Copyright © 2008 by Chris Van Dusen
Join us as we dig deeper into our nation’s past! On these pages we flesh out the intriguing, often delightful, and occasionally poignant poetry and prose from Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out. We take a closer look at the extraordinary original art in Our White House and show how many of the illustrations reflect American styles and movements. We share first person accounts of history unfolding. And we help you explore ways that Our White House can be used at home and with students in the classroom to excite kids about our nation’s rich heritage and culture.
We have just begun construction of these pages and will be expanding this section weekly, augmenting every book topic with additional information, and adding new primary source materials as well activity and discussion suggestions, so be sure to visit these pages often!
Click on any section to find expanded information on the material there—more stories, explanations, activities, and questions about everything in the book. Book titles and topics in blue are currently active.
Click on the name of any contributor to get more information, including: bios, pictures, and more!
Each contributor has supplied his or her own information and details.
The Cover
by David Macaulay
Introduction
by David McCullough
Looking In, Looking Out
by Gregory Maguire
From the Foundation Up
Illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline
• More: Beyond the Illustration: Digging Deeper
George Washington’s dream of a Federal City; primary source visitors' accounts of the new capital; comments on Ibatoulline’s illustration; activity suggestions; discussion questions; and much more!
• More: Presidential Menageries: George Washington, Hound Dogs, and Super Mules
Ironically, the father of our country had no children of his own, but he was involved in breeding of another nature—that of mules and hounds.
The White House First Residents
By Jane Yolen, illustrated by Petra Mathers
• More: Primary Sources: The Letters of John and Abigail Adams, the First White House Correspondence
Testimony of Padraig Tomás Ó’Deoráin: 1801
Imagined and illustrated by Mary Brigid Barrett
Slaves Helped Build the White House!
By Walter Dean Myers
Thomas Jefferson, 1743-1826
By Milton Meltzer
Bill No. 9
White House Colonial Kitchen Gardens
By Stephanie Loer, illustrated by S.D. Schindler
Jefferson’s Monstrous Bones
By Barbara Kerley
Bones on the Floor
Illustrated by Brian Selznick
An Unusual Guest
By Elizabeth Cody Kimmel
The Capital City in 1800
Map illustration by Mike Reagan
Struggling to Stand
Illustrated by Wendell Minor
The White House Prepares for War: 1812
By Ralph Ketcham
The Burning of the White House
By Susan Cooper
Dolley Madison Rescues George Washington
Written and illustrated by Don Brown
The First White House Memoir: 1865
By Paul Jennings, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
Another All-American Girl
By Meg Cabot
From the Walls of the White House
By Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Robert Byrd
Visiting the Great Father
By Joseph Bruchac, illustrated by Max Grafe
Sneaking Into Adams Field
By Michael Winerip
Andy and Me
By Marguerite W. Davol, illustrated by Tom Pohrt
The White House Cow
By Richard Peck, illustrated by Barry Root
Annexation and Division
Illustrated by Timothy Basil Ering
From American Notes
By Charles Dickens, illustrated by Claire Nivola
On Looking Into Dresses Worn by the “First Ladies” of the White House (Paper Doll Cut-outs), 1938
By Nancy Willard, illustrated with original book cover and paper dolls by Maybelle Mercer
Elizabeth Keckly: Seamstress to First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln, 1861-1865
By Patricia C. and Fredrick L. McKissack, illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon
High Spirits in the Lincoln White House
By Russell Freedman
Mary Todd Lincoln Speaks of Her Son’s Death, 1862
By Paul B. Janeczko
Memoir by Mary Henry: Eyewitness to the Civil War in the City of Washington
In Early April
By Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Chris Sheban
One Lamp Lights Another
Illustrated by Nancy Carpenter
Mrs. Cleveland, White House Bride
By Jennifer Armstrong
Seven from Ohio (For Some Reason)
Written and illustrated by Natalie Babbitt
The Eyes and Ears of the Public by Katherine Paterson
Illustrated by Andréa Wesson
Theodore Roosevelt’s Letters to His Children
By Leonard S. Marcus
TR’s Family and Friends
Illustrated by Chris Van Dusen
Storming Down the Stairs
By Albert Marrin
Executive Order for Nature
By Jean Craighead George, illustrated by David Slonim
William Howard Taft: President, 1909-1913
By Virginia Euwer Wolff, illustrated by Kevin Hawkes
With Courage and Determination
Illustrated by Emily Arnold McCully
Eyewitness to History
By Stephanie S. Tolan
Woodrow Wilson’s Work Without End
By Jeannine Atkins, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney
Hoover’s One Term
Written and illustrated by Matt Phelan
A Rainmaker in the White House
By Michael Cooper
Portrait of FDR
By Barry Moser
The Four Freedoms: From Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Address to Congress, January 6, 1941
Freedom of Speech
Illustrated by Calef Brown
Freedom of Worship
Illustrated by Peter Sis
Freedom from Want
Illustrated by Ed Young
Freedom from Fear
Illustrated by Stephen Alcorn
Hands
By Patricia MacLachlan, illustrated by P.J. Lynch
A Perfect Image
By Linda Sue Park, illustrated by Stéphane Jorisch
A Note for the President
By Jerry Spinelli, illustrated by Terry Widener
The House Haunts
By M.T. Anderson, illustrated by Mark Teague
A Prayer for Peace: From Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Farewell Address to the Nation
Good Nights
By Lee Bennett Hopkins, illustrated by William Low
The People’s House
Illustrated by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher
The Kennedy White House
By Barbara Harrison
The White House, the Moon, and a Coal Miner’s Son
By Homer Hickam, illustrated by Joe Cepeda
A White House Physician
By James Young, M.D.
A White Mouse in the White House
By Anita Silvey
Escape Map
By Mark London Williams
The Presidential Pet written and illustrated
By Steven Kellogg
• More: Presidential Menageries: George Washington, Hound Dogs, and Super Mules
Ironically, the father of our country had no children of his own, but he was involved in breeding of another nature—that of mules and hounds.
My Room
By Lynda Johnson Robb, illustrated by Jane Dyer
White House Souvenir
By Polly Horvath, illustrated by Sophie Blackall
Robert F. Kennedy’s Remarks on the Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
Black White House/ White Black House
Illustrated by Chris Raschka
Watergate White House
Illustration by Tony Auth
President Richard M. Nixon’s Final Remarks to the White House Staff
President Nixon’s Letter of Resignation
The Great House Endures
Illustrated by Roxie Munro
From Christmas in Plains: Memories
By President Jimmy Carter, illustrated by Don Powers
The White House
By Jon Scieszka, illustrated by Tony Fucile
Ronald Reagan
Photograph by Diana Walker
From Ronald Reagan’s Farewell Address to the Nation
Letter to George, Jeb, Neil, Marvin, Doro Bush from George H.W. Bush
George H.W. Bush
Photograph by Diana Walker
George H.W. Bush and Barbara Bush
Photograph by Diana Walker
The Secret Service
By Jess M. Brallier, illustrated by David Small
I Live in the White House
By Jack Prelutsky, illustrated by Jim LaMarche
From Meet the Press with Tim Russert: Interview with Vice President Dick Cheney, September 16, 2001
From The 9/11 Commission Report
Visiting the White House
By Sarah Stewart
Backstairs at the White House
Illustrations by David Small
The Green House
By Megan McDonald
The First Pitch
By Stephanie True Peters, illustrated by Matt Tavares
Wanted: Magnanimous, Exquisite Woman!
By Gigi and Judith Amateau
Mrs. Bush Inspires a National Book Festival
By John Y. Cole, poster by Carol Dyer
1600 Pennsylvania Ave.: Who’s in the House?
Created by Bob Kolar
Update and Complete the Our White House:Looking In, Looking Out Presidential Time Line!
Click here!
The White House by Moonlight
By Walt Whitman, illustrated by James Ransome
The 2003 Easter Egg Roll Poster
Illustrated by Eric Carle
A Big Chair to Fill
Illustrated by Leonid Gore