I've been obsessed with all things presidents since sixth grade when my grandparents gave me two picture books to study for an Academic Games Presidents competition. My collection of presidential items has since grown to include campaign buttons, Mount Rushmore socks, Lincoln bandages, and of course dozens of presidential biographies. These books range from the small ones that sparked my interest to the thickest monstrosities.Over the years, I've spent thousands of hours studying this mini library to compete at the same Presidents competitions. Although a five-time local champion, I've come in second place four times at the national tournament. Each year, I enter the competition hall with the highest ambitions only to have them pulverized by the time the doors reopen. I admit that I sound a little dramatic and perhaps somewhat whiny, but I do try to stay positive."At least second is better than third," I continually remind myself. "I guess I could've done worse."The problem is: I've never done better. I've tried harder, voraciously reading new material, adding to the stacks of books that litter my bedroom floor. However, nothing has worked. I realized that instead of amassing as much literature as possible, I should find a concise resource that included the type of trivia that frequently appears at these competitions.When I got to high school, my quest for the perfect presidents book hit an impasse when I discovered that no decent one exists for teenagers. One must choose a paltry fifty-pager meant for a child or an 800-page titan that covers a single president. With one year left to compete, I'm committed to helping some other "Matthew" and inspiring future teens to be excited about U.S. Presidents. So, I am self-publishing my own U.S. Presidents trivia book that attempts to engage high schoolers with easily understandable writing and a sprinkle of sass.I've grown to place myself in the history that I've read. I've learned much from these flawed men's successes and failures, and I hope to bring them to life in my book. I've thoroughly crosschecked as much of my writing as possible to never slander my friends from the past, and I've continued to marvel at their stories passed down through the years, using them as inspiration to leave something of my own for future Academic Gamers to enjoy.Though I cannot promise that my book will give competitors all the answers they need to win Presidents, I think it will at least put them in the running, and even if they end up as a runner-up, "At least second is better than third."