WACKIEST WHITE HOUSE PETS by Gibbs Davis

          This is a fun and informative book that describes all the pets that have lived at the White House, or been owned by a President. It is appropriate for all age groups including adults. There is a lot of information in this book, and if you were going to use it as a read aloud, it would be better to read it over a few days. This book could also be integrated into a social studies unit or used in a center for reading.
          Did you know that around 400 animals have lived in the White House? And that George Washington used to brush his horses teeth; and he had over 40 hounds that he treated like family and that had names like: Sweetlips, Madam Moose and Vulcan. Thomas Jefferson had two pet grizzly bears and a mockingbird. John Quincy Adams  had two pet alligators, and his wife had silk worms which spun the finest silk, that she used to make the most luxurious gowns for herself.
          The king of Siam presented James Buchanan with a herd of elephants that actually arrived at the White House, but that were later donated to the zoo. Lincoln had two goats, and Theodor Roosevelt had more than 40 pets ranging from snakes, a pony, a rooster, lion, five hyenas, and a zebra! President Reagan was the only President to have a "first fish" and President Bush's dog, Millie, was voted "Ugliest Dog" by the Washingtonian magazine!
          Along with all this zanny information, this book also presents interesting facts and trivia about each President. This past Thanksgiving, I had been wondering how the Presidential pardon of turkeys started, and I happen to read in this book, that Lincoln actually wrote the first Presidential turkey pardon because his son Tad had grown fond of the turkey that had been sent to the Lincoln's for their Thanksgiving dinner. The artwork is fun and whimsical, and presents the animals and Presidents in a humorous light. I will definitely have this book in my classroom. The author, Ms. Davis, also wrote 23 other popular books for young people and she lives in New York City with NO pets.