What to Do About Alice?

Gr 3—6—Sure, Teddy Roosevelt had to deal with a lot of issues as President of the United States, but one of his biggest challenges was his daughter, Alice. The girl refused to conform to the social norms of her day when it came to appropriate behavior for young ladies. Barbara Kerley's Siebert Honor book (Scholastic, 2008) is read aloud with great enthusiasm by Katherine Kellgren while Edwin Fotheringham's joyful illustrations are scanned iconographically with minor animation, and augmented with occasional archival black-and-white photographs. Viewers learn how Alice Roosevelt "ate up the world" from her impetuous youth to her antics as a young adult. Her actions may have been occasionally scandalous but were never mean-spirited. Kerley's text is full of rich language with a bouncy rhythm that mirrors the subject matter. Original music complements the story well. An author interview explains how Kerley got the idea for the story and what kind of research was necessary to tell it well. A fun biography of a little-known historical figure and a great addition to Women's History Month celebrations.—Teresa Bateman, Brigadoon Elementary, Federal Way, WA