    | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 11/01/2015 Over the summer, a reporter e-mailed to ask about Hillary Clinton books aimed at kids for an article she was writing. I replied that almost all of the titles available were in series about first ladies or famous women, but that as election time grew closer, there should be more. The election may be a year away but, to say the least, the books have begun to arrive. The first two come from veteran nonfiction writers, both offering photo-assisted looks at Clinton for middle and older readers. Blumenthal’s highly readable biography is an in-depth portrait that gives teens a real feel for the woman behind the politics. Though touching on familiar milestones and repeating oft-told anecdotes (Mrs. Rodham gives young Hillary permission to sock a bully; Hillary introducing herself to Bill after exchanging many glances), the smooth narrative produces an understanding of the influences that shaped Clinton and the reasons for the decisions she has made. Blumenthal doesn’t shy away from the less savory aspects of the Clintons’ relationship, or the trouble Hillary seems to invite thanks to her occasional tin ear. Also discussed are such controversial issues as Benghazi, while an author’s note does an interesting job of explaining the occasional pitfalls or research. Call this one fair and balanced.If the last election taught us anything, it’s far too early to be fitting the Oval Office chair quite yet, but these four books make clear that, regardless of the outcome, Clinton’s place in history is already secure. - Copyright 2015 Booklist. School Library Journal - 12/01/2015 Gr 10 Up—More objective and even more comprehensive than Cynthia Levinson's Hillary Rodham Clinton: Do All the Good You Can (HarperCollins, 2016), this volume covers many aspects of Hillary Clinton's life and achievements, from her Illinois childhood to the early days of her current presidential campaign. Blumenthal focuses on the formative experiences that shaped Clinton's beliefs and how those principles have guided her actions throughout her life and influenced her choices about her education, work, marriage and family life, and political career. Clinton is presented as an intensely private person in a public life, and Blumenthal objectively discusses the contradictions between Clinton's beliefs and some of her actions and examines the many controversies and scandals that have been a part of the Clintons' lives since their early years in public service. Blumenthal's bibliography includes a wider spectrum of sources than the Levinson title and includes Clinton's books and statements, papers and memoirs from the Clinton archives, and sources critical of Clinton, but the text isn't documented. Small photos supplement the text, and "Drawn and Quartered" sidebar reproductions of negative and positive editorial cartoons illustrate public perceptions of Clinton's personality, life, and work. With 36 dense chapters, this book reads more like an adult work than a YA title and is occasionally dry. Its primary audience will be report writers and students who are highly interested in Clinton or politics. VERDICT A good option for libraries that need advanced research material about Clinton.—Mary Mueller, Rolla Public Schools, MO - Copyright 2015 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Loading...
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