President Truman famously said, "If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog," and a dog is what many presidents got, including George H.W. Bush's Millie and the Obamas' Bo. As this intriguing book for readers 4 to 8 reveals, other First Families preferred cats, horses, or even bears and alligators. For her whimsical and often comic illustrations, Erin McGill makes clever use of cut paper, gouache, ink, marker, and colored pencil, and she incorporates actual photos of some of these pets. Other standout critters include Abraham Lincoln's cat Dixie; Calvin Coolidge's hippo Billy; and Andrew Jackson's foul-mouthed parrot Poll.