What To Do About Alice? How Alice Roosevelt Broke the Rules,

Charmed the World, and Drove Her Father Teddy Crazy!

Review by Allison Trippe

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, NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.       ISBN 978-0439922319

Summary

Author Barbara Kerley’s picture book biography, What To Do About Alice?, tells the story of Alice Roosevelt, the eldest daughter of Theodore Roosevelt. When she was a young girl, Alice’s life was full of excitement. She longed to travel the world, meet new and interesting people, and was always looking for her next big adventure. She was different from most women in the early 1900’s. She refused to conform to the expectations people had of women at that time. When her father became the President of the United States, Alice became a goodwill ambassador for the country. The world fell in love with her adventurous spirit, boisterous personality, and unruly ways. Between welcoming White House guests with her pet snake, speeding through the streets of Washington, D.C. in her car, or playing a late-night poker game with boys, Alice always sought out the thrills of life.

When Alice married a U.S. Congressman, she did not settle down and assume the traditional role of a housewife. Instead, she attended political debates and Congressional meetings alongside her husband. She became a close adviser to her father, and established herself as an important political figure in Washington, D.C. for the rest of her life. All the while, Alice Roosevelt retained her enjoyment for life and sense of adventure.

Critical Analysis

In this book, the collaborative works of author Barbara Kerley and illustrator Edwin Fotheringham create an unforgettable narrative picture book biography. As the author of several picture book biographies and other nonfiction books, Kerley is a trusted authority in terms of informational text. Her credibility is strengthened by the inclusion of the actual text of a letter written by President Roosevelt addressed to his daughter, Alice. Furthermore, Kerley provides citations for the quotes she uses throughout the biography. Attention to detailed artwork and accuracy are also referenced by citations. The author also offers a nod to Carol Felsenthal for her fact-checking assistance. These credits are included in an Author’s Note at the end of the book.

Organized chronologically, the author uses humor to tell the story of Alice Roosevelt which unfolds from her birth to late life. Illustrations complement the major events of her life, and capture the enthusiasm of her character. Set in a time sometimes difficult to visualize events in color, the vibrant drawings bring to life the setting and style of what it might have been like to live in New York City and Washington, D.C. during the late 1880’s and into the early 1900’s. Readers will find themselves longing for more stories about Alice Roosevelt’s audacious life.

Awards and Review Excerpts

• 2009 Sibert Honor Book
• 2008 Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book
• 2009 Irma Black Award Honor Book
• Parents Choice Award
• 2009 Washington State Scandiuzzi Children's Picture Book Award
• 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
• An ALA Notable Book
• New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
• Nominated for Young Reader awards in Texas, Illinois, Utah and Tennessee

From the New York Times: “Kerley reveals the essence of Alice in an upbeat account of her life, dramatizing Alice’s love of “eating up the world,” as she put it.”

From Kirkus Review: “Fotheringham’s digital illustrations perfectly evoke the retro styles of an earlier age, depicting a confident Alice sailing through life and tackling every challenge with delight and aplomb.”

From School Library 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.... Fascinating.”

Connections

• Celebrate Women’s History Month by reading aloud this picture book biography about an important, female political figure.
• After reading this book to students, connect it to a writing assignment. Students can imagine what it would be like as the son or daughter of an American President, and compose a creative writing piece.
• Students can choose one event from the book, conduct research and gather more information, then write an original poem describing what happened.
• While reading What To Do About Alice? to a class, create a list of characteristics of biographies evident in the book.

*Created as an assignment for a Texas Woman's University course.