Before They Were President Books in Order
Before They Were President is a 9-book series by Michael Rajczak for ages 5–8, at a grades 4–6 reading level, with gentle to mild content (HootRated intensity 1–2 out of 5).
- Books
- 9
- By publication date
- Content intensity
- Gentle to mild
- HootRated 1–2 out of 5 · avg 1.1
Before They Were President Reading Order
Series numbers aren't available for most Before They Were President books, so they're listed by publication date (oldest first).
| # | Title | Reading Level | Ages | Content |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Before John Adams Was President 2017 · M. H. Seeley | Level 5-6 | 5-8 | Gentle |
| 2 | Before Teddy Roosevelt Was President 2017 · Therese Shea | Level 4-5 | 5-8 | Gentle |
| 3 | Young Abraham Lincoln 2017 · Theresa Morlock | Level 5-6 | 5-8 | Gentle |
| 4 | Before Barack Obama Was President 2018 · Julia McDonnell | Level 5-6 | 5-8 | Gentle |
| 5 | Before George Washington Was President 2018 · Janey Levy | Level 5-6 | 5-8 | Gentle |
| 6 | Before Ronald Reagan Was President 2018 · Therese M. Shea | Level 5-6 | 5-8 | Gentle |
| 7 | Before Thomas Jefferson Was President 2018 | Level 5-6 | 5-8 | Gentle |
| 8 | Before Ulysses S. Grant Was President 2018 · Mark Harasymiw | Level 5-6 | 5-8 | Gentle |
| 9 | Before Franklin D. Roosevelt Was President 2019 | Level 5-6 | 5-8 | Mild |
Content Intensity Across the Series
ConsistentContent stays at a steady intensity level throughout the series.
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 a grades 4–6 reading level, with average content intensity 1.1/5. Intensity stays consistent across the series, so a reader who can handle the first book can generally handle the rest.
The reading-order table above lists every book with per-volume reading level, age and intensity ratings 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.
All Before They Were President Books
Before John Adams Was President
M. H. Seeley
Before John Adams Was President
M. H. Seeley
Before Teddy Roosevelt Was President
Therese Shea
Before Teddy Roosevelt Was President
Therese Shea
Young Abraham Lincoln
Theresa Morlock
Young Abraham Lincoln
Theresa Morlock
Before Barack Obama Was President
Julia McDonnell
Before Barack Obama Was President
Julia McDonnell
Before George Washington Was President
Janey Levy
Before George Washington Was President
Janey Levy
Before Ronald Reagan Was President
Therese M. Shea
Before Ronald Reagan Was President
Therese M. 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
Before Franklin D. Roosevelt Was President
Michael Rajczak
Before Franklin D. Roosevelt Was President
Michael Rajczak
Series Like Before They Were President: What to Read Next
Similar reading level, content intensity and themes.
- American Legends by Frances E. Ruffin 6 books · Grades 4–6 · gentle to mild content
- TIME For Kids Biographies by Editors of TIME For Kids 16 books · Grades 2–7 · gentle to mild content
- Library...The Lost Colony by Susan Whitehurst 4 books · Grades 4–6 · gentle content
- Little People, Big Dreams by María Isabel Sánchez Vegara 50 books · Grades 2–6 · gentle to moderate content
- American Heroes (Marshall Cavendish) by Sneed B. Collard 5 books · Grades 3–5 · gentle to intense content
- Primary Source Readers: Expanding...the Union by Jill K Mulhall 6 books · Grades 4–5 · gentle to moderate content
Questions about the Before They Were President series
- What reading level is the Before They Were President series?
- Before They Were President books are at a grades 4–6 reading level (average grade level 5.2), and HootRated recommends the series for ages 5–8. There are 9 books in the series.
- What order should I read the Before They Were President books?
- Series numbers aren't available for most Before They Were President books, so HootRated lists them by publication date: Before John Adams Was President (2017); Before Teddy Roosevelt Was President (2017); Young Abraham Lincoln (2017); Before Barack Obama Was President (2018); Before George Washington Was President (2018); and 4 more.
- What age is the Before They Were President series appropriate for?
- HootRated recommends Before They Were President for ages 5–8. Content is gentle to mild (HootRated intensity 1–2 out of 5). Intensity stays consistent across the series, so a reader who can handle the first book can generally handle the rest.