Colonel Theodore Roosevelt

August 1, 2014
An absorbing portrait of an iconic president known as much for his adventurous nature as his robust political life. Presidential biographies present a challenge in that many of the facts are familiar, and Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president of the United States, was such a colorful character that he continues to be an attractive subject for young readers. As indicated by his title, acclaimed biographer Adler focuses on Roosevelt the adventurer, documenting how a determined Roosevelt grew from a sickly, bookish child to an energetic young man devoted to politics. His exploits in the wild and as a Rough Rider share page space with his personal challenges and stories of his lively family. Adler does not shy away from the less-attractive aspects of Roosevelt's presidency. Much has been made of his dinner with the African-American leader Booker T. Washington. "But he did not support easier access for blacks to the voting booth. He did not appoint a great number of blacks to federal jobs. And in 1906 he seemed to cross the line and support unequal treatment of blacks" with the Brownsville Affair. In addition to an engaging narrative, this volume is replete with illustrations: photographs, political cartoons of the period, even drawings done by Roosevelt himself. Adler's research is supported by a detailed timeline, source notes, bibliography, picture credits and index.A valuable addition to the presidential-biography shelf. (Biography. 10-14)

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August 1, 2014
Grades 6-9 At the turn of the twentieth century, Adler states, the nation was ready for change, and Roosevelt was the man to lead it. This biography opens in 1901 with the shooting of President McKinley at the Pan-American Exposition, an event that led to his death and the presidency of his successor, Theodore Roosevelt. After a chapter on Roosevelt's youth, family, and education, the chronological narrative traces his adult life as a reformer, outdoorsman, family man, hunter, politician, rancher, Rough Rider, governor, vice president, president, trust buster, and wilderness explorer. While noting that Roosevelt had critics as well as supporters, the book portrays him as a great president who was generally beloved and deserving of praise. Black-and-white illustrations, including photos, drawings, and political cartoons, help readers envision the man, his contemporaries, and the period in which they lived. Well researched and clearly written, Adler's account offers a good introduction to the man and his times.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)