1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Fleming, Candace. 2005. Our
Eleanor, A Scrapbook Look at Eleanor Roosevelt’s Remarkable Life. New York,
NY: Atheneum Books For Young Readers. ISBN 978-0-689-86544-2
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Winston Churchill said that Eleanor Roosevelt is “a woman
who does not know her place.” The book, Our
Eleanor, demonstrates that Eleanor Roosevelt was fully aware that her place
was anywhere that she wanted to be. This
scrapbook-style biography begins with a family tree and a copy of Eleanor’s
birth record, and continues through to Eleanor’s death. This biography addresses Eleanor’s personal
life and her contributions to politics and social programs. No stone in Eleanor’s life is left unturned
in this comprehensive collection.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Candace Fleming creates a stunning scrapbook of Eleanor
Roosevelt’s life. In a time that students are barraged with tidbits of
information from Facebook and other social media websites, the layout of this
exceptional book will appeal to readers with limited attention spans and those
who desire information delivered in small doses. This style engages younger readers, while at
the same time, includes enough information to draw in older readers.
Nearly every page of Our
Eleanor contains photographs. The photographs included in the individual
stories augment the information that Fleming is sharing with her readers. The section that explains Eleanor’s refusal
to be followed by Secret Service is accompanied by a photograph of her doing target
practice with a pistol. The photograph
tells as much of the story, if not more, than the article.
The author, Candace Fleming, has a stellar reputation in the
realm of historical biographies. An
extensive section in the back of the book is dedicated to picture credits and
other source notes. If a reader desired
to obtain more information on a particular section, the citations and sources
are available to continue that research.
There are several allusions to Eleanor’s sexual orientation in the
book. As there has been much speculation
of this subject, the approach to this topic was speculative, and was somewhat
detracting to the rest of the text, which was factually based.
Overall, this is a biography that should be included in
every home library.
4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
ALA Amelia Bloomer Project
ALA Best Books For Young Adults
ALA Notable Children's Books
CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book
CCBC Choices (Cooperative Children's Book Council)
IRA Teachers' Choices
Jefferson Cup Honor Book
KSRC Senior High School Titles - Top Pick
NYPL 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award
Pennsylvania School Librarian Association "Top Ten
(Or So)" Young Adult Books
Publishers Weekly Best Books
School Library
Journal Best Book of the Year
Starred Review in
School Library Journal: “Fleming is
honest, respectful, and astute throughout, addressing both successes and
controversies with balance…”
Booklist: “Fleming's jigsaw-puzzle
approach is probably best suited for use in conjunction with more traditional
narratives.”
Kirkus Review: “Though lacking the coherence of a traditional narrative,
it will appeal to readers who only want to dip in and read what looks
interesting.”
5. CONNECTIONS
*Other books on American political figures
Freedman, Russell. Lincoln: A Photobiography. ISBN 978-0899193809
Fritz, Jean. Bully
for You, Teddy Roosevelt!. ISBN 978-0698116092
*More books on
Eleanor Roosevelt:
Freedman,
Russell. Eleanor Roosevelt: A Life of Discovery. ISBN 978-0395845202
Thompson,
Gare. Who Was Eleanor Roosevelt.
ISBN 978-0448435091
MacLeod,
Elizabeth. Eleanor Roosevelt: An Inspiring
Life. ISBN 978-1553378112