What To Do About Alice?

Bibliography:
Kerley, Barbara. 2008. What To Do About Alice? Ill. by Edwin Fotheringham. New York: Scholastic. ISBN: 0439922313.

Summary:

Alice Roosevelt was a girl who wanted to “eat up the world.” She wanted to see, learn, and do everything, no matter how crazy it sounded. Her father Teddy said, “I can be president of the United States or I can control Alice. I cannot possibly do both.” As a child, Alice jumped on the sofa, roamed the streets of Washington, and taught herself using her father’s library. She was seventeen when her father became president. Although many still considered her behavior outrageous for a young lady, she thought it was fun. She became a trusted advisor to Teddy Roosevelt, went on diplomatic trips overseas, and “charmed the world.”

Analysis:

This picture book is a charming biography of Alice Roosevelt that covers most of her life in brief. The text is minimal but informative, and quotes are attributed. Sometimes the text becomes part of the illustrations, as newspaper headlines convey information. The full-page pictures are full of color and show action well – the vivacious Alice sometimes seems to be bouncing off the page. Young girls especially will be inspired by Alice’s wit and determination. Older readers can do additional research, as the author has not covered everything about Alice.

Reviews/Awards:

“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.”
Kirkus, starred review

“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.”
School Library Journal, starred review

Connections:
*Read in conjunction with a biography about Alice’s father, such as Theodore Roosevelt For Kids: His Life and Times.