Who Was Franklin Roosevelt? » (Original)

Margaret Frith lives in New York, New York. John O'Brien lives in Delran, New Jersey. Nancy Harrison lives in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Although polio left him wheelchair bound, Franklin Delano Roosevelt took office during the Great Depression and served as president during World War II. Elected four times, he spent thirteen years in the White House. How he led the country through tremendously difficult problems, much like the ones facing America today, makes for a timely and engrossing biography.

Children's Literature

This addition to the "Who Was...?" series gives an excellent view of the life of Franklin Roosevelt. The discussion of his childhood years smoothly leads to the description of his marriage, his political life, and his activism in support of polio research. He was not president during easy times, but difficult topics like the Great Depression and U.S. involvement in World War II are explained clearly and simply for the intended audience. The only things left unclear are the meanings behind the many initialed programs he started. Modern readers could be easily confused by what AAA and NRA may stand for. In addition to the narration of the main events in his life, well-placed sidebars give interesting details without distracting from the text. Did you know that his picture is on the dime in honor of his work for the March of Dimes? The personal difficulties he faced with an overbearing mother and the effects of polio are sensitively described, and the mistakes and unpopular decisions he made are respectfully mentioned. Readers are left with a positive but human image of this president. The text also includes a time line of FDR's life alongside a time line of world events, and a bibliography with starred entries showing those appropriate for children. Reviewer: Jennifer Lehmann