About the Series
The Making of America series traces the constitutional history of the United States through overlapping biographies.
The debates that raged when our nation was founded have been argued ever since: How should the Constitution be interpreted? What is the meaning, and where are the limits, of personal liberty? What is the proper role of the federal government? Who should be included in “we the people”?
Each biography in the series tells the story of an American leader who played a major role in shaping the United States of today. The result is a history of American constitutional law through a series of overlapping biographies.
Book #5
“Kanefield provides readers with an intimate examination of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, following the president from his birth in Hyde Park, New York, to his death in Warm Springs, Georgia. Along the way, readers discover Roosevelt’s complexities, his personal life, and his policies. These include well-known shining moments, such as his electoral victory in 1932 and the political and gender diversity of his cabinet, as well as darker moments in his life, including his ongoing affair with Lucy Mercer and his lavish lifestyle as a young man. . . .Those familiar with Kanefield’s other biographical works will not be disappointed. A solid account for both history buffs and report-writers.” Kirkus Reviews.
“This evenhanded overview of FDR walks a middle path perfect for middle-grade readers. A commendable addition to school and public library collections.” School Library Journal
“The attack on Pearl Harbor offers a dramatic entry point into this biography, but its account of Franklin Roosevelt himself is intriguing on its own. Kanefield . . . organizes the facts logically and provides plenty of useful background information about society, politics, and events during Roosevelt’s life . . . An enjoyable and broadly informative biography of FDR.” Booklist.
“His friends described him as complicated. His enemies said he was devious. Those closest to him understood he was elusive … behind a face that had two expressions: happy or serene.” This veneer, carefully cultivated in childhood to please his parents, becomes the dominant theme in Kanefield’s biography of American president Franklin Roosevelt, whose terms in office spanned the Great Depression and World War II . . . students seeking a general American history of the period will benefit from its well-defined focus. Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books.