Official Review: Teddy Roosevelt, Millie, and the Elegant...
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- Jgideon
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Official Review: Teddy Roosevelt, Millie, and the Elegant...
Millie was seven years old when the Narcissus made its way to her hometown, Gray. With the words of a fortuneteller ringing in her mind, she ran as fast as she could towards the electric trolley (Narcissus). There in the trolley, looking at her and gladly accepting her bouquet of handpicked sweet peas, was Theodore Roosevelt, whom she fondly called Mr. Teddy.
Teddy Roosevelt, Millie, and the Elegant Ride by Jean M. Flahive is a historical fiction book for young readers. It follows the life of a young girl, Millie, who was raised in a rural farm in Maine and witnessed the arrival of the electric trolleys in her hometown. Her fascination with Mr. Teddy drove her to do things that ordinary farm girls would not do. Her story is spread within the twenty-seven chapters of the novel.
I loved reading this book. Flahive picked a significant historical event and turned it into a beautiful story that any young reader would appreciate. I loved the boldness of ‘spitfire’ Millie and how her parents, Henry and Lillian, supported her to do the things that she loved. For instance, they allowed her to join Camp Fire Girls, which allowed young girls to support the American army during WWI.
The themes that the author brought out in this novel were unique to the given period: 1911-1920. Flahive managed to paint a clear picture of the effect of the war on families, the Spanish flu epidemic, the means of transport and communication during that time, the impact of Theodore Roosevelt to the lives of young people, and women suffrage. Undoubtedly, young readers will learn a lot about the kind of life that people lived during that time. If I hadn’t read this book, I would have never known that Roosevelt’s mentor was such a simple man with a big heart.
I loved the writing style employed by Flahive in this novel. The interchange of scenes between the life of young Millie growing up in the Thayer farm and the 96-year-old Millie relating her life experiences to Phil when they visited the Seashore Trolley Museum in Maine was such a brilliant feature of the narrative in the novel. The age difference (of the same character) in the two scenarios helped to bring out the rich history of the period covered in the novel (1911-1920).
The book seemed to be professionally edited. I gave it a perfect score: 4 out of 4 stars. This is such a fascinating read. Thus, I could not give it a lower rating. I recommend it to all readers, especially young adults, who enjoy novels in the historical fiction genre.
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Teddy Roosevelt, Millie, and the Elegant Ride
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