Cheryl Shaw Barnes and Peter Barnes, the creative force behind Woodrow, the White House Mouse have recently launched a new children's book called President Adams' Alligator and Other White House Pets. The book is written for students at a 3rd grade reading level, and is a fun resource for learning about our presidents while appealing to children’s love of animals. My daughter and I enjoyed reading about the various Presidents and the pets they had while in office. For example, did you know President John Quincy Adams had a pet alligator? He kept it in a bathtub in the East Room of the White House. But President Adams wasn't the only commander-in-chief with an unusual pet. Along with a collection of dogs, cats, horses and birds, presidents and their families also had pet snakes, raccoons, bears, cows, mice, and more. Meet Thomas Jefferson’s mockingbird, who ate … [Read more...]
