Bully for You, Teddy Roosevelt! [Hardcover]

Jean Fritz (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 24, 1991 | Age Level: 7 and up | Grade Level: 2 and up

Award-winning biographer, Jean Fritz, tells the enthralling story of Teddy Roosevelt--conservationist, hunter, family man, and politician--who commanded the respect and admiration of many who were in awe of his energy, drive, and achievements. "...Has a sophistication and detail unusual in historical books written for younger people."--John Allen Gable, Ph.D., Executive Director, Theodore Roosevelt Association. Black-and-white illustrations.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"On the whole," Theodore Roosevelt once wrote, "I have continued all my life to have a better time year after year." Roosevelt lived his life like the hero of a classic children's tale: he was a small, ailing boy who overcame his physical problems--seemingly by sheer enthusiasm and will power--to achieve a career filled with adventure, fun and success. As usual, Fritz ( The Double Life of Pocahontas ; Shh! We're Writing the Constitution ) makes the most of her material, as she presents an irresistible portrait of a unique, larger-than-life American. Roosevelt comes alive through such telling details as the clothes he wore (ever the dandy, he strutted through his stint as New York City's Police Commissioner in pink shirts and "a black silk cummerbund with tassels reaching to his knees"), the lively games he played with his children and homely observations: "Teddy couldn't get along without a rocking chair. Even when he sat down to rest, he liked to feel that at least his chair was on the go." Fritz also chronicles T.R.'s political career and his impact on the nation through his work in conservation, legislation and tax reforms. This thoroughly entertaining biography can be summed up in one word: Bully! Ages 10-14.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

Concluding her first chapter with the death of Roosevelt's father while Roosevelt was still at Harvard, Fritz includes a telling quote (``I felt stunned...he was everything to me''), then telegraphs her theme in her uniquely lucid, succinct style: ``In his distress, Teddy may have felt that...his boyhood was gone. If so, he would have been wrong. [He] would always be a boy. And...his father would always be looking over his shoulder.'' With judicious balance, Fritz surveys the salient facts-- Roosevelt's political rise, his groundbreaking work as reformer and environmentalist, his sturdy militarism-- illuminating them with revealing incidents especially interesting to young readers, from his early interest in natural history (at seven, he was diligently recording animals' measurements; he learned taxidermy just a few years later) to his indulgence toward his children's White House escapades. Each entrancing detail contributes to the larger picture of Roosevelt: active, imaginative, indefatigable, a man who left law school when he found that law ``had less to do with justice than he thought it should'' and diverted himself from grief with hard work. This colorful, idiosyncratic President, long a biographers' favorite, has never been portrayed with more beguiling wit, precision, and honesty. An excellent book, one of Fritz's best. Notes; bibliography; index. (Illustrations not seen.) (Biography. 10+) -- Copyright ©1991, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Juvenile (May 24, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 039921769X
• ISBN-13: 978-0399217692
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #962,253 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

"The question I am most often asked," Jean Fritz says, "is how do I find my ideas? The answer is: I don't. Ideas find me. A character in history will suddenly step right out of the past and demand a book. Generally people don't bother to speak to me unless there's a good chance that I'll take them on." Throughout almost four decades of writing about history, Jean Fritz has taken on plenty of people, starting with George Washington in The Cabin Faced West (1958). Since then, her refreshingly informal historical biographies for children have been widely acclaimed as "unconventional," "good-humored," "witty," "irrepressible," and "extraordinary."In her role as biographer, Jean Fritz attempts to uncover the adventures and personalities behind each character she researches. "Once my character and I have reached an understanding," she explains, "then I begin the detective work--reading old books, old letters, old newspapers, and visiting the places where my subject lived. Often I turn up surprises and of course I pass these on." It is her penchant for making distant historical figures seem real that brings the characters to life and makes the biographies entertaining, informative, and filled with natural child appeal.An original and lively thinker, as well as an inspiration to children and adults, Jean Fritz is undeniably a master of her craft. She was awarded the Regina Medal by the Catholic Library Association, presented with the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award by the American Library Association for her "substantial and lasting contribution to children's literature," and honored with the Knickerbocker Award for Juvenile Literature, which was presented by the New York State Library Association for her body of work.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Read!, August 5, 2002

By 

KAT "bandbeast_2" (North TX, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bully for You, Teddy Roosevelt! (Unforgettable Americans) (Paperback)

This was such a joy to read. I just couldn't put the book down. I had no idea that Teddy Roosevelt had an affliction that he overcame, thanks in part to his ambitious father.

Until I read this book, I had no idea that Teddy Roosevelt thrived on adventure or that he collected specimens of animals. It's amazing that he managed to survive all of his adventures like he did being as sick as he was. Everything the man did was to test his endurance if not make history as well.

Now I understand his push for conserving the nation's natural resources. By the time he became president, there weren't many wild animals left or trees for that matter. At any rate, this book was fun to read, especially when Teddy Roosevelt climbed to the top of Mount Marcy before the death of McKinley.

It really amazed me how much energy the man had. Probably from all those treks out west when he was a boy to hunt or whatever. The gym his father built was nothing like what he faced on his many sojourns out west and to Africa. It made me dizzy to read about all those campaign stops and speeches.

At first, I thought this book a little slow when I read about his early life, but then it picked up when Teddy begin serving on various Civil Service jobs and eventually gaining the Vice-Presidency under McKinney and being elected to a second term as President afterward.

I highly recommend this book.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bully for you, theodore roosevelt!, April 9, 2001

By 

Johannis Weberstien (Chicago, Illinois) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bully for You, Teddy Roosevelt! (Hardcover)

An excellent chidren's biography of theodore roosevelt, which will be enjoyed by people of all ages.My only criticism is that the books title should be 'Bully for you, theodore roosevelt,' instead of 'Bully for you, teddy roosevelt,' a name which to him was anathema.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bully for You, Teddy Roosevelt, October 5, 2008

By 

Cindy Kalmar (Windsor, CO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bully for You, Teddy Roosevelt! (Unforgettable Americans) (Paperback)

My fourth grade daughter read the book for a project on a president. Very factual information given in book. Order of organization in book is good for her age. The book has been fun for her to read and myself as well as I followed along with her.