What To Do About Alice?

Bibliography:

Kerley, Barbara. 2008. Ill. Edwin Fotheringham. What To Do About Alice? New York: Scholastic Press.
ISBN: 978-0-439-92231-9

Summary:

Alice Lee Roosevelt, daughter of former president of the United States of America, Theodore Roosevelt created scandal, acted as a diplomat, lived life to the fullest and drove her father crazy.  Author Barbara Kerley presents Alice as a precocious child that loves life who grows up to be a vivacious woman who never stops worrying her father.  Kerley's text depicts the life of Alice Roosevelt in an infromative, engaging way of showing how she won the hearts of men, women and children alike with her lively attitude towards life and how she became an American icon and political champion.

Analysis:

Barbara Kerley presents the vibrant life of Alice Roosevelt in a vibrant picture book biography.  Kerley's tale follows Alice from childhood until adulthood, highlighting her lively personality as she "ate up the world", her love of adventure, "she joined an all-boys club" and her humanitatian works, her "presences was accepted as a great compliment" all over the world.  This narrative tale lends itself to oral reading and includes quotes from primary sources as well as an "Author's Note" section that includes additional information about Alice's life as well as a quote reference section.  Paired with the text are the engaging illustrations that remind readers of the early 1900's cartoonists with bold color schemes and simple outlines.  The illustrations brilliantly capture the text language by depicting Alice's habit of "eating up the world" with the world as a giant cookie with bites taken out of it.  Barbara Kerley's text and Edwin Fotheringham's illustrations create an engaging tale of Alice Roosevelt's life that intrigues readers with it's gayety and honesty.


Reviews:


Robert F. Sibert Informational Award-Honor Book

"Kerley’s text plays straight man to the punch line of Edwin Fotheringham’s mischievous artwork. The first spread slyly sums up the relationship between Alice and her father, showing Roosevelt from the waist down, tapping his foot with exasperation, Alice already out of reach, only one foot in the frame." - New York Times Sunday Book Review, Sherie Posesorski, January 9, 2009

"Irrepressible Alice Roosevelt gets a treatment every bit as attractive and exuberant as she was....  Kerley's text has the same rambunctious spirit as its subject, grabbing readers from the first line....  The large format gives Fotheringham, in his debut, plenty of room for spectacular art." - Booklist, starred review (from www.barbarakerley.com)

"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.... Fascinating." - School Library Review, starred review (from www.barbarakerley.com)

"It's hard to imagine a picture book biography that could better suit its subject than this high-energy volume serves young Alice Roosevelt." - Publishers Weekly, starred review (from www.barbarakerley.com)

"What to do about Alice?  Enjoy!" - Horn Book, starred review (from www.barbarakerley.com)

"Superb." - Kirkus Reviews, starred review (from www.barbarakerley.com)

 Connections:

• Teacher's Guide for What To Do About Alice? from author Barbara Kerley's website: http://www.barbarakerley.com/TRAlice.html
• Alice's Travels - Alice traveled all over the world; map out Alice's travels and extend Alice's story by writing tales from each place Alice visited (in Alice's voice, the voice of a reporter, or even from her father's voice)
• Study other children of past presidents and create journals in their voices describing life at the White House