Eleanor Roosevelt: Fighter for Justice

by Ilene Cooper

Eleanor Roosevelt, Fighter for Justice shows young readers how the former First Lady evolved from a poor little rich girl to a protector and advocate for those without a voice. Though now seen as a cultural icon, she was a woman deeply insecure about her looks and her role in the world. But by recognizing her fears and constantly striving to overcome her prejudices, she used her proximity to presidents and her own power to aid in the fight for Civil Rights and other important causes. This biography gives readers a fresh perspective on her extraordinary life. It includes a timeline, biography, index, and many historic photographs.
 

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Middle Grade, History, Historical, Feminism, Childrens

192 pages, Hardcover

First published August 7, 2018

Reviews

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

A compelling introduction to the life and political career of Eleanor Roosevelt -- arguably the greatest First Lady in United States history and unarguably one of the icons of progressive U.S. politics. Ilene Cooper's book charts her rise from emotionally isolated childhood, through her cathartic education, her troubled marriage with Franklin Roosevelt, and finally her post-WWII career. If the book commits one grievous sin, it's in coasting through Eleanor's aforementioned post-war life (in the 3-hour-long audiobook I listened to, this period commands all of ten minutes!), which was remarkable and unprecedented. For that reason, I'd recommend anyone impressed by what they read in Cooper's book to branch out into more extensive biographies of this great American, as I plan to do.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

My mother, who grew up in the Depression, idealized FDR. She instilled that in me as well. FDR could do no wrong. He ended the Depression, he lead the US through WWII. Praise, Praise, Praise.

But, she never talked about Eleanor Roosevelt.

I knew about Eleanor, for her work after FDR died, her work with the UN, but this book is following her work for Civil Rights, which I was unaware of. The author uses a lot of background information, siting sources through out, from her autobiography, to her columns, from other books about her, to letters written to her and from her.

Very easy to read. A good introduction to an amazing woman, and the work she did pushing for civil rights, including integrating the army during World War II.

Oddly, even though FDR's affair is touched on, nothing is said about the relationship Eleanor had with her press secretary. It is sort of how biographies talked about Tove Jansson, without mentioning her wife.

And one other problem I had with this book, which is a minor one, is that it says that World War II began with the bombing of Pearl Harbor, as though the rest of the world was playing tiddly sticks the rest of the time.


Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a 2000 page book on Eleanor saved in my Goodreads "to read" pile but decided to start with this small young readers primer instead.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I've long been an admirer of Eleanor Roosevelt, who just may have been the hardest working First Lady ever, and therefore know quite a lot about her, I still found plenty of new material in this informative and forthright biography, which I'd rate a 3.5. In it, author Ilene Cooper charts the growth and development of her subject as she matures and has her eyes opened to the conditions of the world around her. Eleanor's upbringing might have been privileged, but she suffered enormous losses in the early deaths of her mother, a beautiful debutante, and her beloved father, an alcoholic. Even her grandmother seemed distant and more intent on keeping Eleanor and her siblings in line once they moved in with her. But a sojourn for school in England where she learned to think and speak for herself and a marriage to a politician whose ambitions would take him to the White House provided the impetus for Eleanor to come out of her shell. As she grew more confident, perhaps because of her travels and her contacts with individuals from all sorts of walks of life, Eleanor became interested in and immersed in issues related to immigration, poverty, women, and the working class. Eventually, she also had her consciousness raised regarding race and social justice issues and became deeply invested in the civil rights movement, often at odds with her husband, President FDR, on how far the laws should go in making change. Even after his death, she continued to do the work that mattered to her, writing and speaking out, always pushing herself to do the things she feared doing. The author does not shy away from some of the controversy and problems that surrounded Eleanor: FDR's affair with Lucy Mercer, her own initial painful shyness and cluelessness about race matters, her conflicts with her mother-in-law, and her outspokenness. Readers will finish this volume with admiration and empathy for Eleanor while also wanting to know more. The text is accompanied by several archival photographs that allow readers to see Eleanor in her various roles. The choice to begin with a harrowing event in her life as a social activist serves to entice readers into reading more. But honestly, Eleanor's life story is interesting enough on its own merit without that dramatic introduction. Ultimately, the book charts one woman's evolution, a process that is fascinating and from which readers can draw inspiration for their own journeys.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very readable.

I appreciated the nuance taken with Eleanor Roosevelt’s approach to racism and antisemitism. The author largely avoided making Eleanor into a flawless heroine and tried to frankly address her flaws and hiccups.

Missing: any mention of Eleanor’s extramarital relationships.

Unfortunate resonance for today, including references to racially integrating the military (echoing current comments about women, gay and transgender people) and the reluctance to accept sufficient refugees ahead of the violence in Europe (the comment about Nazi spies potentially posing as refugees nearly made me spit). It seems as though if history doesn’t exactly repeat itself, event for event, we are incapable of heeding its warnings. An echo here, a similarity there, is never enough for folks to sit up and take notice.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This well-written biography focuses on the work that Eleanor Roosevelt did in helping fight social injustice. Eleanor's life starting with her birth and continuing up through her death is covered. But the focus is on her evolving feelings and work related to civil rights, women's rights, and other social justice causes. Her family life is described including references to her complicated relationship with her husband, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and her troubled relations with her children. I found it fascinating to read about how her opinions about things changed over time and how it influenced her actions. The way she stepped forward to help in causes she believed in at a time when women weren't supposed to be so active and involved is admirable. But Cooper doesn't hesitate to point out weaknesses in Eleanor's beliefs and actions both related to her family and her public actions. A thought-provoking look at a woman who despite her weaknesses stepped up and made a difference at a time when many Americans were suffering.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent juvenile biography of one of our finest first ladies. Eleanor started life as a shy young girl but became an advocate for civil rights and she found her voice and in turn her place in history.

[Tamsyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good introductory biography of the amazing Eleanor Roosevelt.

[Chloe (Always Booked) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really interesting brief overview of Eleanor Roosevelt’s life. It covers a lot and shows her character and activism and would be a great read for middle graders!

[Pat Kamuf · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very informative book about Eleanor Roosevelt. You don't learn a lot about key people in history in school, so to read a biography about a person gives you an insight into to their life and times. It is brief but it has a lot of information.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm thinking about creating another bookshelf called badass women. Eleanor Roosevelt would be in this category. This middle grade/YA biography absolutely does what a good biography for teens should do and that's tell the story objectively. Cooper didn't sugarcoat FDR's affair with Lucy nor the distance that the two of them had once Eleanor found a path that worked for her and the nation as well as her reluctance in motherhood particularly with an overbearing mother-in-law.

But it spoke to the powerhouse that she was and the attitude that she had. She wanted to learn and be taught as much as speaking for those that didn't have a voice. There were so many touching moments that are explained in detail to understand her private life as well as her public life and the tragedy of losing her husband literally needing to move out of the White House at the same exact time, but her quip to the incoming president was priceless. She was a "fighter for justice" and it comes through in Cooper's biography with picture and a perfect arc to explain her upbringing through her professional life and then what happened post FDR. It was a lovely dedication to a woman who did so much.

[Michelle Kidwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eleanor Roosevelt, Fighter for Justice
Her Impact on the Civil Rights Movement, the White House, and the World
by Ilene Cooper
ABRAMS Kids

Abrams Books for Young Readers
Children's Nonfiction , Middle Grade
Pub Date 07 Aug 2018


I am reviewing a copy of Eleanor Rosevelt, Fighter For Justice through Abrams Books for Young Readers and Netgalley:



Eleanor Rosevelt went from poor little rich girl to a woman who gave a voice to the voiceless. The wife of Franklin Delano Rosevelt and First Lady, she choose to use her voice in a way many in her era were afraid too!

Despite her families wealth in her childhood, it was not exactly idyllic, her Father battled addictions and would be gone for long stretches at a time, but he was the one that also showed her that not everyone was as blessed as she was. When she was only six her Father took her to help feed a couple needy boys Thanksgiving dinner, which likely was a large part of the reason she fought so hard for those in need throughout her life.

In 1892 when her Mother was only twenty nine she came down with Diptheria and the disease eventually ended up killing her. Leaving the children with only their troubled Father to care for them. A few months later her younger brother Elliot would die of Scarlet Fever, a little more than a year later she would loose her Father to Suicide!


At fifteen her Grandmother Hall sent Eleanor to a boarding school just outside of London.



After having some marriage trouble, Eleanor developed a form of Anorexia. By 1919 Eleanor had dismissed all the white servants and replaced them with a black staff.


Eleanor Rosevelt showed that by overcoming her fears and insecurities and prejudiced she could and did make a difference for Civil Rights Movement as well as many other important movements.



I give Eleanor Rosevelt, fighter for justice five out of five stars!



Happy Reading!

[JoLee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Featured in "Historical Nonfiction for Young Readers" on Intellectual Recreation.

It was an absolute pleasure to read Ilene Cooper's book about Eleanor Roosevelt. She is an impressive and much-admired historical figure.

I did not know much about Eleanor's childhood and youth, and I am now thoroughly convinced that Eleanor is one of the main reasons that her husband, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, had four successful presidential terms.

Ilene Cooper's biography of Eleanor specifically emphasizes her work in the spheres of social justice, civil rights, and racial equality. I really like how Cooper conveys Eleanor's growth in terms of these issues. She was not a perfect person; she held racial prejudices that were wrong and needed to be overcome. I was so impressed by Eleanor's Roosevelt's willingness to listen and learn from other people. This is a trait that I deeply admire.

Review copy from NetGalley.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eleanor Roosevelt: Fighter for Justice by Ilene Cooper, 184 pages. NON-FICTION. Abrams, 2018. $18.

Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: PG; Violence: G.

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

This book covers the span of Eleanor Roosevelt’s life, with a focus in the second half of the book on her activities toward equality. As a youth, Eleanor experienced the deaths of many close to her, including both her parents and a sibling, as well as a transient lifestyle, moving from house to house. In her later years she battled against the prejudice of her youth by educating herself about the state of disadvantaged populations - women, children, immigrates, and people of color.

I appreciated the balance in this book, in that the author was honest about the racist things Eleanor had done, but explained how she moved past old beliefs and educated herself on compassion and representation. The book does go in to limited details on Eleanor’s husband’s affair, which may be a bit mature for some readers. The book contains a good sampling of photographs mixed in with each chapter.

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...

[Mrs. Melaugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

The life story of Eleanor Roosevelt, a woman who persevered through a variety of setbacks in her life, provides a relatable, inspiring role model for young readers. Her marriage to Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who later became president, put Eleanor in a position to positively influence many causes. Much of the narrative focuses on her work for African American civil rights, including her unsuccessful efforts to end lynching. Her work continued after FDR’s death, when she focused still on civil rights, but also became a key proponent for the creation of the UN. Besides detailing Eleanor’s public accomplishments, Cooper does an excellent job conveying events in Roosevelt’s private life, including losing her mother, younger brother, and father at a young age, her difficulty living with her overbearing mother-in-law, and the heartbreak of husband FDR’s affair (but not Eleanor’s romantic relationships with women). Extensive materials at the end include excerpts of an address in Roosevelt’s own words, a timeline, footnotes, bibliography, and index. Well-placed black and white photos illustrate the text.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recently watched a PBS series on the Roosevelts, and was so intrigued I decided to read a simple children's biography on Eleanor.

Eleanor and Franklin had such a strange relationship, I will start there. But it sounds like Franklin was exactly the right man to be president when he was. It put Eleanor in the spotlight, and she gradually gained the confidence to run with it. I read this book in the midst of the riots and protests following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, and I often paused in my reading to think about what Eleanor would think and do in this current situation. I am so impressed with how she was so completely clueless about the plight of colored people, but she really jumped in to educate herself and try to befriend them and get to know them. Just what we are trying to do now, educate, listen, learn. She is a great example of a person who really tried to make the world a better place, I am impressed with what she accomplished, even though as a country, there is still a long way to go.

[Tod · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won’t lie, hearing the word “nonfiction” intimidates me. However, Cooper did a really good job in this book of balancing the narrative elements with the biographical ones. This book felt like a very easy to follow timeline tracking her life, and it genuinely read like a story. Eleanor felt like a heroine protagonist that I was rooting for, and even though it was all real, I was still finding myself getting lost in the story at various points. I think it’s probably significant to mention that I knew very few details of Eleanor’s life prior to this book, so I was fascinated by all of the new information I discovered and found a new reverence for Mrs. Roosevelt. (In addition to this, the author also gave me a lot of great new information about what America was like during WWII, and I really enjoyed that, too!)

To read more of my thoughts on this book, check out
https://yalitreader.wordpress.com/202...

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was rich and extensive, but yet simple biography for beginners of the life of Eleanor Roosevelt. I wanted to read more about her after reading Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking, where part of a chapter was about the quiet, “soft” power behind her husband, FDR, the President of the United States during the Great Depression to WWII. I liked the linear timeline format since I was unfamiliar with her entire background, and I found the format conducive to that goal. After the basic biographical details of her life were explained (i.e. birth, growing up, marriage, children, etc), they get into the more interesting parts of her life, which was her work with social justice and the civil rights movements throughout her journey as First Lady and after her husband had passed away. My only problem was that I wish there was more information about her time working as a delegate for the newly formed United Nations, as well as her time working with JFK. I definitely learned a lot from this book and this has spurred me on to more books about her.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eleanor Roosevelt was a world changer. She influenced her husband (3 time president Franklin Delano Roosevelt) and worked tirelessly for social reform in many areas. I think the thing that impressed me most about her was her grace in realizing her lack in certain areas and how she addressed them deliberately and persistently. She was in the trenches first hand, she did not just stand back and let others do the work. She tackled poverty, racism, civil rights, housing, safety... She was strong despite an unfaithful husband and a critical public. I also love her statement "It never hurts to be kind". Final copy includes: timeline, comprehensive notes, bibliography w/ books and websites, author's note, index.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eleanor Roosevelt was a social activist when activism was considered unAmerican. Although from a wealthy family, she was lonely as a child. She was sent from her New York State home to Europe for boarding school, and it was there she met the teacher that instilled in her the courage of her convictions.. When she returned home and married, she would draw on this inner strength to power through life with FDR's overbearing mother. She became the eyes and ears that FDR needed to keep track of the needs of the nation. This is a great title to have in every library as well as your personal library !

[Mili Fay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Writing: 5 Stars;
Entertaining: 4 Stars;
Informative: 5 Stars;
Read Again: No.
Book Cover: 3 Stars;
Narrator: 5 Stars;

Total: 4 Stars;

I prefer fictionalized biographies because they read like stories. This book is what I expect from a textbook. It is interesting, informative, simple, and well-written.

I feel the cover is serviceable, but I dislike that it is presented as a Broadway Bill. It makes her appear like a frivolous star out to entertain us and does not express the gravity of the subject. Perhaps just using the bottom picture with creative framing or something more active, would have been better.

[Jill Simmons · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Hubby gifted me this book for Christmas, probably not realizing it is a young adult biography. It was an easy read that I finished in a couple of hours on a cold winter Friday afternoon. My father told the story of how he once shook hands with Eleanor Roosevelt, as a soldier in WWII. I believe he always respected the Roosevelt’s as being able to direct this Country through a difficult time. I learned of her fight for women’s rights to vote, housing for the poor, injustice for Blacks, antilynching, education for children, and fight for worker (including children) working conditions. She had to overcome her own inborn prejudices.

[Iva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ilene Cooper tells Eleanor Roosevelt's remarkable life story in enviable prose suitable for all readers. They will learn about her advocacy in civil rights, anti-lynching, women's rights and child labor laws. She visited the troops (without Secret Service protection) as well as spending time with kings and queens. She worked tirelessly for whatever was necessary to work for human rights. A very complete treatment of a first lady that clearly set a wonderful example of what could be accomplished. Excellent photographs enhance the text.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up at a thrift store, not realizing that it was a book recommended for 10-14 year olds. I didn't know much about her, but had recently seen a Facebook post about her, so it peaked my interest. It was certainly not some detailed description of her, but it created more interest. I look forward to adding her memoir to my read pile some day. I would also, definitely, recommend this for any 10-14 year old!

[Candance Doerr-Stevens · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed learning about the life of Eleanor Roosevelt and welcome the opportunity to learn more. While I realize this book was written for young readers, I felt like too much about her life and relationships was cut out or not mentioned at all. That said, I did appreciate that she was presented as human with blind spots and flaws rather than an overly sanitized hero.

[Curtis Hale · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is great if you just want a quick overview of Eleanor’s life, but for me it glossed over and skipped too many important aspects of her life. The pacing of the book was too quick, and I don’t feel as if I know much more about her than if I’d read a Wikipedia article.

On the good side, what was written was interesting and compelling. It left me wanting more.

[E · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the general outlines about Eleanor Roosevelt and her place in historical events. This helped give me details and more context. I’m also left thinking about the New Deal, politics and racism and past and present and activism. A lot needs to change. But reading this left me mostly optimistic. Maybe.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick easy read - thanks to Abrams Young Reader. Good book to introduce to young readers 13+ on change and equality of rights for both race and gender. I just saw Hamilton and then read this book - the sad part is the men (politic figures) in the story are cheating on their wives. It makes me so mad!!!

[Becca Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a biography of Eleanor Roosevelt. It started off when she was a child and lived with her parents. When her parents died she was sent to Allenswood, a private school, by her aunt. She gained a lot of confidence there and found herself. When she got back she met FDR, her cousin, and they got married. She then became a strong politic figure with her husband.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting and engaging read about Eleanor Roosevelt. I learned so much about this woman. I like that Ilene presented Eleanor's faults and shortcomings making her very relatable to today's readers.