Political analyst and Democratic campaign veteran Mark Hannah and renowned New Yorker illustrator Bob Staake give Barack Obama the victory lap he deserves in this compendium that takes the president’s critics head-on and celebrates the president’s many underappreciated triumphs.

Barack Obama’s election in 2008 was a watershed moment in American history that inspired supporters on the Left—and fired up enemies on the Right. Elected in the midst of multiple crises—a Wall Street meltdown that imperiled the global economy and American troops entangled in two foreign wars—Barack Obama’s presidency promised, from the start, to be one of the most consequential presidencies in modern American history.

Although he stabilized the economy and restored America’s prestige on the global stage, President Obama has been denied the credit he deserves, receiving instead acidic commentary from political opponents such as former Vice President Dick Cheney, who declared that Obama was “the worst president in [his] lifetime”—an accusation that reflects the politics of resentment and recrimination that has come to characterize the president’s critics.

In The “Best Worst” President, Mark Hannah and New Yorker illustrator Bob Staake swiftly and systematically debunk conservative lies and disinformation meant to negate the president’s accomplishments and damage his reputation—baseless charges too often left unchallenged by the national media. The “Best Worst” President is a whip-smart takedown of these half-truths and hypocrisies, each refuted in a smart, witty, fact-based style. Hannah and Staake not only defend the president but showcase his administration’s most surprising and underappreciated triumphs—making clear he truly is the best “worst president” our nation has ever known.

Truck-loving preschoolers will love this charming, busy bulldozer hero!

“Push” McCallahan is a hardworking bulldozer who’s on the construction site before the other big work machines have had their first cup of morning diesel. After he’s finished moving dirt and rock, it’s off to build a road, help fight fires, and pull up some tree stumps at the farm! It’s all in a day’s work for this tough-but-lovable earthmover, brought to life by popular Little Golden Book illustrator Bob Staake.

Spotty dogs, dotty dogs.
Wrinkly dogs, crinkly dogs.

A walk through the park becomes an exuberant celebration—there are so many kinds of dogs to love!

From yappy dogs and happy dogs to naughty dogs and haughty dogs, this playful ode by Sue Stainton and Bob Staake pays tribute to the varied personalities and quirks that make dogs such lovable friends.

How-dee! My name’s Big Blue Bill, and I’m a truck. I’ve got 18 big wheels turning, 600 horses under the hood, and 53 feet o’ trailer hangin’ on behind . . . So begins a book that introduces all types of trucks (with names such as Bony Tony and Leif the Logging Truck), narrated by a good ol’ boy semi-truck! Lively text and bold, colorful artwork of hip, anthropomorphic trucks will transport young readers down highways, into a truck stop, and onto a construction site.

Award-winning author-illustrator Bob Staake has created a rollicking picture book about a boy and his most unusual pet!

Most pets are cats and dogs, but what happens when a boy wants a different kind of pet, one that doesn’t meow or bark? Bob Staake’s exuberant tale of a little boy and the pet of his dreams will appeal to anyone whose best friends are . . . books! Books make the perfect pets, the boy decides, and chooses a bright red one. When it goes missing, a lively adventure is in store for readers who love a happy ending. Soon kids everywhere will wish for a pet book of their very own.

Award-winning author-illustrator Bob Staake has created a rollicking picture book about a boy and his most unusual pet!

Most pets are cats and dogs, but what happens when a boy wants a different kind of pet, one that doesn’t meow or bark? Bob Staake’s exuberant tale of a little boy and the pet of his dreams will appeal to anyone whose best friends are . . . books! Books make the perfect pets, the boy decides, and chooses a bright red one. When it goes missing, a lively adventure is in store for readers who love a happy ending. Soon kids everywhere will wish for a pet book of their very own.

This colorful board book about robots—on farms, in factories, in space—will be a hit with curious preschoolers!

From the inspired team behind Cars Galore comes a new read-aloud buzzing with nonstop rhymes and swarming with comical retro illustrations.

Bugs, bugs, BUGS galore creep, slither, stink, and squirm; scurry, fly — ewww, a worm! Dig in as a flurry of bugs of every shape, size, and color crawl across the page in a veritable infestation of whimsy and humor. Cars Galore creators Peter Stein and Bob Staake return to thrill (and gross out) bug enthusiasts of all ages, offering an in-the-dirt, high-in-the-sky critter tale sure to leave readers wiggling and stampeding for more.

Look out below! Let your creativity soar as toys of all shapes and sizes squeak, zip, and whirl across the page.

If you’re game, open up the world’s wackiest toy chest, where anything and everything can turn into nonstop, action-packed fun. Once again, Peter Stein’s playful verse and Bob Staake’s uproarious illustrations come together in an explosion of color and whimsy, while imagination takes center stage as the best toy of all. Toys Galore is one playground you won’t want to miss!

In this tasty tale, a baker hangs out his sign on a small street, and soon the line for his donuts stretches down the block. But it's not long before the competition arrives and a delectable battle of the bakers ensues.

On the ground and in the air,/Robots, robots everywhere!

Up in space, beneath the seas,/Robots make discoveries . . .

So begins this rollicking Little Golden Book featuring robots of all kinds, from ones up in space to the ones we use at home. With bold, colorful artwork by award-winner Bob Staake, it's a perfect introduction to the fascinating subject of today's real robots!

In his most beautiful and moving work to date, Bob Staake explores the universal themes of loneliness, bullying, and the importance of friendship. In this emotional picture book, readers will be captivated as they follow the journey of a bluebird as he develops a friendship with a young boy and ultimately risks his life to save the boy from harm. Both simple and evocative, this timeless and profound story will resonate with readers young and old.

Bob Staake has been working on this book for 10 years, and he believes it is the story he was born to write.

In his most beautiful and moving work to date, Bob Staake explores the universal themes of loneliness, bullying, and the importance of friendship. In this emotional picture book, readers will be captivated as they follow the journey of a bluebird as he develops a friendship with a young boy and ultimately risks his life to save the boy from harm. Both simple and evocative, this timeless and profound story will resonate with readers young and old.

Bob Staake has been working on this book for 10 years, and he believes it is the story he was born to write.

LOOK!
A boot!
A fruit!
A crossing-guard newt!

Once AGAIN a seek-and-find,
MORE images of every kind!

From a music note to a teeny red boat, a blue kangaroo to a robot or two, there are endless things to discover in this zany follow-up to LOOK! A BOOK! from award-winning artist Bob Staake. Die cuts on the cover and every spread reveal hidden treasures in each vast landscape, from a zoo gone wild to an out-of-this-world moon base to a crazy art museum, and more, providing hours of entertainment to readers young and old.

Buckle up for an exuberant ride humming with energetic rhymes and whimsical, retro art from a masterful team.

Black car, green car,
nice car, mean car.
Near car, far car.
Whoa! Bizarre car!

Ready to hit the road? Gear up for a nonstop parade of shapes, sizes, sounds, and even smells in a wild array of cars packed with big personalities, awesome features, and eccentric passengers. Driven by Peter Stein's bouncing verse, Bob Staake's high-powered artwork merges vibrant color and crisp, dynamic design with humor, warmth, and whimsy. This rousing excursion is sure to thrill all fans of things that go, as well as aficionados of the illustrator's signature style.

Farmer McPhee isn't ready for what he's about to discover among his cherished bright yellow fruits . . . a red lemon! Readers young and old will delight in the deliciously vibrant world that acclaimed author-illustrator, Bob Staake, has created. Now available as an affordable Dragonfly paparback!