A Boy Named FDR: How Franklin D. Roosevelt Grew Up to Change America

Krull (Kubla Khan: The Emperor of Everything) details how "the ultimate rich kid," who could have had a life of luxurious ease, grew up to become one of America's most renowned 20th-century leaders. The doted-upon only child of a wealthy New York couple, Franklin Delano Roosevelt—at one point Krull calls him "Fancy FDR"—had it all: "nurses, private teachers, butlers, cooks, housekeepers.... all he had to say was that he wanted something and it was given to him." Krull explains how Roosevelt's family, schools, spouse, struggle with polio, and famous cousin Teddy all influenced his concern for those less fortunate, with vignettes picturing a young Roosevelt passing out Christmas gifts to servants' children and working as a camp counselor for poor youth. Johnson and Fancher's (Sunday Is for God) full-page ink and oils radiate an almost Rockwellian nostalgia. Muted hues and soft edges, found even in a dynamic painting of Roosevelt sailing off the Maine coast, complement FDR's image as a warm and caring individual. Krull concludes with a time line of his life, augmented by quotations from Roo-sevelt himself. Ages 6–10. (Jan.)