What To Do About Alice?: How Alice Roosevelt Broke the Rules, Charmed the World and Drove Her Father Teddy Crazy!

Bibliography

Kerley, Barbara. What To Do About Alice?: How Alice Roosevelt Broke the Rules, Charmed the World and Drove Her Father Teddy Crazy!. Illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham. New York: Scholastic Press, 2008. ISBN 9780439922319

Plot Summary

A brief biography in pictures and simple text of Alice Roosevelt, the daughter of Theodore Roosevelt and his first wife.

Critical Analysis

Alice had a pet snake that lived with her in the white house, she drove a car when other young girls rode in carriages, she never attended school but was very well educated, she acted as a goodwill ambassador for her father, the president,  and she loved to dance all night at parties.  These are just a few of the facts about Alice Roosevelt that are brought to life in this engaging story. Barbara Kerley brings the precocious Alice Roosevelt to life in this picture book biography about her life.  Humorous, digital media illustrations  complement the outrageous Alice’s character.  Newspaper clippings and excerpts from letters help authenticate the story.  Alice was a girl ahead of her time.  She pushed the boundaries of expected behavior for girls.  She was also genuinely interested in people and politics and this helped offset her unconventional behavior and earned her the nickname Princess Alice.  I found the story very entertaining.


Awards and 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

School Library Journal review excerpt  “This book provides a fascinating glimpse into both a bygone era and one of its more interesting denizens as well as a surefire antidote for any child who thinks that historical figures are boring.”

BookList review excerpt “Irrepressible Alice Roosevelt gets a treatment every bit as attractive and exuberant as she was.”

Connections

Other books by Barbara Kerley:
The Extraordinary Mark Twain (according to Susy) (2010)
Those Rebels, John & Tom (2012)
Greetings From Planet Earth (2007)
Walt Whitman: Words for America (2004)

Other books on Alice Roosevelt:
Mind Your Manners, Alice Roosevelt! by Alice Kimmelman (2009)
Alice : Alice Roosevelt Longworth, From White House Princess to Washington Power Broker by Stacy A. Cordery (2007)