The President's Daughter

by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

ETHEL IS 10 YEARS OLD in 1901 when her family’s life changed forever. Suddenly, Father is not only a famous cowboy, war hero, and politician, but also President Theodore Roosevelt, leader of the United States—and Ethel has a new place to call home. The White House is older and stuffier than Ethel imagined, but there’s never a dull moment with her adventurous family around. Ethel would love to spend every day following Father on horseback rides and scrambles through neighboring Rock Creek Park.

Instead, Ethel has to stay at boarding school during the week, where nothing she does feels right and none of the girls seem to like her. Ethel’s parents keep telling her to keep her chin up and be patient, but it’s not easy being the president’s daughter. Ethel wishes she could be as courageous as father and make her family proud. When her fashionable older sister arrives home, Ethel feels new hope. Sister knows the secret of being brave and making friends, and she’s willing to share it. All Ethel needs to do is take one outrageous dare.


From the Hardcover edition.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, Historical, Fiction, Childrens, Presidents, Juvenile

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Kimberly Brubaker Bradley's next book, The Night War, will be published April 9, 2024. She is the author of nineteen previous books, including the Newbery Honor winners Fighting Words and The War that Saved My Life. The sequel to the latter, The War I Finally Won, appeared on many state-award and best-books lists and was described as “stunning” by The Washington Post and “honest” and “daring” by The New York Times. She is also the acclaimed author of She Persisted: Rosalind Franklin. Kimberly and her husband have two grown children and live with their dogs, two highly opinionated mares, and a surplus of cats on a fifty-two-acre farm in Bristol, Tennessee. Visit her at kimberlybrubakerbradley.com.

Reviews

[Malia C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really good. I learned a lot and could relate to the main character. I had just watched some of "The Roosevelts" documentary so I could relate parts of this book to what I had know before. There were a lot of details and I could follow everything. Overall, this book was a great read and I would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes a realistic fiction/historical fiction book.

[Heather Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyable historical fiction about Ethyl Roosevelt, one of President T. Roosevelt’s daughters. The glimpse into their family life was utterly delightful. Highly recommend.

[Steven · Rating 3 out of 5]

Theodore Roosevelt is many things to many people, but to his youngest daughter Ethel, he is simply “Father.” It didn’t matter to her that he had been a cowboy, a colonel, a governor, or even the Vice-President of the United States. Safe and secure with her large family at Sagamore Hill, what her father did outside their home rarely gave her concern…until the fateful night of September 13, 1901.

With the assassination of William McKinley, Vice-President Roosevelt suddenly becomes President Roosevelt, and Ethel finds herself thrown into the public spotlight as the President’s daughter. Although Ethel doesn’t mind moving into the ramshackle Executive Mansion (soon to be officially named as “The White House” by her father), or the stories about her family in the newspapers, she is very concerned about the National Cathedral School that she will be forced to attend.
Having to go to new school for the first time is bad enough, but being the new girl and the daughter of the President makes things even worse. Nearly everyone in the school snubs Ethel because of who she is, but what she hates the most is being apart from her parents and brothers for long periods of time. Wanting to give up, Ethel begs her parents to pull her out of the school, but her father will not tolerate even the thought of quitting.

At a loss for how to deal with the situation, she turns to her older, free-spirited half-sister Alice for advice. In her own wily way, Alice points back to a simple saying that their father always shared when someone in the family was confronted with a problem: “Over, under, or through, but never around”. There are different ways to overcome a challenge, the President believed, and running away should never be an option. Armed with this advice, Ethel is determined make the best of her circumstances in a way that only a Roosevelt can. But will this straight-forward approach work at Ethel’s school, or will cause more harm than good?

[Mandy Morrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

The President's Daughter isa fascinating book set back when Theodore Rosevelt took office. The narrator is Theodore's own daughter, Ethel. Mixed with fact and fiction, if you are interested in historyyou will be reading every chance you get. I know I was!

[David Dunlap · Rating 5 out of 5]

How might one's life change for a 10-year old girl when her father suddenly becomes President of the United States? Ethel, the middle child of five (and the only girl) of Theodore and Edith Roosevelt, finds out when her father is summoned from their Adirondack Mountain vacation to Buffalo, to attend the dying President McKinley. She quickly discovers that there is a great deal of change: for one thing, she is to be sent as a day student to a girls' private school connected with the National Cathedral. Her return home each Saturday leads to Sunday-night pleadings not to return. There is so much to explore in the Executive Mansion (which her father re-christens the White House): bicycle riding in the upstairs hallway, roller skating in the East Room (which is quickly moved to the basement, so as not to further contribute to the shabbiness of the carpeting); in short, many of the shenanigans a young family with lively children can get up to. Ethel finds her classmates rather cool to her and has difficulty making friends. But when her elder half-sister Alice comes for a visit, Ethel is delighted...and learns an important life lesson. -- A splendid book, from start to finish. The characters are all delightful. (I appreciate the delicacy with which the author suggests the complicated relationship between Alice and her stepmother.) It is written for younger readers, to be sure, but I enjoyed the glimpses it provided into the private life of our 26th President and recommend it highly for its factual historical details. (And it's FUN!)

[Jane Irish Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Ethel is ten-years old, her father, Theodore Roosevelt, becomes President of the United States, which changes the family life drastically. They move into the Executive Mansion, which Roosevelt rechristens the White House. The children discover they have a whole new playground there, although the family quarters are surprisingly small. Then Ethel is sent to school. Boarding school. But at least it is in Washington, DC, so she can go home for weekends. However, Ethel has trouble fitting in, and just lives for those weekends, until her sister Alice provides the clue she needs to begin to make friends. A very sweet story. Recommended.

[Jennybeast · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid and interesting biography of Teddy Roosevelt's 10 year old daughter, Ethel, at the moment of his transition from Vice President to President. That moment presented from Ethel's point of view gives a strong and unusual voice to the family life of one of our presidents. Particularly interesting in that the family has very clear opinions on this white house that they have to occupy, and the Bradley doesn't shy away from presenting the ambiguity of Roosevelt's feelings on race -- both his personal feelings and his failings in staying true to them in the public eye. Altogether refreshing.

[Read Ribbet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found previous title by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley who wrote The War that Saved My Life on my shelves. The President's Daughter is a historical fiction book that tells the story of Ethel Roosevelt's transition when her father Theodore Roosevelt suddenly becomes president. It's a slim volume that basically looks at the weeks before and after event. For Ethel, it means attending a boarding school for the first time and the story is as much about that transition. It's a well written story that gives readers a glimpse into this time period and what being a child of the president means.

[Becky Ginther · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of Bradley's earlier books and it's clear how much she's developed as a writer since this one. I still enjoyed it but it wasn't quite as complex and involved as Jefferson's Sons or The War That Saved My Life. I knew very little about Teddy Roosevelt's presidency so it was interesting to learn a bit more. Ethel is a fun character who I do feel bad for, because she faces a lot of difficulty when she goes away to school due to who her father is. Overall it was a quick read which I enjoyed but not a standout.

[Carol Greenwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

What life might have been like for the resident's children.

What had life been like for the children of a president? This story brings to life what daily life might have been like for the children. Children have little say in what they are expected to do. Edith doesn't like her school. She doesn't feel accepted. She feels her father, the president, if unfairly judged by the newspapers and then by the public.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet book based on a few months from the life of 10 year old Ethel Roosevelt as her father, Theodore Roosevelt, unexpectedly becomes President, after the assassination of Pres. McKinley. It is really is good material to help anyone understand the time period and some of the politics surrounding the President in his early months in the White House. Good read and suitable for anyone!

[Daniel Kleven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good book by KBB. Mostly interesting for its exploration of Teddy Roosevelt's family, and a bunch of true anecdotes that I had no idea about (kids living in the white house, pulling pranks). Fascinating episode where TR invites Booker T. Washington to dinner and the entire country was scandalized over it. The ten-year-old loved it too.

[Mamiko · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have loved other books by the author, Kimerly Brubaker Bradley, so read this one as well. I like the Roosevelts, so it was fun to read about this short novel about one of the daughters of Theodore Roosevelt. But I'd say this is light-weight for the author. Nothing wrong with it, but not thought-provoking like her other books.

[Kristine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tell of Teddy Roosevelt's second daughter, Edith, and her fictionalized viewpoint of the first few months in the White House.

Interesting story line with a good overall moral at the end.

Best part was the afterword describing the author' inspiration for writing the book.

[Juliana AD · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book very much. I liked being able to learn about the Roosevelt family, specifically 10 yr old Ethel in a personal story (not sure if personal is the right word) even if not all of the story is historically accurate.

[Kristen Luppino · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of Teddy Roosevelt's second daughter as they move to DC for his presidency.

[Marchel Thiessen · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing look inside the adventures and family of explorer and President Theodore Roosevelt! Especially the adventures of his oldest daughter!

[Connie Lovell Henehan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The President’s Daughter

Loved this clean, fictionalized book of the years w FDR w his family in the White House. A glimpse of family life that shows the fun times.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

fiction

[Dawna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written historical fiction for young girls. My 10 year old enjoyed it as well as I did.

[Michele · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and learning more about this daughter. I had only learned about Alice before so it was fun to learn about other members of the family.

[Terry Filkohazi · Rating 4 out of 5]

So cool to have insight into former president Roosevelt and his family's life.

[Ash · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. I enjoyed seeing the differences between public and private life of a presidents daughter from a child’s perspective, but I would have liked to see the story beats explored more.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

kid's book

[Tamara York · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kimberly Brubaker Bradley's most recent works are so great, that I decided to explore her backlist. This is a shorter novel, great for ages 8 and up, that tells the story of Teddy Roosevelt's daughter Ethel as she moves into the White House and starts school at a girl's boarding school as the President's Daughter. This is a great coming of age story filled with interesting nuggets of history and presidential trivia. I would highly recommend this. I will be putting it in my daughter's hands this school year as we cover the 1900's in history.

[Chris Arren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book about Theodore Roosevelt's youngest daughter. Ethel's father suddenly becomes president when President McKinley is assassinated. Ethel and her family adapt to life in the White House and the scrutiny that comes with it. Ethel's parents send her off to private school during the week and she has a difficult time making friends. She misses her siblings and the freedom offered by her father's adventures and joy of life. Ethel's older sister coaches her on building confidence and reaching out to others. An excellent historical novel and coming of age story--perfect for the middle school reader, but pleasing to all ages.

[Peggy Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

This title is on the Sunshine State Readers list for this year. I've never been much of a history buff, but this book could easily inspire young people to go and find out more about Teddy Roosevelt. Many of the incidents are based on the diaries and journals of the family, so there is an added sense of reality. An easy to read and amusing story of the Roosevelt family as they make the transition from being the vice-presidents family to being the First Family. Historically accurate, yet also rings true with the feeling of a young girl just growing up.

[Jo Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this quick little read about the Roosevelt family at the time Theodore assumed the presidency after McKinley's death. It is fictionalized though based on fact. I loved seeing how much of a family man Roosevelt was. He taught his kids to be brave, to face things with their chin up. Apparently one of his sayings was, "Over and under or through, but never around." meaning face whatever it is head on which is exactly what 10yo Ethel, whose perspective is telling the story, does.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm supposed to be reading it, anyway. And writing questions for Battle of the Books. It's OK so far. But there's other stuff I'd rather do.

Actually that's kind of wrong. I'd rather read about vampires or murder mysteries than read a fictionalized account of a former president's daughter.





Finally finished. It was pretty good ... just not my "thing."

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although fiction, this book is based on fact, and is about the vivacious daughter of President Theodore Roosevelt. Targeted at young people, it's a page out of history and reading it made me feel that I could see what living in the White House was like in the early 1900s. It also sent me to google to learn what became of her brothers.