President Theodore Roosevelt (We Both Read Series)

Children's Literature - Cara Mulcahy

A nonfiction title in the series "We Both Read," this book introduces children to America's twenty-sixth president, Theodore Roosevelt. If your child has wondered how teddy bear's got their name or asked about the faces carved into the side of Mount Rushmore, this is the book for you and your child. One of the wonderful aspects of books in this series is that they allow parents to read with their children. The reader learns that Theodore Roosevelt proclaimed the Grand Canyon a National Monument and that he helped to create fifty-one wildlife reserves, sixteen national monuments, five new national parks, and set aside 235 million acres of land for national forests. Knowing this, one can understand why he is considered the first "conservation" president. The book tells us that Theodore Roosevelt is the only president to receive a Nobel Peace Prize while in office, that he is the only U.S. president to receive the Medal of Honor, and that he was the first president to fly in an airplane, dive in a submarine, or have a telephone in his house. Teachers can use the book as a read aloud or a book for students to read together. The black-and-white photographs and the hand drawn illustrations complement each other and add richness to the text. The only way this text could be improved is if it included a time line of Theodore Roosevelt's life and a resources page in case readers were interested in learning more.

Children's Literature - Sarah Nelson DeWald

Parent and child read together about President Theodore Roosevelt in this title, part of the "We Both Read" series. Each two-page spread allows for one page with a smaller font and more sophisticated text, while the facing page uses a larger font and simpler text. While every page provides information about Roosevelt, the format of this book allows for a shared reading as it provides support for two different levels of fluency and comprehension. The book is personal and interesting, yet informative. The reader learns that Roosevelt lost his first wife and mother on the same day, that he made football a safer sport, and that he was the namesake of the teddy bear. Important aspects of his presidency are also included: the "square deal" policy, his preservation of the Grand Canyon as a national monument, and his efforts to end the Russo-Japanese War. Young readers will enjoy the prospect of sharing a book with an older reader as they take turns reading the pages in this book. McKay delivers a great deal of factual information into the minds of young readers and empowers them to share in reading about a great American president.