What To Do About Alice?

Bibliography

Kerley, Barbara. 2008. WHAT TO DO ABOUT ALICE?: HOW ALICE ROOSEVELT BROKE THE RULES, CHARMED THE WORLD, AND DROVE HER FATHER TEDDY CRAZY. Ill. by Edwin Fotheringham. New York: Scholastic, Inc. ISBN 9780545123259

Plot Summary

In this lively biographical account of President Theodore Roosevelt's free-spirited oldest child, the reader discovers how Alice Lee Roosevelt grew up to become one of our country's most beloved first daughters.  Along the way, readers are also given a direct glimpse into Theodore Roosevelt's life and the political career that led him on a journey to become the twenty-sixth President of the United States.  Despite the fact that her father was one of the most celebrated political figures during the time she lived, Alice is undeniably the star of this fascinating informational text.  From the moment she was born, Alice "was hungry to go places, meet people, do things," and throughout her life it seemed that there was little that stood in her way.  Although Alice experienced many hardships throughout her life, including the death of her mother following her birth and the growth abnormality that forced her to wear leg braces as a young girl, she remained positive and was determined to live her life on her own terms.  As a curious young girl who loved to read and explore the world around her, Alice was unlike many other girls her age.  She had absolutely no desire in learning how to behave like a proper young lady, and her antics attracted the attention of newspaper reporters who were eager to inform the public about Miss Roosevelt's outrageous behavior at various public events.  Her popularity with the American public never wavered, even after she was married to congressman Nicholas Longworth and her father left the presidency.  Alice's engaging personality captivated hundreds of thousands of people all over the world, and now future generations can continue to learn about the legacy she and her well-known family have left behind.

Critical Analysis

Barbara Kerley's informative picture-book biography will appeal to readers of all ages with its engaging presentation of facts about Alice Roosevelt's life.  These facts are intertwined into a charming narrative that never becomes tedious for the reader, and the author conveys authenticity with her inclusion of actual quotes from various members of the Roosevelt family.  A special Author's Note near the end of this informational text provides even more facts and details about President Roosevelt's popular daughter.  From beginning to end, the sequence and flow of information is clearly logical, as we watch Alice grow up into a lovely young woman whose love and knowledge of politics nearly rivals that of her father.  The overall design of the book is visually appealing to young readers, and illustrator Edwin Fotheringham's sketches provides the audience with a realistic impression of the abounding energy Alice possessed and the unapologetic manner with which she lived her life.  Along with creating an inviting tone, the playful illustrations effectively convey Alice's vivacious personality as she grows up to become a woman whose unconventional ideas and behavior never quite fit into the traditional expectations of what it means to become a proper young lady.  This charming biography will encourage readers to continue to learn more about Alice Roosevelt and discover exactly how successful she was in "eating up the world."

Awards

• An ALA Children's Notable Book
• Sibert Honor Book
• A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
• A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
• A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year
• Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book
• Irma Black Award Honor Book
• Parents Choice Award

Review Excerpts

“Irrepressible Alice Roosevelt gets a treatment every bit as attractive and exuberant as she was.” 
               – Booklist, Starred Review

"This sassy biography of Alice Roosevelt Longworth validates President Theodore Roosevelt's famous quip about his oldest child: 'I can be president of the United State, or I can control Alice.  I cannot possibly do both.'  With a palette that emphasizes Alice Blue, her signature color, the illustrations often match Alice's spirit with zigzag streaks, circular pieces of spot art, and slanting figures." 
               – The Horn Book, Starred Review

"It's hard to imagine a picture book biography that could better suit its subject than this high-energy volume serves young Alice Roosevelt.  Kerley knows just how to introduce her to contemporary readers.  Debut illustrator Fotheringham creates the perfect mood from the start: his stylish digital art sets a fast pace, making use of speed lines (rendered in dots, these earn their names) and multiple vignettes to evoke characters in perpetual motion." 
               – Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

"Kerley brings another historical figure to life.  Kerley's text gallops along with a vitality to match her subject's antics...Fotheringham's digitally rendered, retro-style illustrations are a superb match for the text.  The energy in his pictures is palpable...This book provides a fascinating glimpse into both a bygone era and one of its more interesting denizens as well as a surefire antidote for any child who thinks that historical figures are boring." 
               – School Library Journal, Starred Review

"Theodore Roosevelt's irrepressible oldest child receives an appropriately vivacious appreciation in this superb picture book...it's a gleeful celebration of a fully, unapologetically led life." 
               – Kirkus Book Reviews, Starred Review

Connections

This picture-book biography captures the life of Alice Roosevelt, one of many famous children of past Presidents of the United States.  Children can read this biography along with others that share the lives of other sons and daughters of American Presidents.  Both The List of Children of Presidents website and the White House Historical Association website offer detailed accounts of many of these children.  After reading two or more biographies, children can compare and contrast the lives of two or more children to see how many similarities and differences they can discover.


The Roosevelt family was quite large, and Alice had many younger siblings.  Children can explore the Theodore Roosevelt Association website to learn more information about his family tree.  Once children have researched Alice's younger brothers and sisters, they can write diary entries from the point of view of one of Alice's siblings.  In the entries, they can include historical facts and information about Alice's life and describe what her behavior must have looked like through the eyes of her brothers and sisters.


At the end of the book, the illustrator depicts the Mount Rushmore National Memorial - a famous historical monument that pays tribute to the extraordinary contributions of four American presidents.  Have children research the National Park Service website to learn more information about the history behind this notable national memorial.  Once they have finished researching, they can design their own memorial that features four individuals who have influenced our country in significant ways within the past five decades.  Along with their design, they can write a newspaper article announcing this new national monument, while making sure to justify why those four individuals were chosen to be honored.