Jackson (Cinder Edna
) culls snippets of entries from the journal that young Teddy Roosevelt kept during a year-long family tour of Europe that began in May 1869. Ranging from trivial to substantive, the future president's anecdotes and observations will be of varying interest to readers. Some require more explanation than Jackson provides ("We went to the Crystal Place which is very wonderful"), but many reveal the
diarist's sense of humor and high energy: in Antwerp's "botanic gardens" he and his siblings "played at wild bears and hunting and being hunted" and in Chamonix, France, he and his siblings "explored the hotel and met with several cross chambermaids." Brighton's (Galileo's Treasure Box
) detailed but airy illustrations greatly enhance the volume's charm and accessibility. Appealingly muted tones create a nostalgic feel and balance the depictions of the children's buoyant antics, while impressively realistic depictions of such architectural masterpieces as the Leaning Tower of Pisa and Paris's "Triumphal Arch" reinforce the historical context. Concluding notes suggest topics for journal entries (many of them unrelated to Roosevelt). Ages 6-9. (Sept.)
