Informational

What To Do About Alice - Barbara Kerley

Kerley, Barbara. 2008. WHAT TO DO ABOUT ALICE? Ill. Edwin Fotheringham. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN: 9780439922319

After reading this picture book biography, readers will know that Alice Roosevelt was a unique and fun loving girl.  Through the use of digital media and interesting quotes, Alice becomes a real person and not just the daughter of a President. Each quote Kerley uses helps explain not only the role Alice Roosevelt played in American History, but also her true character.  "Alice ate up the world," summarizes both how Alice felt about the world and how the world received her.  Somehow Alice was able to do things in her life that the average person would not have been able to do without adverse reactions.  Although her behavior was viewed as "outrageous", she was still well loved by the public.  Perhaps her early tragedy and hardships endeared her to the public, but she never wanted to be "the poor little thing!" Alice had a zeal for life that can be felt when reading this book!

Kerley pulled quotes from newspaper articles and letters to create a story that identifies the true character of Alice Roosevelt.  The entire story is creatively told through strategically placed quotes about Alice and digitial media prints that reinforce the quotes.  To draw attention to the quotes, the quotes appear in a variety of fonts which draw the reader's eye directly to the quote.  Single word quotes are mingled into the text, but easily identified by the differing fonts.  Another creative element was the use of newspaper head lines to illustrate Alice's behavior and how the behavior was viewed by the public. Readers are exasperated by Alice, but at the same time appreciate her love for life.  

ALA Notable Book

Siebert Honor Book

SLJ Best Book of the Year

KIRKUS review: "Kerley’s precise text presents readers with a devilishly smart, strong-willed girl..."

*Organize a "Did You Know?" board then collect and post facts about Alice Roosevelt

*Compare Alice Roosevelt to other historical women like Amelia Earhart or Marian Anderson