The Clinton View: The Historic Fight for the 2008 Democratic Nomination (Monumental Milestones: Great Events of Modern Times) (Monumental Milestones, 1)

Kathleen Tracy has been a journalist for over twenty years. Her writing has been featured in magazines including The Toronto Star s Star Week, A&E Biography magazine, KidScreen and TV Times. She is also the author of numerous books for Mitchell Lane Publishers, including William Hewlett: Pioneer of the Computer Age; The Fall of the Berlin Wall; Leonardo da Vinci; Odysseus; The McCarthy Era; The Life and Times of Rosa Parks; Johnny Depp; Mariah Carey; and Kelly Clarkson.

The Monumental Milestones series looks at important events, in this case the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination. The focus is on the fight between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, but the series also covers the many twists and turns of the campaign. The Clinton View begins with the Iowa caucus, the effect the loss had on front-runner Clinton, and how her win in New Hampshire made her the second Clinton “comeback kid.” Then, the book goes back to Clinton’s early years, her academic successes, and her tenures as First Lady and senator. Tracy captures some of the excitement of the campaign, but sometimes the text does not put statements in context (MSNBC’s Chris Matthews “openly supported Obama as a candidate”) or properly explain terms and titles (Politico is not identified as a political Web site). Still, as memory of the 2008 elections fades, this detailed account will be useful. One of the best things about this series is its well-chosen full-page sidebars; they allow space for important topics like the effect of the Internet on the election, Obama’s books, and caucuses. The design is lively and colorful, and the photos will draw readers. Grades 5-8. --Ilene Cooper