Bibliography
Kerley, Barbara. 2008. What to do About Alice. Ill. by Edwin Fotheringham. New York, NY: Scholastic Press. ISBN 9780439922319

Plot Summary

“I can be president of the United States, or I can control Alice. I cannot possibly DO BOTH,” says President Theodore Roosevelt of his daughter Alice.  What To Do About Alice is an excellent example of a picture book-biography. Kerley’s straight to the point and somewhat comedic text compliment Fotheringham’s illustrations beautifully. The text and illustrations grab the reader’s attention from the very beginning where they immediately learn of her father’s impatience with her to the last page where we see her walking by her father’s “head” on Mount Rushmore as she is carrying a large spoon to eat the world up with. Both the author and illustrator were very clever in constructing Alice’s life and her adventures so vividly that you can’t help but want to turn the page to see what kind of fun or mess Alice has gotten herself into this time!

Alice Roosevelt was not the kind of well behave girl you’d suppose a president’s daughter should be. She was more the kind of girl who danced all night, owned a snake named Emily Spinach (named after a rather thin aunt) and joined an all-boys club under her father’s very nose by having the boys dress up like girls whenever they held meetings at her house. Alice was also known to jump into a swimming pool fully clothed and created a group called the Night Riders—but if you want to know what kind of mischief THEY got up too you’ll have to read the book and find out!

CRITICAL ANALYSISThis biography serves its purpose of being educational, but unlike most in its genre, it was also a fun biography to read. It is designated as a book for children ages 4-8 and I feel that it was done so appropriately, but I also feel as if it would be suitable for older children and possibly even younger teens. This is an inspirational tale of a young lady whom had her heart set on exploration and that is exactly what she did. I believe that this book could be inspirational for young ladies who feel like they are required to take on the traditional gender roles as deemed appropriate by society, but want to do so much more with their lives! I would without resignation recommend this book to anyone interested in history, women’s liberation or those who just like to read a fun book!

REVIEW EXCERPTS

Booklist

"Irrepressible Alice Roosevelt gets a treatment every bit as attractive and exuberant as she was....The large format gives Fotheringham, in his debut, plenty of room for spectacular art."

 Kirkus
"Theodore Roosevelt s irrepressible oldest child receives an appropriately vivacious appreciation in this superb picture book.... Kerley s precise text presents readers with a devilishly smart, strong-willed girl who was determined to live life on her own terms and largely succeeded."

School Library Journal
"Kerley s text gallops along with a vitality to match her subject s antics, as the girl greets White House visitors accompanied by her pet snake, refuses to let leg braces cramp her style, dives fully clothed into a ship s swimming pool, and also earns her place in history as one of her father s trusted advisers. Fotheringham s digitally rendered, retro-style illustrations are a superb match for the text."

CONNECTIONS ConnectionsOther stories/bibliographies by Barbara Kerley:
Kerley, Barbara. The Extraordinary Mark Twain. ISBN-10: 0545125081;ISBN-13: 978-0545125086
Kerley, Barbara. One World, One Day. ISBN-10: 1426304609; ISBN-13: 978-1426304606
Kerley, Barbara. A Cool Drink of Water. ISBN-10: 0792254899;ISBN-13: 978-0792254898

Websites with Activities, Games and Lesson Plans
http://www.learningthroughlistening.org/Classroom-Teaching-Tools/Lesson-Plans/View-Lesson-Plans/463/lessonId__416/
http://bookwizard.scholastic.com/tbw/viewWorkDetail.do?workId=1275177
http://suzyred.com/2009-what-to-do-about-alice.html
http://www.texaslibrarian.com/page/11/