Theodore Roosevelt's Presidency

November 1, 2016

Gr 8 Up-These titles effectively encapsulate the lives of men whose reputations are so nearly mythic as to make most of them recognizable by their last names only. The authors include episodes that are at odds with the lionized reputations, but add an emotional and psychological dimension. For instance, the hotheaded, occasionally violent Andrew Jackson was deeply committed to his tender, sweet wife Rachel Donelson Robards, and the outdoorsy, boisterous Theodore Roosevelt was grief-stricken to the point of despondency when his first wife, Alice Hathaway Lee, died at the age of 22. The illustrations are well-curated and excellently reproduced. The sepia-toned stars and stripes motif in the borders and backgrounds complements the presidential subject matter.

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