(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Mark Elliott. Published in association with The Thomas Jefferson Foundation. A former curator at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello takes readers on a tour of the historical museum through a fictionalized one-day account of how the third U.S. president spent his time. An easy-flowing but often idealized present-tense narrative is accompanied by a combination of photographs, archival images, and Elliott's static illustrations. Slavery is lightly addressed through a series of sidebars. Timeline. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Rita Soltan

(2) K-3 Kalman's colloquial, occasionally arch, and whimsical narrative is heavy with historical import and dotted with trivia about Jefferson's life at Monticello. A series of spreads, with Kalman's familiar primitivist rendering and chromatic brilliance, details Jefferson's work as collector, architect, horticulturalist, and musician. The vibrant imagery, frank content, and disarming language combine in a nuanced portrait that respects its subject and its audience.

Reviewer: Thom Barthelmess | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2014

(4) 1-3 Capital Mysteries series. Illustrated by Timothy Bush. KC, the U.S. president's stepdaughter, finds Thomas Jefferson's long-lost horse miniatures. She, her mother, and friend Marshall take the collectibles to Monticello. No sooner are the knickknacks locked up safely when someone steals them; KC and Marshall start sleuthing, determined to find the thief. The mystery suffers from a serious oversimplification of history but does provide basic information about Jefferson's historic home.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(4) K-3 Buddy Books: All Aboard America series. Each of these books features a geographical and historical U.S. landmark. Short chapters cover history, triumphs, challenges, and present-day status of each subject; "Detour" spreads provide additional facts, though in some cases the information is not very well organized. Historical illustrations and average-quality photos break up the text nicely, but captions are not consistently clear or accurate. Glos., ind. Review covers these Buddy Books: All aboard America titles: Brooklyn Bridge, Empire State Building, Jamestown, Monticello, Niagara Falls, and Oregon Trail.

Reviewer: Sethany Rancier Alongi

(4) 4-6 How It Was series. Contrary to the series title, the history is fairly sketchy in these volumes, but readers will gain an understanding of the physical surroundings and way of life at these landmarks. After a brief chapter that does cover some history, each book features the fictionalized thoughts of six individuals, including a newly converted Chumash Indian girl, a cliff dweller, and one of Thomas Jefferson's slaves. Well-chosen color photos and floor plans complement the texts. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Jack Forman