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 Press. ISBN 9780439922319.

PLOT SUMMARY

Teddy Roosevelt had rounded up cattle, charged up Kettle Hill, shot a grizzly bear, captured outlaws, and dealt with politicians, but none of those compared with the biggest problem he ever faced! Meet Alice Lee Roosevelt! This delightful biography follows Roosevelt’s daughter from her birth to her years as a politician’s wife and advisor to her father, the president. Throughout it all, we experience Alice as a headstrong, adventure-seeking young lady who wants nothing more than to “eat up the world.” Alice travels from New York to Washington, D.C. to Cuba and Puerto Rico to Asia. Though the story ends shortly after Alice’s marriage to Nicholas Longworth, the author includes notes that offer details and insight into Alice’s life.

Edwin Fotheringham’s charming drawings are a wonderful addition to Kerley’s text. Done in a cartoon-like style, they are sure to captivate young readers. Young Alice’s smile rarely fades, and strength and determination are seen on her face. Her father’s face, on the other hand, displays consternation and beads of perspiration as he watches his daughter’s antics. Each page contains details that the reader will want to study carefully, such as the two-page spread featuring multiple newspaper headlines about Alice. Fotheringham’s illustrations truly bring Alice to life.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Kerley begins her story of Alice by telling the reader about all the fearsome things Teddy Roosevelt has faced. After outlining his exploits, she names Roosevelt’s biggest challenge: his daughter, Alice Lee. This clever beginning leaves the reader wanting more. After all, what would the man who had faced a grizzly bear find scary about a little girl?

What To Do About Alice? is based on several biographies written about Alice Roosevelt Longworth, letters written by her father, Teddy Roosevelt, and from Longworth’s own book, Crowded Hours. The text and illustrations for the book were fact-checked by one of Longworth’s biographers, Carol Felsenthal.

The animated illustrations add appeal for the young reader. The cover design shows a young Alice, feet up, zooming her bicycle through a flowerbed in Washington, D.C. The subtle colors of each illustration give a period feel to the drawings. Fotheringham has included details and embellishments that draw the eyes to the page. For example, a green garden snake winds its way around the page that tells how Alice and Emily Spinach, her snake, would greet visitors at the door to the White House. The text is sprinkled with bold-faced, capitalized words that add emphasis to the meaning of the words.

The author’s note at the end of the book is part note, part afterword. Divided into three sections, the first explains about Teddy Roosevelt’s love for his first wife, Alice’s mother, who died shortly after giving birth. The second segment describes “Princess Alice,” and offers some perspective about the time in which she lived. The final segment gives a brief accounting of Alice’s life as an adult.

PERSONAL RESPONSE

I had seen this book in my school’s library for the last couple of years or so. Each time I saw it, I wondered a little bit about it, but never felt compelled to open it up and actually read it. What a mistake! I found the illustrations in this book to be entertaining on their own. I had never actually heard of Alice Roosevelt, and reading this book has made me want to know more about her. She certainly was ahead of her time, and her sense of adventure and lack of feeling for the social mores of her times are things that I find admirable. She was not afraid to be her own person.

I have a new favorite quote which I have gleaned from the author’s notes at the back of the book: “If you haven’t got anything good to say about anyone, come and sit by me.”

REVIEW EXCERPTS

Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Excellence in Children's Literature, 2008 Winner Nonfiction United States 
Cybil Award, 2008 Finalist Non-Fiction Picture Books United States 
Garden State Children's Book Award, 2011 Nominee Non-Fiction New Jersey 
Irma S. and James H. Black Award for Excellence in Children's Literature, 2008 Honor Book Ages 4-8 United States 
Parents' Choice Award, 2008 Approved Non-fiction United States 
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal, 2009 Honor Book United States 

Kirkus Review: “It's a gleeful celebration of a fully, unapologetically led life.”

The Lorgnette - Heart of Texas Reviews: “This spirited biography gives the reader a peek at what it is like to be the President’s daughter.”

CONNECTIONS

Þ   Alice says that she wants to “eat up the world.” Have students think of words to describe their approach to life and the world.

Þ   Have students make a map of Alice’s adventures.

Þ   Help students perform research about what it was like to live in the early 1900s. Answer the question: Why was Alice’s behavior considered outrageous?

Þ   Have the students explain why the country referred to Alice as “Princess Alice.”

Þ   Read other books about children of the White House, including:

·      Rabin, Staton. Mr. Lincoln’s Boys: Being the Mostly True Adventures of Abraham Lincoln’s Troublemaking Sons, Ted and Willie. ISBN 9780670061693.

·      Davis, Gibbs. First Kids (Step into Reading). ISBN 9780375822186

·      Tieck, Sarah. Sasha and Malia Obama: Historic First Kids (Big Buddies Biographies). ISBN 9781604537109.