DK Biography: Ronald Reagan: A Photographic Story of a Life

by Michael Burgan

Overview

DK Biography: Ronald Reagan tells the story of the 40th president of the United States, including his boyhood in Illinois, his successful career as a Hollywood actor, his tenure as governor of California, and his two terms in the Oval Office. Along the way, it examines his vision, his strengths and weaknesses, and his enduring legacy as an American icon.

Featuring detailed sidebars, handy vocabulary boxes, and a visual timeline, DK's Biography series is perfect for book reports or anytime reading.

Supports the Common Core State Standards.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780756670740
Publisher:	DK
Publication date:	12/20/2010
Series:	DK Biography
Pages:	128
Product dimensions:	4.90(w) x 7.70(h) x 0.30(d)
Lexile:	1000L (what's this?)
Age Range:	10 - 17 Years

About the Author

Michael Burgan is a historian specializing in writing biographies and current events for younger audiences. His published works include Who Was Henry Ford?, Who Was Theodore Roosevelt?, Breaker Boys: How a Photograph Helped End Child Labor, and The Creation of the U.S. Constitution. Additionally, Burgan is also a playwright and studied at the University of Connecticut.

Editorial Reviews

Gr 4–8—This pocket-sized volume chronicles the life of our 40th president. With at least two additional photos or a boxed inset on each spread, there is enough variety in the layout to break up the text. Still, with an overall size of 5 x 8 inches, it hardly qualifies as "a photographic story of a life." It is really Burgan's accessible voice that carries the story as he covers Reagan's life from birth to death. Descriptions of his early career as a radio announcer reading telegrams and making up the visuals while broadcasting baseball games are a convincing depiction of his ability to create a good story and punt when necessary. While coverage of the Iran-Contra issue indicates this is not completely laudatory, the general impression is that President Reagan was a nice old man who was well liked by his colleagues and even his challengers. Much space is spent on his fight against communism and how his efforts and relationship with Mikhail Gorbachev brought an end to the Cold War. Additional sources and a bibliography don't include resources specifically for kids, but offer a variety of media that may prove useful.—Janet S. Thompson, Chicago Public Library

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