Sunday, March 16, 2008

Being Teddy Roosevelt by Claudia Mills

Grades: 3-5

Committee Annotation:
What 4th grader Riley wants most is to own a saxophone and to take music lessons. Researching Teddy Roosevelt for a biography book project inspires Riley to be as tenacious as Teddy and to persevere to achieve his ultimate goal.

Subjects: Conduct of life, perseverance, ethics, single-parents families, friendship, schools, self-esteem

Author website: http://www.claudiamillsauthor.com/

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is a very fascinating story. The story focuses on Riley. He really wants a saxophone, but he doesn’t have enough money. Riley is funny, but he is too hard on himself.

The fourth graders each read a biography and learn interesting facts about the person they picked out of a hat. Some people read about Helen Keller, Queen Elizabeth I, and Mahatma Gandhi. Riley picked Teddy Roosevelt. The children had to dress up as their person for a Biography Tea at school. Grant was embarrassed because he picked Gandhi and would have to wear a loincloth!

If you want to know what happens next, go to the library and get Being Teddy Roosevelt. We liked this book so much that we read biographies and dressed up too. After you are done reading, go to this website and post your own comments. We hope you enjoy this book as much as we did!

Mrs. Robinson’s third graders
Warwick Neck School
Warwick, RI

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

Being Teddy Roosevelt is hilarious. A boy named Riley wants a saxophone but he doesn’t have enough money. He is in fourth grade. The fourth-graders had to read a biography and write a report. They got to dress up for a Biography Tea. Lots of funny things happened when the children really got into their characters. Riley got to be Teddy Roosevelt. Teddy Roosevelt never gave up. This helped Riley figure out how to get the saxophone.

This book inspired us to do a biography project too. Our librarian pulled a lot of biographies for us to look at. We got to choose one. Some of us wanted the same person, so we played rock-paper-scissors, or guessed a number. We dressed up as our person and had an award ceremony. Some people were Most Adventurous, or Most Creative, or were given the Best Sportsmanship Award.

We hope you want to read Being Teddy Roosevelt and do a biography project too.

Beth Anne Goncalves said...

The above comment was submitted by
Mrs. Colangelo's third grade class at
Warwick Neck Elementary in Warwick

Anonymous said...

This book is about a boy who gets to be Teddy Roosevelt for a biography tea and he wants to play the saxafone.

Anonymous said...

This was an okay book to me. I thought it needed more pages to make it an awesome story. Allthough I liked how Riley did not have enough money to buy his saxophone. I liked how he had to earn the money for the lessons for the instrument and the lessons. I have mixed comments on this book.
Julie K.

Anonymous said...

IT is a really good book because of the action of Riley trying to get a saxaphone.IT is also funny.

Robert G

Wl Callahan School

Anonymous said...

I like when Riley tries to get a saxophone because Riley wants to be a music person .
M.B.
grade 4
Tiogue School
Coventry R.I.

Anonymous said...

I like the book Being Teddy Roosevelt because it is really, really funny and it's a about a boy named Riley and he really wants a saxophone. If you like humor LOTS OF IT then you will love this book
K.F.
grade 4
Tiogue School
Coventry RI

Anonymous said...

I thought Being Teddy Roosevelt was a great book because it was very funny and it taught a good lesson: school comes before fun activities. It is about a boy named Riley who wants to have a saxophone, but has to focus on school and being Teddy Roosevelt for a "biogaphy tea ". Read the book to find out what I mean by ''very funny ''. Enjoy .
J.E.
grade 4
Tiogue School
Coventry, RI

Anonymous said...

I wish i had a saxophone. But i have i flute

Anonymous said...

Being Teddy Roosevelt was a good book. Riley wanted to play the sax but he had no money. If you want to find out more read the book.
A.M.
grade 4
Tiogue School

Anonymous said...

Being Teddy Roosevelt is a great book it is about a 4th grader named Riley he is Teddy Roosevelt.
If you like a funny story you would like this book.This is a great book.

K.L
Grade 4
Tiogue School

Anonymous said...

I thought being Teddy Roosevelt was a great book. It told the story of a boy named Riley ,and how he ended up in this crazy life. Riley's class is having some sort of tea party and it involves people like Teddy Roosevelt. This book was fun to read and I'm sure you'll like it too.

M.C.
grade 4
Tiogue School

Anonymous said...

I like the book Being Teddy Roosevelt. It is a perfect book to read aloud. I like the ways Riley try to get a saxophone. I like it and hope you like it too.

E.Q.
grade 4
Tiogue School
Coventry, RI

Anonymous said...

Being Teddy Roosevelt is a good book. I think it is awesome at the end when he gets to play the sakophone. Why does he even want the saxophone?
J.C.
grade 4
Tiogue School
Coventry, RI

Anonymous said...

Riley wants a saxaphone but does not have the money. Riley's class had to pick out of a hat, the papers said a name like,Teddy Roosevelt,and Queen Elizabeth. The kids had to dress up as their person for a biography tea. I think kids should read this book because it is a good book.
K.T.
grade 4
Tiogue School
Coventry, RI

Anonymous said...

I liked Being Teddy Roosevelt because it gives information about the person that they picked out of the hat. I would give this book FIVE STARS!!!!!

(great book) :)

K.A.A.
grade 4
Tiogue School
Coventry, RI

Anonymous said...

Being Teddy Roosevelt is funny because it`s about a boy who really wants a saxaphone but doesn't have the money to buy one. He has to dress up like Teddy Roosevelt at a biography tea at school. His best friend Grant has like every video game!

D.M.
grade 4
Tiogue School
Coventry, RI

Anonymous said...

Riley wants a saxaphone but he doesn't have enough money. His dad didn't leave a lot of money when he left the family. Riley is being Teddy Roosevelt for the tea party someone is Mehatma Ghandi,Hellen Keller,and even Queen Elizabeth. I think you should read this book if you like presidents.

B.M.
grade 4
Tiogue School
Coventry, RI

Anonymous said...

This book was soo good that I could read it over and over again. but I felt bad for Riley. He didn't get his sax. I felt really bad.

T.P.
grade 4
Tiogue School
Coventry, RI

Anonymous said...

I loved Being Teddy Roosevelt because I loved when Riley couldn't buy a saxaphone. N.D.
grade 4
Tiogue School
Coventry, RI

Anonymous said...

Riley wants a sax but he does not have any money and he has to be Teddy Roosevelt and he does not want to be him it was a nice book.

A.T.
grade 4
Tiogue School
Coventry, RI

Anonymous said...

This book was mostly about Riley Grant Sophie and Erica their all friends and they have to dress up as other people for a biography tea. Riley got Teddy Rosevelt and he has to do a page biography on him. Riley loses his biography and his cards what will he do?

C.S.
grade 4
Tiogue School
Coventry, RI

Anonymous said...

I think everyone should read this awesome book!!!I loved this book because Riley has lots of problems and tries and tries to fix them. With the help of his friends he might get the saxaphone he's always wanted.

A.O.
grade 4
Tiogue School
Coventry, Ri

Anonymous said...

I give Being Teddy Rooseveit two thumbs up because I liked how Riley did have enough money to buy the saxophone. If you like music books read this one.

L.K.
grade 4
Tiogue School
Coventry, RI

Anonymous said...

I thought it was very good but a short book because it went by very fast.I've never read this good of a book. My favorite part was when Ghandi came in bald.

H.S.
grade 4
Tiogue School
Coventry, RI

Anonymous said...

Hi. I'am reading this book and it's really good hope you enjoy it as much as i like it.