If the Walls Could Talk

This chronological overview of interesting facts about the White House features colorful political cartoon-style illustrations, with oversized presidential heads often spouting comments via dialogue balloons. Author O'Connor presents an array of intriguing trivia in their order of occurrence, president by president. Hayes's wife, custodian of the mansion's first telephone, imperiously informs the reader that their "phone number was 1," while Truman refers to the White House as "a glamorous prison." Van Buren auctioned off whatever furniture he disliked, Mrs. McKinley wouldn't tolerate the presence of anything yellow in the house, and Kennedy spray-painted the lawn green if it didn't look properly impressive when certain dignitaries were due to arrive. At the close, each president responds to a frequently asked question ("President Taft, how many bathrooms are in the White House?").