WHAT TO DO ABOUT ALICE?: HOW ALICE ROOSEVELT BROKE THE RULES, CHARMED THE WORLD, AND DROVE HER FATHER TEDDY CRAZY! by Barbara Kerley

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 Press. ISBN: 9780439922319

Plot Summary
WHAT TO DO ABOUT ALICE?: HOW ALICE ROOSEVELT BROKE THE RULES, CHARMED THE WORLD, AND DROVE HER FATHER TEDDY CRAZY! is a picture book biography about Theodore Roosevelt's lively daughter, Alice Roosevelt.  This book describes her childhood as well as young adulthood when her father was president.  Alice entertained important White House visitors, traveled the globe, had great adventures, and left a mark on the people she met and the places she visited.

Critical Analysis

Barbara Kerley does a great job of accurately describing the early part of Alice Roosevelt's life in this children's picture book biography.  It is noted in the back of this book that quotes were obtained from other biographies such as PRINCESS ALICE: A BIOGRAPHY OF ALICE ROOSEVELT LONGWORTH by Carol Felsenthal.  A special thanks from Barbara Kerley to Carol Felsenthal for fact checking the text and artwork is also noted in the back of this book.  Barbara Kerley also includes author's notes titled, "Sister," "Princess Alice," and "The Other Washington Monument." The note titled "The Other Washington Monument" gives a brief summary of Alice's life after she was married which is a nice addition for readers who would like to know more about Alice since the book only describes her earlier years.

Although there are no subheadings, there are dates throughout the text to let the reader know when certain events happened to Alice.  For example, the year of her birth is noted along with the year her father became president.  Words in bold print are used throughout this easy-to-read text for emphasis.  The illustrations by Edwin Fotheringham are very colorful and have a retro look to them which suits the time period for this biography.  The pictures complement the text and give the reader a glimpse of what Alice's life was like. Kerley does a great job of telling the story of Alice Roosevelt's life in a fun and kid friendly way.

Review Excerpt(s)
2009 Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award Nominee
2009 American Library Association Notable Books for Children Award Winner
2008 School Library Journal Best Books of the Year Award Winner
2008 Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards Nominee

Starred review in BOOKLIST: "Irrepressible Alice Roosevelt gets a treatment every bit as attractive and exuberant as she was....The large format gives Fotheringham, in his debut, plenty of room for spectacular art."

Starred review in KIRKUS: "Theodore Roosevelt s irrepressible oldest child receives an appropriately vivacious appreciation in this superb picture book.... Kerley's precise text presents readers with a devilishly smart, strong-willed girl who was determined to live life on her own terms and largely succeeded."

Starred review in SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: "Kerley's text gallops along with a vitality to match her subject s antics, as the girl greets White House visitors accompanied by her pet snake, refuses to let leg braces cramp her style, dives fully clothed into a ship s swimming pool, and also earns her place in history as one of her father s trusted advisers. Fotheringham's digitally rendered, retro-style illustrations are a superb match for the text.

Connections

• This book introduces children to biographies.
• This book could prompt children to want to read and learn more about other U.S. presidents.
• Reading this book aloud to a history class would be a fun and great way to start the class when introducing U.S. presidents.

Other books by Barbara Kerley:

• Kerley, Barbara. 2010. THE EXTRAORDINARY MARK TWAIN (ACCORDING TO SUSY). Ill. by Ed Fotheringham. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN: 9780545125086
• Kerley, Barbara. 2012. THOSE REBELS, JOHN AND TOM. Ill. by Ed Fotheringham. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN: 9780545222686
• Kerley, Barbara. 2004. WALT WHITMAN: WORDS FOR AMERICA. Ill. by Brian Selznick. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN: 9780439357913