Eleanor Roosevelt: Her Path to Kindness

This whirlwind biography of Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962) highlights how her difficult early years served in the development of the fundamentals behind her later work. Opening with Roosevelt’s dramatic rescue from the sinking SS Britannic as a toddler, ensuing scenes describe an anxious childhood marked by further trauma after her parents and brother die. A British boarding school and travel offer an emotional turning point, leading to Roosevelt’s embrace of volunteer work back home: “In the tenements of New York, surrounded by friends and doing work she loved, Eleanor was finally in her element.” A chance encounter with cousin Franklin closes, leaving a detailed author’s note to flesh out the details of the pair’s marriage and accomplishments. Lewis’s pale gouache, watercolor, digital illustrations spotlight the figure as she matures through a mix of vignettes and spreads. Emphasizing overcoming fear, Becker holds up the determined subject as a model: “She had no time for fear—her work was too important!” Resources included. Ages 5–9. (Feb.)