Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
A Picture Book of Dwight David Eisenhower
Nonfiction Picture Book
For ages 7 to 9
Holiday House, 2004 ISBN: 0823418308
Dwight was the third son of Ida and David Eisenhower, and he and his six brothers all did their part to help their parents do the chores around their home in Abilene, Kansas. They milked the cow, collected eggs, tended the gardens and fruit trees, and sold the produce they grew. They also helped around the house as well.
Dwight was a good student but there was no money for college, so he applied for a position in a military academy where he could get a free education. This he was granted, and in 1911 he arrived at the Military Academy at West Point.
After completing his time at the Academy, Dwight was sent to Fort Sam Houston in Texas, and while he was there he met a lovely girl called Mamie Geneva Doud. The couple were married in the summer of 1916, and during World War I Dwight was sent to military bases to train soldiers who were later sent to Europe to fight. Though he did not serve in battle during World War I, he would later distinguish himself by leading Allied forces in battles in North Africa, Sicily, southern Italy, and in France during World War II.
After the war was over Dwight was ready to have a quieter life, but some people had other ideas. They wanted Dwight to run for the presidency.
In this excellent picture book biography, David A. Adler tells the story of Dwight D. Eisenhower’s life in an engaging and interesting way. The text is broken up by numerous annotated photographs, and at the back of the book two pages of author’s notes provide readers with further information about Eisenhower’s life.
