Arlington:
US President Barack Obama read selections from his new children's book to a group of delighted second-graders in suburban Virginia on Friday.
In the library of Arlington's Long Branch Elementary School, some four dozen youngsters giggled and listened attentively as Obama gave voice to passages from "Of Thee I Sing," an illustrated volume in the form of a letter to his daughters describing the lives of 13 great Americans.
It was written in 2008 but just came out this autumn, with proceeds going to a scholarship fund for the children of fallen and disabled soldiers.
"It's the holiday season, and my girls are getting older now, so they don't always let me read to them. So, I want to borrow you guys and read to you," Obama explained, sitting down on a wooden chair as the children sat cross-legged on the carpet.
He began with entries on scientist Albert Einstein and baseball player Jackie Robinson.
"Has anybody ever heard of Albert Einstein? Who is Albert Einstein?," Obama asked the children.
Obama left behind a signed copy for the school library.
Obama also read the Christmas poem "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" by Clement Moore, pausing so the children could jump in at key points and making side comments on things like the couple of inches (centimetres) of snow Washington was dusted with on Thursday.
"I'm surprised you guys are in school 'cause a lot of times in Washington people don't go to school when there's even an inch of snow," he said.
He also answered a few questions on life in the White House and whether it was fun being president.
Obama described going for night-time walks with his dog Bo on the White House South Lawn.
He said that's fun, but "sometimes I have to scoop up his poop, because I don't want to just leave it in the lawn!," he added. "Eeew!," responded the children.
"If you guys have a dog, you've got to walk your dog too and clean up after him a little bit," Obama said.
Obama also told the children as they opened their Christmas presents he hoped they spend time thinking about the less fortunate.
The president posed for pictures, shook hands and wished the children and their teachers happy holidays.
"Of Thee I Sing" has done well in early sales.
With a list price of 17.99 US dollars, it sold 50-thousand copies in the first five days, which its publisher, Random House Children's Books, said made it the fastest-selling picture book in company history.
The volume was part of a 1.9 (m) million US dollar, three-book deal Obama signed with Random House in 2004.
In the library of Arlington's Long Branch Elementary School, some four dozen youngsters giggled and listened attentively as Obama gave voice to passages from "Of Thee I Sing," an illustrated volume in the form of a letter to his daughters describing the lives of 13 great Americans.
It was written in 2008 but just came out this autumn, with proceeds going to a scholarship fund for the children of fallen and disabled soldiers.
"It's the holiday season, and my girls are getting older now, so they don't always let me read to them. So, I want to borrow you guys and read to you," Obama explained, sitting down on a wooden chair as the children sat cross-legged on the carpet.
He began with entries on scientist Albert Einstein and baseball player Jackie Robinson.
"Has anybody ever heard of Albert Einstein? Who is Albert Einstein?," Obama asked the children.
Obama left behind a signed copy for the school library.
Obama also read the Christmas poem "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" by Clement Moore, pausing so the children could jump in at key points and making side comments on things like the couple of inches (centimetres) of snow Washington was dusted with on Thursday.
"I'm surprised you guys are in school 'cause a lot of times in Washington people don't go to school when there's even an inch of snow," he said.
He also answered a few questions on life in the White House and whether it was fun being president.
Obama described going for night-time walks with his dog Bo on the White House South Lawn.
He said that's fun, but "sometimes I have to scoop up his poop, because I don't want to just leave it in the lawn!," he added. "Eeew!," responded the children.
"If you guys have a dog, you've got to walk your dog too and clean up after him a little bit," Obama said.
Obama also told the children as they opened their Christmas presents he hoped they spend time thinking about the less fortunate.
The president posed for pictures, shook hands and wished the children and their teachers happy holidays.
"Of Thee I Sing" has done well in early sales.
With a list price of 17.99 US dollars, it sold 50-thousand copies in the first five days, which its publisher, Random House Children's Books, said made it the fastest-selling picture book in company history.
The volume was part of a 1.9 (m) million US dollar, three-book deal Obama signed with Random House in 2004.
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