White House Clubhouse

by Sean O'Brien

Overview

From a former White House speechwriter: a middle grade series following two First Daughters who team up with historical presidential children to save the nation.

Marissa and Clara’s mom is the newly elected president of the United States, and they haven’t experienced much freedom lately. While exploring the White House they discover a hidden tunnel that leads to an underground clubhouse full of antique curiosities, doors heading in all directions—and a mysterious invitation to join the ranks of White House kids. So they sign the pledge.

Suddenly, the lights go out, and Marissa and Clara find themselves at the White House in 1903. There they meet Quentin, Ethel, Archie, and Alice, the irrepressible children of President Theodore Roosevelt. To get back home, Marissa and Clara must team up with the Roosevelt kids “to help the president” and “to make a difference.”

White House Clubhouse is a thrilling and hilarious adventure that takes readers on an action-packed, cross-country railroad trip, back to the dawn of the twentieth century and the larger-than-life president at the country’s helm.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781324054108
Publisher:	Norton Young Readers
Publication date:	09/10/2024
Series:	White House Clubhouse
Pages:	304
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.30(h) x 0.80(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Sean O’Brien is a former White House speechwriter who teaches at Georgetown University. He served as director of speechwriting to Vice President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden, and special assistant to President Barack Obama. He lives in Washington, DC.

Editorial Reviews

"I had a blast journeying through time and across America with Marissa, Clara, and their historic companions in Sean O’Brien’s delightful (or DEEE-lightful!) debut, White House Clubhouse. The story was suspenseful, propulsive, and a lot of fun. O’Brien masterfully weaves together history, adventure, and purpose, to convey the power of action and daring—of being in the arena—in a way that is both inspiring and accessible to kids."

award-winning author of What's the Big Deal About Ruby Shamir

"In his debut novel, Sean O’Brien creates a wildly unique club every kid will want to join. With a blend of suspenseful action, laugh-aloud humor, solid history, and a White House insider’s knowledge, White House Clubhouse is a page-turning time-travel romp. It’s deft, fun, and full of surprises."

New York Times-bestselling author of the Seven Won Peter Lerangis

2023-08-11
Siblings time travel to President Theodore Roosevelt’s era and try to save a tree in this debut by a former White House speechwriter.

Ever since their mother’s inauguration as president three months ago, the Suarez sisters—third grader Clara and fifth grader Marissa—have chafed at the lack of freedom in White House life. When the girls find a secret passage in the State Dining Room, they follow it to a candlelit room containing old-fashioned furnishings and a 1903 newspaper with an article about a 2,000-year-old giant sequoia that will be cut down to make room for a dam to supply San Francisco with electricity. They also find a piece of parchment entitled “White House Clubhouse” with signatures of children who lived in the White House before them. By signing, they “promise to make a difference, because we can”—and when they emerge, they’re back in the State Dining Room but during the presidency of Teddy Roosevelt. They meet first children Quentin and Ethel, and the four kids hatch a plan to stow away on the president’s train that is heading to California. Their plan: to save the giant sequoia. This engrossing, well-rounded story combines adventure, daring, humor, history, and uplifting, kid-centric messaging as it explores the power of nature and the importance of protecting natural resources. The Suarezes are cued Latine in a predominantly white cast. Lee’s crisp artwork adds to the humor and helps readers envision the historical setting.

Hope abounds in this clever, empowering story. (author’s note) (Adventure. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews