A good number of St. Louis families have high school or middle school students are planning trips to Washington for the presidential inauguration Jan. 20. The kids I’ve talked to are very excited, of course.

Book publishers apparently think there is a lot of interest among children and schools: Even though some books about President-elect Barack Obama were published before the election, several more for kids are being rushed into print.

 Here is Publishers Weekly’s list of eight Barack Obama books for children being rushed out for the inauguration of the 44th president:

Barack Obama: An American Story by Bob Carlton and Ariele Gentiles (Zondervan, paper $9.99 ISBN 9780786949281; Dec.) YA

 Barack Obama: Our 44th President by Beatrice Gormley (S&S/Aladdin, paper $5.99 ISBN 9781416971184; Dec.) ages 9-12

 Barack Obama: People We Should Know by Geoffrey M. Horn (Gareth Stevens, paper $8.95 ISBN 9781433901577; Jan.) ages 9-12

 Barack Obama: Sharing the American Dream: Overcoming Adversity by Cammy Bourcier (Mason Crest, paper $9.95 ISBN 9781422207598; Jan.) ages 9-12

 Barack Obama: United States President: Updated and Expanded by Roberta Edwards, illus. by Ken Call and with photographs (Grosset & Dunlap, paper $4.99 ISBN 9780448452340; Jan.) a revised edition of the 2007 release, Barack Obama: An American Story; ages 4-8

 Change Has Come: An Artist Celebrates Our American Spirit by Kadir Nelson, illustrator (S&S, $12.99 ISBN 978-1-416-90955-4; Jan.); ages 9-12

 Meet President Barack Obama by Laine Falk (Scholastic/Children’s Press, paper $6.95 ISBN 9780531235249; Jan.) ages 4-8

Yes, We Can! A Salute to Children from President Obama’s Victory Speech (Scholastic/Orchard, paper $4.99 ISBN 9780545163668; Jan.) ages 9-12

A few books on the incoming First Lady are also being added to the mix:

Michelle Obama: An American Story by David Colbert (Houghton Mifflin/Sandpiper, paper $6.99 ISBN 978-0547249414; Dec.) Ages 9-12

Michelle Obama: Meet the First Lady by David Bergen Brophy (Collins, paper $6.99 ISBN 9780061779909; Dec.) Ages 9-12