Eleanor was a disappointment to her family right from the beginning because she wasn't beautiful enough, and well, she wasn't a boy. The beginning of this story was startling to me. Eleanor's disfavor continued her entire life. Not only was she disfavored, she was unlucky. She seemed to not understand why, but her parents weren't good parents - and maybe not even very good people (although I'm inferring that). Eventually, they died, leaving her an orphan.
Despite all that, she became someone of great worth - the wife to the president of the USA! She never forgot the poor and unprivileged in the world and worked to help lift them up.
Who doesn't feel this way sometimes? This is a great story for anyone who has ever felt shy and awkward and undiscovered.
This could be a great story to read while we're doing biographies in class. Barbara Cooney is the illustrator of Roxaboxen!
Goodreads says:
Though she came from a wealthy and privileged family, Eleanor Roosevelt grew up in a cheerless household that left her lonely and shy. Years passed before Eleanor began to discover in herself the qualities of intelligence, compassion, and strength that made her a remarkable woman. In Eleanor, two-time Caldecott Medal winner Barbara Cooney paints a meticulously researched, lushly detailed picture of Eleanor's childhood world--but most importantly, she captures the essence of the little girl whose indomitable spirit would make her one of the greatest and most beloved first ladies of all time.
"There are many biographies of Eleanor Roosevelt, but this one is special?Cooney is at her artistic best."
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