America's 26th president started out as a sickly, asthmatic child who wasn't well enough to go to school. His father encouraged him to exercise and build his body, and his curiosity about nature led him to learn about animals and habitats. Theodore Roosevelt graduated from Harvard, and became many things in his life: published writer, cowboy rancher, soldier, famous cavalry officer, explorer, governor of New York, Vice President, and President of the United States. He had a large family whom he loved, and they all trooped into the Executive Mansion with him. Roosevelt changed the name of the home to "The White House" and he and his wife Edith restored and updated the building, adding the West Wing and the Oval Office. Roosevelt was a wealthy man with business connections, but he was known for "trust-busting" - or breaking up business monopolies. He was also known for his conservation efforts, including setting aside more than 16 million acres of public lands as parks and monuments for all people to enjoy. His international policies and actions were also well known: "Speak softly and carry a big stick." Roosevelt believed in having a powerful navy to prevent other nations from attacking, and he believed in having a canal in Panama, across Central America, to allow ships to travel more efficiently. The ways that Roosevelt got things done weren't always on the up-and-up, and though not everything he did went well, he seemed to have the best intentions overall (at least in the frame of his time). This biography is well-written, though some of the historical political situations are more complicated. Plenty of photos and the 21 activities are related to the events of the time, with plenty of directions and cautions. 6th grade and up. ( )