evidence: President Harry S. Truman famously said, "If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog." And a dog is exactly what many presidents got. From James Garfield to Calvin Coolidge to Richard Nixon, presidents often found a canine friend. Others preferred cats, horses, small critters, or even big, ferocious animals like bears and alligators. This funny, educational book presents the many animals that have passed through the White House, from favorite dogs like Barbara Bush’s Millie or the Obamas’ Bo to Abraham Lincoln’s cat, Dixie to Calvin Coolidge’s hippo, Billy, and even Andrew Jackson’s foul-mouthed parrot, Poll. Your young animal lovers and would-be-presidents will be absorbed and amused by this menagerie of presidential pets who comes to life in this entertaining, whimsical, and carefully researched picture book. Ages 4-8. 44pp.