidents for kids, I’ve teamed up with some fellow bloggers to offer you homeschool and classroom President Unit Study ideas and resources to teach kids about all of our United States presidents!
You can find these children books about presidents at your local library or purchase through the affiliate links provided for your convenience.

Learning about the history and politics of the United States can be an exciting and engaging experience for children, and books about presidents can help spark their interest in these subjects.
From George Washington to Joe Biden, children’s books about presidents offer a glimpse into the lives of some of the most influential leaders in American history.
Does your child have a favorite president? Mine has always been Teddy Roosevelt. The book The Camping Trip That Changed America just made me love him that much more.
And for some extra fun, play a printable Elections game for kids to help them understand how the Electoral College works.
CHILDRENS BOOKS ABOUT PRESIDENTS
Kid Presidents tells all of their stories and more with full-color cartoon illustrations on every page.
History has never been this much fun!
Forget the legends. Ignore the tall tales. The kids who grew up to be president weren’t superheroes.
They had regular-kid problems just like you.
Each page is jam-packed with trivia, fun facts, and information on the historical events of each presidency.
Kids will love discovering the floor plan of the White House, a list of presidential perks, and lots of interesting info about all the presidents, from George Washington to Barack Obama.
This special treasury from America’s beloved documentarian Ken Burns brings the presidents to life for our nation’s children.
Each president is given a lushly illustrated spread with curated stories and information to give readers of all ages a comprehensive view of the varied and fascinating characters who have led our nation.
A must-have for Ken’s many fans, classrooms, and anyone who wishes to gain a greater understanding and appreciation for our country.
Anne Rockwell’s prose is dignified, Matt Phelan’s illustrations are striking, and the details they reveal about George Washington’s early days are fascinating, sometimes tragic, and always moving.
Before he was the face on the dollar bill, George Washington was a shy boy with a hot temper.
But George had character and adaptability. He taught himself courage and self-control.
At an early age, and without really realizing it, George Washington gathered the qualities he’d need to become one of the greatest leaders America has ever known.
With great illustrations, cool trivia, and fun quizzes to test your knowledge, this patriotic genius guide will have you on your way to whiz-kid status in no time!
With this book about U.S. Presidents, you’ll become an expert and wow your friends and teachers with clever facts.
Did you know that Abraham Lincoln made Thanksgiving a national holiday? Or that Jefferson introduced the first French fries at a fancy state dinner?
Abraham Lincoln grew up poor and without schooling in a Kentucky wilderness and lost his mother before he was ten.
It was spark plug Sally Bush Johnston, who later married Abe’s father, brought a library of books to their log cabin home, and believed in Abe from the beginning.
Her confidence in him was an inspiring turning point for young Abe, who went on to become one of the most revered and respected presidents in United States history.
Filled with fun facts, trivia, and 30 puzzles, The Everything Kids’ Presidents Book introduces you to everyone from our first president, George Washington, to the man currently residing in the White House, George W. Bush.
Did George Washington really cut down his father’s cherry tree? Who was the last president to have facial hair? Which U.S. president had a country’s capital city named after him?
Learning about the people who shaped the history of our country has never been so much fun!
In an evocative first-person account accompanied by exquisite artwork, Winter and Widener tell the story of James Madison Hemings’s childhood at Monticello, and, in doing so, illuminate the many contradictions in Jefferson’s life and legacy.
Though Jefferson lived in a mansion, Hemings and his siblings lived in a single room.
While Jefferson doted on his white grandchildren, he never showed affection to his enslaved children.
Here is a profound and moving account of one family’s history, which is also America’s history.
America’s unique presidential election system is often misunderstood-and perhaps especially hard to explain to our children.
We Elect a President: The Story of Our Electoral College will help you and your family discover more about the Electoral College and its remarkable history.
It presents a fun, yet educational way to learn more about America’s too-often misunderstood presidential election system.
Full of both history and humor, this is the story of two of America’s most well-known presidents and how they learned to put their political differences aside for the sake of friendship.
John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were good friends with very different personalities.
Their differing views on how to run the newly created United States turned them into the worst of friends.
They each became leaders of opposing political parties, and their rivalry followed them to the White House.
Brain Quest Presidents delivers 850 fascinating questions and answers about the highest office in the land, and the men who have held it.
Brain Quest proves it’s not just fun to be smart ― it’s smart to be smart.
Drawn from first-through sixth-grade curricula, the material aligns with state and national standards and is vetted by an award-winning teacher.
As soon as Thomas Jefferson learned to read, he found his passion: books, books, and more books!
Before, during, and after the American Revolution, Jefferson collected thousands of books on hundreds of subjects.
In fact, his massive collection eventually helped rebuild the Library of Congress — now the largest library in the world.
Barb Rosenstock’s rhythmic words and John O’Brien’s whimsical illustrations capture Jefferson’s passion for the written word as well as little-known details about book collecting.
This new version of the Caldecott-winning classic by illustrator David Small and author Judith St. George is updated with current facts and new illustrations to include our forty-second president, George W. Bush.
Hilariously illustrated by Small, this celebration by St. George shows us the foibles, quirks and humanity of forty-two men who have risen to one of the most powerful positions in the world.
Caldecott medalist Mordicai Gerstein captures the majestic redwoods of Yosemite in this little-known but important story from our nation’s history.
In 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt joined naturalist John Muir on a trip to Yosemite.
Camping by themselves in the uncharted woods, the two men saw sights and held discussions that would ultimately lead to the establishment of our National Parks.
In this stunning addition to their acclaimed series, Kathleen Krull and Kathryn Hewitt take us beyond politics and photo opportunities, revealing the entertaining, complex, and very real lives of the presidents.
Other books focus on the historical achievements of those who have occupied our country’s highest office; Lives of the Presidents looks instead at their bad habits, silly nicknames, and strange pets.
Find out all about the weird, wacky, little, big, scary, strange animals that have lived in the White House.
Did you know that John Quincy Adams kept an alligator in the bathtub, while Thomas Jefferson’s pride and joy was his pair of bear cubs?
Living in America’s most famous residence might seem glamorous at first — it’s the most fun place any kid could live!
Filled with wacky, weird, and wonderful stories, it shows what it’s like to call the president Dad (or Granddad or Uncle).
Find out what schools they went to, what mischief they caused, and what pets they had.
There are first-person accounts from letters and interviews, fascinating photos, original illustrations, and even a section that follows the children after they left the White House.
United States President Study Unit
In addition to recommending childrens books about presidents for kids, I’ve teamed up with some fellow bloggers to offer you homeschool and classroom unit study ideas and resources to teach kids about all of our United States presidents! These unit study resources may contain affiliate links.

American Presidents Notebooking Pages
Washington DC Study Notebooking Pages
App Teaching Kids US Presidents from iGameMom
President’s Day Activities for Kindergarten from Mrs. Karle’s Sight and Sound Reading
Presidential Unit Study from Schooling a Monkey
President’s Day {Free Printables, Resources, & Activities} from Faith and Good Works

My kids love reading books like this! I still remember when I would read my own little kid U.S. history books and spout all these facts that annoyed my parents. Now I know how my parents feel I guess! Thanks for this list though! Hadn’t heard of very many of these!
Ha! I know what you mean… my kiddos do get a kick out of hearing all of the interesting stories about our presidents…. from starting libraries to creating national parks, the individual books that talk about the earmark actions have grabbed their attention over the years.
Such a great list! We loved The Camping Trip That Changed America. Pinned.
The Camping Trip That Changed America is one of our favorites (and Teddy is one of my favorite presidents!) I had the pleasure of meeting the author — who’s also fabulous 🙂
Can you believe Donald Trump is going to be in our children’s history books?
They are going to have a lot of questions where my honest answer will be, “Honey, I really don’t know why.”
LOL
Thanks for this list though! It is so important to teach our children the past.