Nice Work Franklin

“…Day’s attractive multicolored illustrations were created using pencil and watercolors with gouache. Active scenes from inaugural parades and food lines fill spreads and depict the enormity of the task of pulling the country out of the Depression… This upbeat and inspirational yet brief summary of Roosevelt’s accomplishments will augment social studies lessons about this time period.–Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VASLJ

“…Created with pencil, watercolor, and gouache, the illustrations are detailed, imaginative, and (in the first third of the story) often comical….” -Booklist

Nice Work, Franklin! is a charming book with an inspiring story. It tells about the 32nd president, Franklin Roosevelt, and how, as a young man, he aspired to be like his cousin, president Teddy Roosevelt. But he faced a major setback when he lost use of his legs to polio at the age of 39. But after overcoming the limitations placed upon him, he was better able to help the nation get better after the Great Depression.

The delightful illustrations, rendered in a classic style of pencil and watercolor, are realistic yet as charming and fun as any I’ve seen. I’m enjoying this book with my children, and hope they can learn that when faced with a problem, they can “above all, try something,” because ultimately, “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” –We Heart Children

This historical picture book is a moving — and very entertaining — portrait of how the 32nd president overcame his personal and political challenges. After contracting polio, Franklin Roosevelt lost his ability to walk — but that didn’t stop him from successfully running for the position of President of the United States and becoming a national symbol of hope during the Great Depression. Jurmain includes fun anecdotes throughout, making Nice Work, Franklin! a great way to introduce Roosevelt’s inspirational story to young readers. –Read Brightly

The thing that sets Nice Work, Franklin apart from other books on the same topic is the ease of readability. It is written with children in mind and is easy to comprehend. It’s engaging and entertaining, too. An all-around winner.  –5 STARS, Batch of Books

This is the third book of U.S. history by this author-illustrator team (George Did It and The Worst of Friends are their other two).  Although the subject matter is serious, both the text and the illustrations are upbeat and humorous. –Kids Book a Day

Detailed illustrations by Larry Day portray the highlights of FDR’s administration, and the obstacles American faced, long soup lines caused by the Great Depression, “out-of-work” people and “broke banks.” In stirring prose, the author assures young readers that FDR’s personal challenges made him the perfect person to serve as president, an apt leader for a nation that was ailing, a valiant leader, one who lived the expression he made famous, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

This inspiring picture book brings history to life, and spotlights a president who “couldn’t walk” but who took “big steps to help America. –Chris Stuckenschneider, Book Editor, emissourian.com