Thomas Jefferson and the Return of the Magic Hat

by Deborah Kalb, Robert Lunsford (illustrator)

After almost six months in Maryland, fifth-grader Oliver still misses his friends back in New Jersey. But things start to change one day, when his neighbor—and possible new friend—Sam lends Oliver a magic hat that takes him back to the 18th- and 19th-century world of Thomas Jefferson. Oliver and his sisters—Cassie, the nice one, and Ruby, the annoying one—end up learning more about Jefferson than they'd expected. And Oliver finds that his new neighborhood might not be so terrible after all. Thomas Jefferson and the Return of the Magic Hat is the third in The President and Me series that began with George Washington and the Magic Hat and John Adams and the Magic Bobblehead. This new adventure brings back previous characters Sam, Ava, J.P. (blink and you might miss them, though!), and of course the cantankerous talking hat itself.

144 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 1, 2024

About the author

Deborah Kalb is a freelance writer and editor who spent more than 20 years working as a journalist. She is the co-author, with her father, Marvin Kalb, of Haunting Legacy: Vietnam and the American Presidency from Ford to Obama, and has always been interested in presidents and history. She lives with her family in the Washington, DC, area.

Reviews

[Kasey Giard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed seeing snippets of history throughout this book-- historical figures like Thomas Jefferson and his family. The story is really well-balanced between the adventures in the past and the things unfolding in the present. I liked the characters a lot.

This is a great book for kids who have outgrown the Magic Treehouse books because of their reading level but who still enjoy that sort of present-day-kid-in-a-past-setting type of story. The chapters are still fairly short and manageable, but a little more complex than the other series.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Jacqueline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thomas Jefferson and the Return of the Magic Hat, the third book in the President and Me series by Deborah Kalb, blends American history within a relatable story of a fifth grade boy who has recently moved away from New Jersey to a new home in Maryland. With the help of a magic hat, Oliver travels back to Monticello on multiple occasions to speak with Thomas Jefferson and Madison Hemings. Kalb does not shy away from asking the hard questions about the inconsistencies in Thomas Jefferson’s life. The clever plot moves between Oliver’s present day social problems and visits back in time, providing an entertaining and informative read.