Publishers Crank Out Children's Books on Obama

President Obama, the merchandising phenomenon, has been a boon to sidewalk T-shirt vendors everywhere, the Washington Times reports.

Less conspicuous, perhaps, is the equally robust success of the children's book industry in marketing Obama's hopeful aura and personal history to parents of young children.

Are children's book publishers seeking to indoctrinate impressionable young readers -- or are they simply obeying the laws of supply and demand?

When the country elects a new president, publishers characteristically issue a biography or two geared toward young readers.

But in the case of Obama, publishers are tapping into unusual levels of excitement and curiosity.

Justin Chanda, vice president of Simon & Schuster's Books for Young Readers imprint, told the Washington Times he and his team felt rumbles of a larger presence the day after Obama's triumph in the January 2008 Iowa caucuses.

They wanted a book - double-quick.

In industry parlance, they call it a "crash."

Continue reading at The Washington Times