Customer Reviews

The President's Daughter

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This fictional autobiography is a lively portrayal of Teddy Roosevelt's youngest daughter, Ethel. Young readers will be amused by the antics of this 'rough riding' first family and will empathize with Ethel's conflicting feelings about being a first daughter. The story opens as T.R. receives a call in the night that McKinley had been shot, and we follow the family in their move to the 'dark and musty' White House, Ethel's enrollment at National Cathedral (boarding) School, and her joyous, tomboy visits home. Bradley's meticulous researching is well-reflected in the text, but it never becomes bogged down in biographical data. The dialogue is very well done, and characters and setting are rich in detail. It is a thoroughly enjoyable, engaging read for older elementary and younger middle school students and would be a wonderful read-aloud in a classroom studying US Presidents

As a small town librarian, I purchased this book to entice teens and preteens to read, as I was impressed with the author's first major book, Ruthies's Gift. I began reading The President's Daughter and couldn't put it down.

It transplants you into the body of President Teddy Roosevelt's 10-year old daughter. You actually feel that you experience her fear when Predident Garfield's assassination strips her from her home, and her friends, and puts her in a run-down mansion where she fears for herfather's life every time he ventures out. You share her rejection and loneliness when she is forced to move into a boarding school, and feel naughty exuberance as you both share some excapades with her indepedent half sister.

This is a great book for all ages and has every mark of being a classic.

Summary: This book is about 10 year old Ethel Roosevelt's early experience being president Theodore Roosevelt's daughter. It describes Ethel's family moving from Long Island to Washington D.C. Ethel has to go to the National Cathedral boarding school during the week, but she's relieved to go home to the White house on the weekends. She roller skates and bikes in the White House and rides her horse Wyoming outside in the gardens. She experiences many adventures other than those too.

Liked: I liked the way the author said that Theodore Roosevelt the first one to call the Executive Mansion the White House. I also like that Ethel is a tomboy who enjoys bike riding, roller skating, and going on scrambles with her family. I learned that scrambles are wet muddy hikes. She was famous and she got to do whatever she wanted and it made me want to be like her.

Disliked: I disliked the way the author made almost every chapter begin with a Monday and Ethel going back to boarding school. I didn't like these parts because every time the same thing happens. I like the White House parts better because they have more interesting events like Ethel driving the horses and riding in a wild car with her sister.

Rating: I would give this book a 4 because it was fun to read about Ethel's life growing up in the White House but there were parts of this book that were boring and repetitive.

WE gave this book to our grand daughter who is an avid reader. She loves horses & this is a fun way for her to learn some American history! Congrats, Kim!!

The Presidents Daughter is by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. Other books By Kimberly Brubaker Bradley are The Lace Maker Princess, The Perfect Pony, Leap Faith, For Freedom, Half Way to the Sky, One of a Kind Mallie, and No Dogs Allowed. The genre of the book is Historical Fiction and the theme of the book is growing up being the president's daughter.
Kimberly Brubaker Bradley's style is writing Historical Fiction and Fiction books for kids. The main characters in the book are Ethel Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt, Edith Roosevelt, Quentin Roosevelt, Archie Roosevelt, and Kermit Roosevelt. My favorite character of The Presidents Daughter is Alice Roosevelt.
The background information of my book is presidents and their daughters. An exiting or an important part of the book is Theodore Roosevelt became the 26th president after President McKinley died from a bullet in Buffalo New York and when Ethel's mother said that she was going to National Cathedral School in Washington D.C. Ethel's reaction was upset because girls didn't go to school back then. You will have to read the whole book to see how it ends.
I recommend this book to people who like to read Historical Fiction with an afterward. Ethel was a ten year old girl when her father Theodore Roosevelt became president of the United States in 1901 after the assassination of President McKinley in Buffalo New York. The family moved into the White House a few days later. Ethel went to a boarding school and met a friend named Emily. Ethel goes home on the weekends and holidays to see her family she also loves horses.