Franklin D. Roosevelt

August 15, 2019
A conversational examination of the life of the 32nd president. Kanefield provides readers with an intimate examination of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, following the president from his birth in Hyde Park, New York, to his death in Warm Springs, Georgia. Along the way, readers discover Roosevelt's complexities, his personal life, and his policies. These include well-known shining moments, such as his electoral victory in 1932 and the political and gender diversity of his cabinet, as well as darker moments in his life, including his ongoing affair with Lucy Mercer and his lavish lifestyle as a young man. Although Kanefield's storytelling isn't always smooth, overall it flows in a friendly and welcoming style that reluctant readers will appreciate. Photographs and supplemental boxes of contextual information interrupt when additional background information is needed. The backmatter is also helpful, and it includes a timeline, bibliography, notes on the chapters, and selections of FDR's writing for curious readers. Those readers will need to flip back and forth between narrative and endnotes for sourcing information, however, as they are not directly anchored to the text. Those familiar with Kanefield's other biographical works will not be disappointed. A solid account for both history buffs and report-writers. (Biography. 9-12)

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October 1, 2019

Gr 6-8-The latest installment in the "Making of America" series follows Franklin Delano Roosevelt's journey from Hyde Park scion to a seminal player on the world stage. About half the text explores his early life, while the remainder focuses on his administration and legacy. Emphasis is placed on Roosevelt's reorientation of the Democratic Party, groundbreaking policies, landmark shift in the relationship between the federal government and its citizens, and push for a globally relevant America. Despite a glut of photographs and tangential sidebars, Kanefield's colloquial narrative serves as a sprightly introduction. While the text prefers primary sources to editorial commentary, it doesn't shy away from the president's complicated private life (including his protracted affair with Lucy Mercer), political mishaps (his attempt to pack the Supreme Court with six additional justices), or ethical shortcomings (say, a long-standing alliance with racist Southern Democrats). Since dates are often omitted and footnotes nonexistent, conscientious readers will find themselves mining back matter, including a comprehensive time line and textual notes, to aid their understanding. Kanefield's attention to Eleanor Roosevelt's formative influence on progressivism, especially in relation to race and gender, is also worth noting. VERDICT Neither hagiography nor a hatchet job, this evenhanded overview of FDR walks a middle path perfect for middle grade readers. A commendable addition to school and public library collections.-Steven Thompson, Sadie Pope Dowdell Library, South Amboy, NJ

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2019
Grades 5-8 The attack on Pearl Harbor offers a dramatic entry point into this biography, but its account of Franklin Roosevelt himself is intriguing on its own. From an early age, FDR learned to hide his emotions and even physical pain. He grew up in a wealthy family and married his distant cousin Eleanor, in spite of his doting mother's objections. Early in his career, he decided to become president, followed predetermined steps toward that goal, and succeeded, despite his affair with Lucy Mercer and the challenges of polio. The longest serving U.S. president, he guided the country through a period of difficulties, challenges, and change. Kanefield, who also wrote Alexander Hamilton (2017), Abraham Lincoln (2018), and Susan B. Anthony (2019) for the Making of America series, organizes the facts logically and provides plenty of useful background information about society, politics, and events during Roosevelt's life. Archival photos illustrate the text. The back matter includes excerpts from Roosevelt's writings, a lengthy bibliography, and source notes for the many quotes. An enjoyable and broadly informative biography of FDR.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)