MY DAD, JOHN MCCAIN

The Republican nominee’s eldest daughter announces at the outset that her dad would make a great president and then proceeds to explain why. Recapping in broad strokes his schooling, his military career, his years of captivity in Vietnam and his entry into politics, she highlights his courage, his patriotism and most especially his bulldog refusal to give up when faced with adversity or reversals of fortune. Conveying tone more than action, Andreasen’s honey-hued, full-bleed paintings interleaf static re-creations of major incidents with reproductions of snapshots, medals and significant artifacts, along with portraits viewed from low angles to give their subject an evocatively larger-than-life air. Children won’t learn anything about the candidate’s take on significant issues, his day-to-day work or even what his overall goals are, but they will come away appreciating his strength of character—whether or not they (or their parents) buy the author’s argument that that’s enough for presidential greatness. (Picture book/biography. 6-8)