WHITE HOUSE CLUBHOUSE

The second book in the White House Clubhouse series transports siblings back to the War of 1812.

Fourth grader Clara and her 12-year-old sister, Marissa, are the daughters of U.S. President Julia Suarez. In the earlier installment, the girls discovered a secret, magical room that’s been used by generations of children who have lived in the White House, allowing them to time travel to different periods in American history and “make a difference…because we can.” One day, the girls smell smoke in the clubhouse and find themselves in a White House that’s on fire. Paul Jennings, an enslaved teen who is the president’s valet, thrusts a rolled-up painting into Clara’s hands, imploring her to keep it safe from the invading British. Fleeing, the girls encounter President James Madison, Frances Scott Key, Frederick Hall, and many other historical figures. In this tale that’s packed with nonstop action, the events of the War of 1812 are told through a human lens that eschews the glorification of battle and includes the role of Black people in the British and American armies. While the rollicking narrative is full of humor, it doesn’t shy away from hard questions. As Marissa contemplates the phrase “we the people” in the opening line of the U.S. Constitution, she asks, “Did Madison think that meant all the people?” The author’s note points out that the president enslaved over 100 people. Marissa and Clara present Latine. Final art not seen.

Timely and wildly entertaining.