Nonfiction Review: 1,000 Facts About the White House

Title: 1,000 Facts about the White House

Author: Sarah Wassner Flynn

Welcome to the White House! Go behind the scenes to get a 360-degree view of America's most famous president's residence, from how it was built in 1792 and the fire of 1812, to today's state dinners, celebrations, celebrity pets, and more. Discover through 1,000 fun-to-read facts what it's like to live and work at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, the quirky rules of the house and how the Secret Service keeps it safe. Find out how the kids who have lived there play, watch movies, and entertain friends. With a treasure trove of material from the White House Historical Association, this book presents a fascinating story of the building and the many people who have shaped its 225-year history.

Ok we all know about the White House right?  It's the place where the president lives.  But what do you really KNOW about it?  This book is filled with all kinds of little tidbits about the house we see all the time in the news and in movies etc.  There are facts about it's history, the animals that have lived there, food at the White House, ghosts (my favorite part!), and how it has changed over time.  

What I really liked is that the infomration is grouped just like that. It's not just a long list of 1000 facts.  Instead the facts are grouped up.  So if you're interested in one topic over another, you can just read that topic.  Which is why I was able to jump the the ghost facts first.

As I've said before on the blog I often times see my son's reaction to a book as an indication of it's ability to hook other kids.  My son spotted it sitting out and started asking all kinds of questions about it.  I think he was interested because, just like me, I knew the White House, but I wanted to know more.  

Also - it has great photgraphs throughout the book.  So not only do you get to learn about some new things, you can see what they are talking about as well. 


In the End: Great book with lots of fantastic facts both fun and serious.  

I would add this for sure!  We should all know more about the house the President lives in!