Author: Barbara Kerley - Illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham
Date: 2008
Publisher: Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.
ISBN: 978-0-439-92231-9
Format: Print Book, Hardback
Summary: Theodore Roosevelt had a small problem. Her name was Alice and no matter what happened in her life, she never wanted anyone to say "the poor little thing". She was a rambunctious girl with a desire to live life to the fullest, regardless of what people said. She roamed the streets of Washington and greeted visitors with her pet snake Emily Spinach. Once her father became president, she assumed her role as goodwill ambassador until she married a congressman, continuing to grow her love and knowledge of politics.
Audience: The recommended audience for this book is children aged 4-10. This is a broad age range but the book is versatile enough that it can appeal to a wider audience. The illustrations are vivid and action-packed for younger readers less interested in the text, while the storyline is funny and draws readers into her adventurous life. So younger readers can start by enjoying the illustrations and progress into reading the story.
Strengths: The biggest strength of this book is that it is based on a real person. Alice Roosevelt was free spirited and lived as she saw fit, despite being in the public eye. She is an excellent role model for children. She traveled, danced, watched sumo wrestlers and drove herself at a time when most women were being driven in carriages. Despite the letters her father received from conservative women's groups claiming her behavior was unacceptable, she still did as she pleased. She grew up to be an intelligent woman and one of her father's most trusted advisers. Another major strength of this book is the illustrations. Starting from the front cover and all the way to the back, Fotheringham draws the reader in with vibrant and action-oriented illustrations. The text compliments the illustrations with various font types, sizes and styles.
Weaknesses: The only weakness of this book comes from its focus on a female and the possibly that this could discourage male readers. The front cover features Alice in a dress with bows in her hair riding a bike through a flower garden. This could cause some boys to be reluctant to pick up this book, which would be a shame because the content can appeal to both boys and girls of all ages. Alice is a tomboy and even joins an all-boys club. Her adventures are not strictly those a girl would dream of and boys would enjoy the book, if they would give it a chance.
Uses: In addition to the informative information provided about Alice Roosevelt's life, this book would also be useful for teaching children about confidence and the importance of individuality. Because of her father's position, Alice was always in the public eye, but despite this, she remained true to herself and did not conform to societal norms of the time. She was a pioneer for women's rights and an excellent role model for young girls. She was smart, independent, well-traveled and respected not only by her father but also other members of the U.S. government. This is a good book to use to get children interested in biographies and inspiring a love of learning about influential people in history.
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Awards: Sibert Honor Book, Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book, School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year.
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