The Remarkable Rough-Riding life of Theodore Roosevelt

The Remarkable Rough-Riding Life of Theodore Roosevelt and the Rise of Empire America by Cheryl Harness

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A really good, well-done biography of Theodore Roosevelt. This was never boring, the illustrations were good, and it included a fascinating timeline on each page. My son's one complaint was that the timeline was a little behind the story, so we had to backtrack once in a while as we were reading this together. Absolutely age-appropriate for middle-schoolers, and equally entertaining and informative for older readers (like me!). I think Teddy is now my 3rd favorite president.



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Uprising

Uprising by Margaret Peterson Haddix

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I have always been interested in the tragedy of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. Now I have read a book that is written for young people which clearly explains the situation, the time period, and brings it all to life. This is a terrific book, describing New York City from 1909-1911, just 100 years ago, but very different from New York today. The author tells this tale from the viewpoint of three young women, a Jewish immigrant, an Italian immigrant, and a rich American girl. The friendship that is formed between this trio tugs at your heart, but Margaret Peterson Haddix never softens the ugliness of poverty and tragedy. This is a good read, and a great book for teaching about unions, early immigrants to our country, and working conditions during the early part of the 20th century.



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