Before They Were President Books in Order
9 books by Michael Rajczak. Reading level: Grades 4.6–5.6. Lower Grades (Ages 5–8).
Series books grow with readers — but that's also the trap. Most series start at one reading level and one content intensity and drift upward over the course of the run. Before They Were President (9 books by Michael Rajczak) lands at reading level Grades 4.6–5.6, with average content intensity 1.1/5. Intensity stays consistent across the series — a kid who can handle the first book can generally handle the rest.
The reading-order table below lists every book with per-volume reading level and intensity badges so you can spot any escalation before it catches your reader off guard. For a deeper dive into how we score text difficulty vs. emotional weight separately — and why series readers especially benefit from that split — see our methodology page.
Content Intensity Across the Series
ConsistentContent stays at a steady intensity level throughout the series.
Before They Were President Reading Order
| # | Title | Reading Level | Content |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Before Barack Obama Was President Julia McDonnell | Level 5-6 | Gentle |
| 2 | Before Franklin D. Roosevelt Was President Michael Rajczak | Level 5-6 | Mild |
| 3 | Before George Washington Was President Janey Levy | Level 5-6 | Gentle |
| 4 | Before John Adams Was President M. H. Seeley | Level 5-6 | Gentle |
| 5 | Before Ronald Reagan Was President Therese M. Shea | Level 5-6 | Gentle |
| 6 | Before Teddy Roosevelt Was President Therese Shea | Level 4-5 | Gentle |
| 7 | Before Thomas Jefferson Was President Michael Rajczak | Level 5-6 | Gentle |
| 8 | Before Ulysses S. Grant Was President Mark Harasymiw | Level 5-6 | Gentle |
| 9 | Young Abraham Lincoln Theresa Morlock | Level 5-6 | Gentle |
All Before They Were President Books
Before Barack Obama Was President
Julia McDonnell
Before Barack Obama Was President
Julia McDonnell
Before Franklin D. Roosevelt Was President
Michael Rajczak
Before Franklin D. Roosevelt Was President
Michael Rajczak
Before George Washington Was President
Janey Levy
Before George Washington Was President
Janey Levy
Before John Adams Was President
M. H. Seeley
Before John Adams Was President
M. H. Seeley
Before Ronald Reagan Was President
Therese M. Shea
Before Ronald Reagan Was President
Therese M. Shea
Before Teddy Roosevelt Was President
Therese Shea
Before Teddy Roosevelt Was President
Therese Shea
Before Thomas Jefferson Was President
Michael Rajczak
Before Thomas Jefferson Was President
Michael Rajczak
Before Ulysses S. Grant Was President
Mark Harasymiw
Before Ulysses S. Grant Was President
Mark Harasymiw
Young Abraham Lincoln
Theresa Morlock
Young Abraham Lincoln
Theresa Morlock
Questions about the Before They Were President series
- What reading level is the Before They Were President series?
- The Before They Were President series by Michael Rajczak is at a Grades 4.6–5.6 reading level (average Grade 5.2). Intended for Lower Grades (Ages 5–8). There are 9 books in the series.
- What order should I read the Before They Were President books?
- The reading-order table above lists all 9 books with per-volume reading level and intensity ratings. Start with book 1 and read in publication order unless the table indicates a different recommended order for newer readers.
- What age is the Before They Were President series appropriate for?
- The Before They Were President series is recommended for Lower Grades (Ages 5–8). The average content intensity is 1.1/5. Check the intensity trajectory above to see whether content gets heavier across the series — if it does, sensitive readers may want to stop earlier in the run.