Do you remember doing a traditional biography report/presentation in elementary school? Where you chose a person, most likely a sport star or a celebrity, that you were fond of and did a presentation in front of the class? Mrs. Harrow, the fourth grade teacher in Mill's adorable book Being Teddy Roosevelt, finds a way to make the traditional biography assignment actually fun and inspiring.

Description: More than anything, fourth grader Riley wants to play the saxophone and buy music lessons. However due to his lackluster grades and his forgetfulness, his dream of being a musician seems far out of his reach that is until he finds inspiration from his biography project on Teddy Roosevelt. In order to get what he wants, Riley must ask himself: "What would Teddy Roosevelt do?"

Review: Being Teddy Roosevelt is an adorable, sweet book for children. Children will subtly understand the 'boring process of writing a biography report' but also actually see that doing a report can be really fun. The narrative is infused with lots of biographical information of key historical figures like Helen Keller and Gandhi. Mills' writing is light and humorous, which makes this book a great choice for a read aloud. The black and white pictures complements the story quite well. By the end of the story, children will learn the value of friendships and perseverance. 


Curriculum Connection: Social Studies

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: None. Due to its brevity and humor, this would make a great read aloud for K through 3rd grades.


If you like this book try: Bully for You, Teddy Roosevelt! by Jean Fritz