cover image Joe Biden: Our 46th President

Joe Biden: Our 46th President

Beatrice Gormley. Aladdin, $17.99 (256p) ISBN 978-1-5344-7932-6

In 15 chapters, this timely biography of Joe Biden offers an endorsing portrait of the incoming president. Gormley (John McCain: An American Hero) successfully captures Biden’s character, sketching the boyhood leadership abilities that emerged in Scranton, Pa., and Wilmington, Del.; exploring his early political ambitions, which led him to write at age 12 about wanting to become president; and including endearing details about the natural athlete, who was prone to getting into scrapes and “couldn’t resist a dare.” Gormley establishes Biden’s strong loyalty to family and commitment to public service, highlighting some of his personal trials, including navigating his stutter, the tragic deaths of his first wife and daughter, and the loss of his oldest son to cancer many years later. While the writing can bog down in political machination in its coverage of Biden’s time in local government, the Senate, his several runs at the presidency, and his vice presidency, Gormley’s personal angles shine strongest, and interspersed essays about topics such as civil and voting rights and the Supreme Court contextualize events and underscore complicated issues. An informative introduction that effectively frames the challenges ahead. Ages 8–12. [em]Agent: Susan Cohen, Writers House. (Jan.) [/em]